Overview & Reviews

The CXL Plus trim level is dropped in favor of a single CXL model; a CD/MP3 player stereo is newly optional; real wood replaces the fake stuff for the steering wheel and shift knob; and various upgrades help spruce things up inside. Full-length head curtain airbags make their way to the options list, though Buick has dropped last year's seat-mounted side airbags (which provided torso protection for front occupants).

• Exceptionally quiet ride, strong optional V8, easy to get in and out, decent off-road ability.

• Subpar build and materials quality, sloppy handling, lacks key safety features, not enough storage space.

User Reviews:

Showing 31 through 40 of 63.00

• 

  We love our Rainier - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Z - June 9 - 12:13 pm

  Quiet, powerful and comfortable style. Our Rainier is powered by a 5.3 V8 and gets 18 average MPG. Compared to other brands, we are happy with the Rainiers gas mileage. It handles very well.

• 

  OK by me - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Dave - June 9 - 11:11 am

  No problems with this SUV...Very quiet ride which I have never experienced in an SUV before and this is my third. Interior is very comfortable. No trips to the dealer in my first year. Low profile tires help it look good and handle well.

• 

  Better than Lexus - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Adrian Clark - June 2 - 2:01 pm

  A great vehicle. After experiencing the Lexus RS300, this vehicle is far superior in all aspects. The Rainier is more roomy, more solid, more fun to ride and has a much more comfortable ride than the Lexus. The Rainier is quieter and the quality is superior.

• 

  The Way To Go - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Roseann - May 21 - 10:22 am

  I test drove this SUV and knew it was the one for me. It drives like a luxury car, handles the road well, very quiet and looks great.

• 

  Ranier - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By richards - May 12 - 3:39 pm

  The ride is the best! So smooth and lots of power and very quiet.

• 

  Our Ranier - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By jim & Lou - April 23 - 11:35 pm

  Just completed a 6,000 mile trip with this vehicle. My husband and I both remarked how easy the SUV was to drive. As though it just glided along the hiway. With the air supension in it no matter how we packed the stuff in it, it always evened itself out and was the most comfortable ride we have ever had. We traveled thru mountains, deserts, plains, large cities, small cities, 4 lanes, 2 lanes, and every type of road imaginable and the vehicle just seemed to adjust to the road and conditions by itself. My husband is 6 foot tall and this is the first vehicle that we have purchased that his head does not touch the top of the car and he has plenty of room for his legs also. We are happy with the Rainier.

• 

  Had to buy 2 of them - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Ed Kildoyle - April 23 - 11:15 am

  I bought one for myself and my wife liked it so much she wanted one of her own so we now own two of them. We both love our Rainiers as they give us the luxury comforts and the features of a mid sized SUV. They are very quiet with a comfortable ride especially on long trips. I have the V8 so the pickup is very good and unless you take turns at 80 miles an hour the handling and performance is more than satisfactory. I wish it had the rainsense wipers I had on my Cadillac as well as the backup warning system. Other than that we love our Buick Rainiers.

• 

  Not perfect but very good - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By LWhitmer - April 14 - 3:41 am

  Ive now had the car for 2 months and still find it very nice to drive - very quiet and smooth. It does have some problems though. The transmission does not downshift smoothly, ever. The AWD system is rather poor in snow - too much torque goes to the rear wheels making hills a real challenge that my previous Blazer ate up like butter. I find the braking and handling are quite good for an SUV even in emergency manuevers. All in all, a very good highway cruiser.

• 

  Best SUV We Test Drove & Bought - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Mark Ayers - March 31 - 12:43 am

  This is an elegant SUV that handles like a dream, with all the creature comforts you would want in a luxury SUV. It drives well, has great acceleration, and feels like it is floating. Some have criticized the rear suspension, but we have not found that to be an issue. We test drove other SUVs, even imported models, and for the money and accessories, it won.

• 

  Ambivilent - 2005 Buick Rainier
  By Disappointed in PA - March 26 - 10:57 pm

  Replaced my Lexus RX300 with an American car. Love the drive, size of cargo space but disappointed with the navigation system. Had 3 other cars with navigation previous to this. This car I have to replace my CD with the Nav disk. What a pain. The sticker said it had a 6 CD changer but when I checked it out the navigation system had replaced the 6 CD changer. How dispointing. Then the Nav system requires you change areas (NJ and PA are not in the same districts). Shame on you GM. DONT BUY THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM. It is not worth it. Get an external one if you must have it. Cant believe we got ripped off but love the car and only drive it around town luckily.