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 41 through 50 of 63.00-
Comfy ride - 2005 Buick Rainier
By Kim - March 18 - 10:36 pmI havent had it long. I had a 96 Blazer before moving up to this SUV. It is very comfortable and handles well. It has a lot of luxury features the my other SUV did not have. It is quiet. You dont hear a lot of extra road noise. It is a very smooth riding vehicle. I love it!
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Buick Rainier - 2005 Buick Rainier
By J Byrd - March 18 - 12:25 pmThe Buick Rainier that my wife and I purchased was a being driven by the owner of the dealerships wife. The car is all that we had expected at this time in our ownership of it. The ride is exceptional and has all the room that we need since our kids are away at college. The power and handling seem to be fine also. We have not had the opportunity to take the car on an extended road trip to get an accurate estimate of highway millage but local driving seems to yield around 17 mpg. In short at this point my wife loves the car so Im happy with it also
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My little opinion - 2005 Buick Rainier
By Steven - March 13 - 7:14 pmI have yet to find something dissapointing about my brand new Rainier. I read this page Edmunds.com vehicle review and I dissagree with the obvious negative slant. The Rainier is everything I wanted in an SUV. Of course the mileage is bad, but when we were shopping for an SUV, we agreed that we dont give a darn about gas mileage. It is so comfortable that my dad even said it was nicer than his Lincoln. We will keep this Rainier forever.This handles excellent in snow and ice. I was showing it off to my pal (who bought one also)and I couldnt lose control in the snow. I tried everything to skid, but the Rainier woulnt have it.
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Rainier really shines - 2005 Buick Rainier
By quarque - March 9 - 1:20 amThe best vehicle Ive ever driven. Rides very well and is VERY quiet and comfortable. AWD with 275 HP 6 is fantastic. Air suspension and heated seats are just icing on the cake. The "pros" rate this car a "6" just because it is not a BMW or sports car. Frankly, I didnt want a sports car. I wanted quiet comfort and this is IT. The little extras like access to the air compressor make it sweet. I test drove Honda, Toyota and Nissan - no comparison to the solid, quiet feel of the Rainier. The Pilot was noisier than my old Blazer. I will keep this vehicle a very long time after paying $33k with 0% financing.
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Rainier experience - 2005 Buick Rainier
By Kevin - March 8 - 11:01 pmThe Rainier has proven to be comfortable and it performs well. The air suspension makes for a comfortable ride and the interior is very quiet. My city mpg has been about 14, and on a recent 2800 mile trip my highway mileage was just under 20 mpg with 4 passengers and a full load. The only problem I have had with the vehicle was a molding on the rear hatch that came loose.
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Only One thing wrong - 2005 Buick Rainier
By Char - February 5 - 3:40 pmI had a Buick Rendevous for two years before this Rainer so I know my Buick SUVs. They are very reliable and unique SUVs. Why? They have fantastic rear space for carrying many different sized items. I have been in the higher end SUVs and they were not made to carry anything at all. I have really liked both of these Buick models and the only thing I would like to see is the front seat room of the Rendevous put in the Rainer. That is the only thing I would want changed. The ride is outstanding and winter driving almost fun. Dont hesitate to buy these two models, they are the best in the U.S. SUV lines....
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Terrible in the Snow - 2005 Buick Rainier
By Frank Grimes - January 30 - 4:53 pmFor a vehicle with a $38,000 plus price, you would expect it to drive very well in the snow. This SUV does not even drive well in 2-3 inches of snow. The back end wants to slide all over the road. You would be better off and safer driving a car front wheel drive car in the snow.
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Love It! - 2005 Buick Rainier
By skesell - January 27 - 6:39 pmI get a kick out of the professional reviewers as they think if its not Japanese or European, they cannot possibly like it! Well, I have owned nearly all of them and this Buick is as quality laden, good driving and responsive as anything I have ever owned. My is V8 and mileage isnt the best but I love this vehicle. My friend bought the Lexus instead and after a trip in the Buick he is sick. I just cannot say enough about how much my family has enjoyed this vehicle. Thanks for the opportunity to say so!
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My Rainier - 2005 Buick Rainier
By Jim - January 26 - 11:33 amNice comfortable SUV. Good Power in the 6 and I think plenty of storage. Sound proofed windows make it very quiet inside. My wife even likes to drive it. Had Blazers (3) and this is a good change. Lots of whistles and bells at least for this country boy. Mileage has been trip 19.2 (cruise) and around town 18. Not too different than Blazer but I use 87 Octane now and no clicking like in the Blazers. Sound system is no Bose but is acceptable. Climate contol can be confusing even with instructions but good when you get the hang of it. Excellent instrumentation. Has a compressor which I thought was overkill but Ive used it twice already. I must say overall, I like it a lot.
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Nice Vehicle with the discounts - 2005 Buick Rainier
By buddyboopotato - January 20 - 2:45 amI was giving up on American SUVs after a lousy experience with a Chevy Blazer, but then I found the Rainier after looking at Trailblazers. A much nicer platform, but the list pricing is insanely high. However, with all of the discounts at years end (since they had 5 months inventory), I got it at $23,900 total cost for an 04 CXL AWD, and then with trade in and cash down, got it out the door below $17,000. For that kind of money, it is hard to beat. Great ride, very quiet, nice comfort features, and good performance. My only disappointment: gas mileage--avg 16. was hoping to be closer to 18, but I realize this is a large and heavy vehicle. Id recommend, especially with the deals.
