So a Minivan, an SUV and a Sedan Walk into a Bar, and...Stereo EvaluationSecond OpinionsConsumer Commentary
Buick's latest advertising campaign has different types of vehicles (an SUV, a luxury car and a minivan) driving into a spooky castle. A bolt of lightning hits, and out comes the Buick Rendezvous. An obvious reference to Frankenstein is implied, that Buick has taken different aspects of these vehicles and made it into one.
Perhaps they should have shunned the Frankenstein analogy. After all, in Mary Shelley's original version, Frankenstein's monster is banned from "civilized" society (actually, he is the only true humanist) for his hideous appearance. Even in the movie with Boris Karloff, the freak meets a fiery demise. In fact, the only time that ol' Frankie enjoys a happy ending is in Mel Brooks' version, Young Frankenstein ("That's Fronk-in-steen").
Does the Buick Rendezvous combine its bits and parts to create a repulsive beast, or is it a successful amalgamation? Will it meet an untimely death, be castigated from society? We've seen how this can happen in the case of the Pontiac Aztek, the Rendezvous' doppelganger. The Aztek may have been a decent enough vehicle, but no one could get past its repugnant visage; it benefits from a restyling one year into its shelf life, which is almost unheard of in the car industry.
The Rendezvous looks a lot better than the Aztek; it's as if the Aztek's skeleton has been glazed over with a translucent coating of shellack. However, the bones are still readily apparent, and the Buick is still afflicted with disproportionate hindquarters (although the rear lights look interestingly enough like those of the Honda Odyssey) and such odd design cues as front turn lights that wrap into the hood above the headlamps. Its body cladding is a bit much, but at least the panels aren't ribbed. The wheelwells house 16-inch wheels, but 17-inchers would go a long way in giving the truck a more planted look. Still, they meld into a whole that's much more pleasant to the eye than the jarring, disjointed lines of the Pontiac. It certainly looks more like a rugged SUV than a minivan, which will appeal to consumers who don't want the stigma of driving (gasp!) a sensible vehicle.
But does Buick successfully blend different aspects of these different types of automobiles? Most crossover cars combine two different types of vehicles; this attempts to coalesce three. In doing so, it hits some targets yet misses out on others. As its focus becomes blurred by trying to be all things to all people, it fails to excel at any.
Let's take its claim for a sedan-like ride. It hits its mark there; driving the Rendezvous does remind you of piloting one of Buick's pillowy sedans, with its suspension tuned for comfort and supple ride quality. It's definitely more carlike than most trucks, thanks to a combination of a long wheelbase and short and long arm independent rear suspension; unique for an SUV-type vehicle. Our test model was also equipped with an automatic level-control system that raises the suspension to the proper level if you should be carrying a burdensome amount of material. Plus, it allows for an air pump to blow up a soft tire or a basketball. On city streets and at moderate speeds on the highway, it's a soothing ride, floating over bumps and potholes with the greatest of ease.
Put it into a corner, however, and plenty of body roll and sway accompanies the movement of the vehicle. It ran our 600-foot slalom in 6.87 seconds at 59.5 mph, a tad slower than most other vehicles in this class. You don't want to tackle curves too aggressively anyway, as the Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring SR P215/70R16 tires tend to protest loudly and fold over during cornering maneuvers.
Hard braking was accompanied by lots of nosedive, and acceleration resulted in rear-end squat, which is to be expected in a vehicle with such soft suspension tuning. The Rendezvous is outfitted with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution, which aided in achieving a 60-to-0 braking distance of 131 feet, slightly better than average for the crossover SUV class.
Worthy of note is that the car Buick uses in its ads is a luxury sedan. The carmaker took great pains to point out that extravagant items have been used as inspiration for the interior. The color scheme, for example, was supposed to have been influenced by Louis Vuitton luggage. Well, it doesn't quite work, but the tri-tone scheme (in various shades of brown on our test vehicle) is pleasing nonetheless. Materials used fall short of the luxury mark; the leather on the seats is stiff and coarse, the faux aluminum trim (with a pattern that one editor claimed looked like striated muscle tissue) is mere plastic. Various rattles and squeaks infiltrated the cabin, but we couldn't detect any obvious fit-and-finish mistakes. Gap tolerances were narrow and even, although we weren't crazy about the exposed screw heads in the door panel. Most of the dash is composed of soft-touch materials, however, and the plethora of storage bins, most notably the huge center and overhead console, helped matters.
Ingress and egress are made exceptionally simple thanks to a lack of a doorsill and a low step-in height, ensuring that there were no unseemly splay-legged displays, like most tall vehicles require. The power-operated seats (seat and mirror memory and heaters are options) with manually adjustable lumbar support are cushy, but a couple of editors noted a backache after driving it for a while. No one liked the halo-type headrests. The instrument cluster was designed with "an expensive watch or a bracelet" in mind, with white-faced gauges and green numbers. While it looks different and classy, the numbers were too small to be easily referenced.
Our tester was equipped with the CXL package, which gave it an easy-to-use dual climate control system. A driver information cluster provided a trip computer and various ways to personalize the Rendezvous, such as the operation of the automatic locks and interior lights. Our CXL also came with redundant stereo controls for the steering wheel and rear seat audio controls with headphone jacks, complementing the optional six-disc CD changer. Read our stereo review.
Buick is marketing the Rendezvous as a possible alternative to an SUV. Not only does it look more like a sport-ute, its VersaTrak all-wheel-drive system helps to substantiate the claim. Under normal driving circumstances, power is supplied to the front wheels. When sensors detect wheel slip, power is routed to redirect torque to one or both rear wheels. This is useful for those who live in areas where the weather can make the road slippery, but don't plan on tackling any off-road trails. Ground clearance tops out at 7 inches and there's no low-range transfer case, which means that you won't be able to take your Buick on a trail much harsher than a dirt road.
The third vehicle that the Rendezvous appropriates is a minivan and its people-and-stuff moving functionality. Riding on a platform shared by GM's trio of minivans, the Chevy Venture, the Oldsmobile Silhouette and the Pontiac Montana, the Rendezvous possessed appropriate storage figures. Our CXL had the 50/50-split second-row seats. When just two people occupy them, the rear passengers can stretch out in comfort and enjoy the convenience of a fold-down armrest that opens up to reveal a cupholder and a small storage bin. They also get fold down footrests, but most of us agreed that these would rarely be used. Foot room and legroom (at 39 inches) are plentiful, but the middle passenger gets shafted, with only a lapbelt and no headrest. The seats slide fore-and-aft, and the seatback rake is adjustable, but the seatbelts aren't of the automatic locking variety.
The third row holds two in relative comfort with 34.6 inches of legroom, beating most vehicles' second-row accommodations. Mind you, it's no Jaguar Vanden Plas back there, but it's acceptable for an SUV. However, make sure you've got a friend to get you out, because it's difficult to reach the lever to fold the second-row seats and release yourself from your confinement. With the third row in use, don't count on carrying much cargo. There is little space — a slender 18.1 cubic feet, to be exact, between the seatback and the door, but you can carry a narrow object that measures up to 4 feet in length. There is a floor-mounted bin to hold small objects, but a minivan will serve you better if you need seven-passenger seating and cargo space. Unlike many minivans, the third-row seat folds flat when not in use, availing 54.5 cubic feet of space to you. Take out the second-row seats and a cavernous 108.9 cubic feet opens up, giving you more space than most vehicles in the category, such as the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 300.
This is a tall, wide vehicle, and the rear parking assist system that uses four ultrasonic sensors is helpful when navigating tight parking spaces. We prefer the kind with variable beeps so that you can gauge your progress rather than a monotone beep that sounds when you're getting too close to another object, however. The thick C-pillars and high beltline hindered visibility, but the Buick's huge side mirrors helped matters considerably.
Pulling this rather portly 4,024-pound package is GM's 3400 V6 engine, capable of producing 185 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. We felt that GM's choice of engine was conservative; the company could have used one of the more potent powerplants in its stable. But the 3400 is endemic to all of GM's minivans, so they had no choice. Zero-to-60-mph acceleration runs were achieved in 10.7 seconds, one of the slowest times among V6-powered SUVs and minivans. The engine provided good midrange power, but once revs are taken to the higher end of the tach, a high-pitched tone invaded the cabin; it almost sounds like a turbocharger kicking in. For 185 ponies to pull the 4,024-pound vehicle is a bit of a drudge; those taxed horses get tired out mighty quickly. The Rendezvous can be outfitted to tow up to 3,500 pounds, which is a rather paltry sum, but makes sense in light of the anemic engine and the unibody platform. Typically, a body-on-frame vehicle can tow more.
Shifts from the four-speed automatic transmission are reasonably quick and unobtrusive, although one editor deemed it a tad lackadaisical. Steering, as can be expected, was lifeless and numb, but is linear enough, with a tight turning circle of 37.4 feet. All in all, the Buick gives a comfortable, bland ride, unable to provoke any spirited driving, but doing its job competently enough as to not raise much ire.
The Rendezvous is a capable vehicle and people mover; its problem lies in the fact that it doesn't excel in any one area or another. It holds seven, but minivans and other SUVs, like the Acura MDX and Mercury Mountaineer, do that, as well. It has a nice interior, but others have better. It has the security of AWD, but so do many other minivans and trucks, and many SUVs have a low-range transfer case for when the going gets tough. If it's a smooth ride you're after, a Lexus RX 300 gives a buttery one. It has a large cargo area when the seats aren't in use, but it's far less than what a minivan would offer. Other SUVs can outhandle and outrun the Rendezvous. The Buick offers a little of everything, but not enough of any one aspect in particular to recommend it over other vehicles in the class. What it's left with is its price. The Rendezvous comes in at a couple of thousand dollars under comparably equipped competition — in terms of luxury crossover vehicles. But will that be enough? If third-row seats aren't a necessity, we feel that the Toyota Highlander is an excellent alternative.
No, the Rendezvous isn't a Frankenstein; it won't be shunned from society or get burned by a lynch mob. In fact, it may have problems getting attention from the buying public. Better shovel some more money Tiger Woods' way to champion the cause.
Perhaps they should have shunned the Frankenstein analogy. After all, in Mary Shelley's original version, Frankenstein's monster is banned from "civilized" society (actually, he is the only true humanist) for his hideous appearance. Even in the movie with Boris Karloff, the freak meets a fiery demise. In fact, the only time that ol' Frankie enjoys a happy ending is in Mel Brooks' version, Young Frankenstein ("That's Fronk-in-steen").
Does the Buick Rendezvous combine its bits and parts to create a repulsive beast, or is it a successful amalgamation? Will it meet an untimely death, be castigated from society? We've seen how this can happen in the case of the Pontiac Aztek, the Rendezvous' doppelganger. The Aztek may have been a decent enough vehicle, but no one could get past its repugnant visage; it benefits from a restyling one year into its shelf life, which is almost unheard of in the car industry.
The Rendezvous looks a lot better than the Aztek; it's as if the Aztek's skeleton has been glazed over with a translucent coating of shellack. However, the bones are still readily apparent, and the Buick is still afflicted with disproportionate hindquarters (although the rear lights look interestingly enough like those of the Honda Odyssey) and such odd design cues as front turn lights that wrap into the hood above the headlamps. Its body cladding is a bit much, but at least the panels aren't ribbed. The wheelwells house 16-inch wheels, but 17-inchers would go a long way in giving the truck a more planted look. Still, they meld into a whole that's much more pleasant to the eye than the jarring, disjointed lines of the Pontiac. It certainly looks more like a rugged SUV than a minivan, which will appeal to consumers who don't want the stigma of driving (gasp!) a sensible vehicle.
But does Buick successfully blend different aspects of these different types of automobiles? Most crossover cars combine two different types of vehicles; this attempts to coalesce three. In doing so, it hits some targets yet misses out on others. As its focus becomes blurred by trying to be all things to all people, it fails to excel at any.
Let's take its claim for a sedan-like ride. It hits its mark there; driving the Rendezvous does remind you of piloting one of Buick's pillowy sedans, with its suspension tuned for comfort and supple ride quality. It's definitely more carlike than most trucks, thanks to a combination of a long wheelbase and short and long arm independent rear suspension; unique for an SUV-type vehicle. Our test model was also equipped with an automatic level-control system that raises the suspension to the proper level if you should be carrying a burdensome amount of material. Plus, it allows for an air pump to blow up a soft tire or a basketball. On city streets and at moderate speeds on the highway, it's a soothing ride, floating over bumps and potholes with the greatest of ease.
Put it into a corner, however, and plenty of body roll and sway accompanies the movement of the vehicle. It ran our 600-foot slalom in 6.87 seconds at 59.5 mph, a tad slower than most other vehicles in this class. You don't want to tackle curves too aggressively anyway, as the Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring SR P215/70R16 tires tend to protest loudly and fold over during cornering maneuvers.
Hard braking was accompanied by lots of nosedive, and acceleration resulted in rear-end squat, which is to be expected in a vehicle with such soft suspension tuning. The Rendezvous is outfitted with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution, which aided in achieving a 60-to-0 braking distance of 131 feet, slightly better than average for the crossover SUV class.
Worthy of note is that the car Buick uses in its ads is a luxury sedan. The carmaker took great pains to point out that extravagant items have been used as inspiration for the interior. The color scheme, for example, was supposed to have been influenced by Louis Vuitton luggage. Well, it doesn't quite work, but the tri-tone scheme (in various shades of brown on our test vehicle) is pleasing nonetheless. Materials used fall short of the luxury mark; the leather on the seats is stiff and coarse, the faux aluminum trim (with a pattern that one editor claimed looked like striated muscle tissue) is mere plastic. Various rattles and squeaks infiltrated the cabin, but we couldn't detect any obvious fit-and-finish mistakes. Gap tolerances were narrow and even, although we weren't crazy about the exposed screw heads in the door panel. Most of the dash is composed of soft-touch materials, however, and the plethora of storage bins, most notably the huge center and overhead console, helped matters.
Ingress and egress are made exceptionally simple thanks to a lack of a doorsill and a low step-in height, ensuring that there were no unseemly splay-legged displays, like most tall vehicles require. The power-operated seats (seat and mirror memory and heaters are options) with manually adjustable lumbar support are cushy, but a couple of editors noted a backache after driving it for a while. No one liked the halo-type headrests. The instrument cluster was designed with "an expensive watch or a bracelet" in mind, with white-faced gauges and green numbers. While it looks different and classy, the numbers were too small to be easily referenced.
Our tester was equipped with the CXL package, which gave it an easy-to-use dual climate control system. A driver information cluster provided a trip computer and various ways to personalize the Rendezvous, such as the operation of the automatic locks and interior lights. Our CXL also came with redundant stereo controls for the steering wheel and rear seat audio controls with headphone jacks, complementing the optional six-disc CD changer. Read our stereo review.
Buick is marketing the Rendezvous as a possible alternative to an SUV. Not only does it look more like a sport-ute, its VersaTrak all-wheel-drive system helps to substantiate the claim. Under normal driving circumstances, power is supplied to the front wheels. When sensors detect wheel slip, power is routed to redirect torque to one or both rear wheels. This is useful for those who live in areas where the weather can make the road slippery, but don't plan on tackling any off-road trails. Ground clearance tops out at 7 inches and there's no low-range transfer case, which means that you won't be able to take your Buick on a trail much harsher than a dirt road.
The third vehicle that the Rendezvous appropriates is a minivan and its people-and-stuff moving functionality. Riding on a platform shared by GM's trio of minivans, the Chevy Venture, the Oldsmobile Silhouette and the Pontiac Montana, the Rendezvous possessed appropriate storage figures. Our CXL had the 50/50-split second-row seats. When just two people occupy them, the rear passengers can stretch out in comfort and enjoy the convenience of a fold-down armrest that opens up to reveal a cupholder and a small storage bin. They also get fold down footrests, but most of us agreed that these would rarely be used. Foot room and legroom (at 39 inches) are plentiful, but the middle passenger gets shafted, with only a lapbelt and no headrest. The seats slide fore-and-aft, and the seatback rake is adjustable, but the seatbelts aren't of the automatic locking variety.
The third row holds two in relative comfort with 34.6 inches of legroom, beating most vehicles' second-row accommodations. Mind you, it's no Jaguar Vanden Plas back there, but it's acceptable for an SUV. However, make sure you've got a friend to get you out, because it's difficult to reach the lever to fold the second-row seats and release yourself from your confinement. With the third row in use, don't count on carrying much cargo. There is little space — a slender 18.1 cubic feet, to be exact, between the seatback and the door, but you can carry a narrow object that measures up to 4 feet in length. There is a floor-mounted bin to hold small objects, but a minivan will serve you better if you need seven-passenger seating and cargo space. Unlike many minivans, the third-row seat folds flat when not in use, availing 54.5 cubic feet of space to you. Take out the second-row seats and a cavernous 108.9 cubic feet opens up, giving you more space than most vehicles in the category, such as the Acura MDX and Lexus RX 300.
This is a tall, wide vehicle, and the rear parking assist system that uses four ultrasonic sensors is helpful when navigating tight parking spaces. We prefer the kind with variable beeps so that you can gauge your progress rather than a monotone beep that sounds when you're getting too close to another object, however. The thick C-pillars and high beltline hindered visibility, but the Buick's huge side mirrors helped matters considerably.
Pulling this rather portly 4,024-pound package is GM's 3400 V6 engine, capable of producing 185 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. We felt that GM's choice of engine was conservative; the company could have used one of the more potent powerplants in its stable. But the 3400 is endemic to all of GM's minivans, so they had no choice. Zero-to-60-mph acceleration runs were achieved in 10.7 seconds, one of the slowest times among V6-powered SUVs and minivans. The engine provided good midrange power, but once revs are taken to the higher end of the tach, a high-pitched tone invaded the cabin; it almost sounds like a turbocharger kicking in. For 185 ponies to pull the 4,024-pound vehicle is a bit of a drudge; those taxed horses get tired out mighty quickly. The Rendezvous can be outfitted to tow up to 3,500 pounds, which is a rather paltry sum, but makes sense in light of the anemic engine and the unibody platform. Typically, a body-on-frame vehicle can tow more.
Shifts from the four-speed automatic transmission are reasonably quick and unobtrusive, although one editor deemed it a tad lackadaisical. Steering, as can be expected, was lifeless and numb, but is linear enough, with a tight turning circle of 37.4 feet. All in all, the Buick gives a comfortable, bland ride, unable to provoke any spirited driving, but doing its job competently enough as to not raise much ire.
The Rendezvous is a capable vehicle and people mover; its problem lies in the fact that it doesn't excel in any one area or another. It holds seven, but minivans and other SUVs, like the Acura MDX and Mercury Mountaineer, do that, as well. It has a nice interior, but others have better. It has the security of AWD, but so do many other minivans and trucks, and many SUVs have a low-range transfer case for when the going gets tough. If it's a smooth ride you're after, a Lexus RX 300 gives a buttery one. It has a large cargo area when the seats aren't in use, but it's far less than what a minivan would offer. Other SUVs can outhandle and outrun the Rendezvous. The Buick offers a little of everything, but not enough of any one aspect in particular to recommend it over other vehicles in the class. What it's left with is its price. The Rendezvous comes in at a couple of thousand dollars under comparably equipped competition — in terms of luxury crossover vehicles. But will that be enough? If third-row seats aren't a necessity, we feel that the Toyota Highlander is an excellent alternative.
No, the Rendezvous isn't a Frankenstein; it won't be shunned from society or get burned by a lynch mob. In fact, it may have problems getting attention from the buying public. Better shovel some more money Tiger Woods' way to champion the cause.
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