Overview & Reviews

At its debut for the 2002 model year, the Buick Rendezvous midsize crossover SUV was touted as a cross between a luxury sedan, an SUV and a minivan. But in reality, the Rendezvous didn't offer the level of interior design and driving excitement that luxury car buyers expected. And although Buick's crossover could seat up to seven and had the requisite fold-flat third-row seat, it was too small to appeal to minivan buyers, and it didn't have much of a styling advantage over them anyway.

An optional all-wheel-drive system made the Rendezvous a less costly alternative to true SUVs for buyers needing a snow vehicle, but otherwise this Buick wasn't particularly rugged. Over the years, the Rendezvous fell behind the rest of the crossover SUV crowd, which exploded into a very competitive market dominated by the leading import brands.

Rather than update the Rendezvous, Buick decided to halt production midway through the 2007 model year. For used car consumers who can accept the Rendezvous' faults, it could still prove to be an affordable, practical choice for a family vehicle. But we think the vast majority of shoppers would be better served by other, more refined crossovers, including Buick's own Enclave.

Most Recent Buick Rendezvous
Sold from 2002 through the first half of 2007, the Buick Rendezvous was typically offered in two basic trim levels, CX and CXL. There was also a high-line Rendezvous Ultra model in 2004 and '05. Since Buick considered the Rendezvous a premium crossover, even the base CX trim came with a decent list of standard features, including keyless entry, power accessories, air-conditioning and a CD player. The Rendezvous CX came with a five-passenger seating arrangement.

You could pick up a third-row seat on the CXL as a standard or optional feature, depending on the model year. This was also your ticket to leather upholstery, power front seats, automatic dual-zone climate control, wood-tone cabin trim and alloy wheels. In addition to a more powerful engine, the Ultra model came with second-row captain's chairs (dropping seating capacity to six), satellite radio and a head-up display. These items were moved to the CXL's options list when the Ultra was discontinued.

But Buick stopped short of its competitors when it came to high-end amenities. Key safety features like ABS and front-seat side airbags were moved to the options list after the '02 model year, and items like stability control and side curtain airbags were never available. Buick did at least offer a DVD-based navigation system (starting in 2004) and a rear DVD entertainment system (starting in 2003) as options.

Although the Rendezvous' interior design and materials were better than most General Motors fare of the time, it wasn't quite up to import-brand standards. It was, however, one of the roomier crossover SUVs on the market, with plenty of passenger room in the front and back. It wasn't quite a minivan substitute, though, as the third row was best left to the kids. Cargo room was generous, too (with a maximum capacity of 109 cubic feet), though Buick's packaging of the third-row seat made for an uneven load floor.

Three different engines were offered on the Buick Rendezvous, and all were paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. For 2002 and '03, the only choice was a 3.4-liter V6 with 185 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque. Acceleration was sluggish, but fuel economy was above average for this class. In 2004 and '05, you could get either this engine or, on the Ultra model, a more sophisticated 3.6-liter DOHC V6 good for 245 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. For 2006, Buick replaced the old 3.4-liter with a more vigorous 3.5-liter V6 rated at 201 hp and 216 lb-ft of torque. It still wasn't a very refined engine for this class, but acceleration was improved. The 3.6-liter V6 remained optional for '06, but was discontinued at the end of the model year.

All-wheel drive (AWD) was standard on all 2002 Rendezvous models, but lower-cost front-wheel-drive versions were added the following year. Oddly, AWD was discontinued altogether for 2007, making the Buick Rendezvous the only crossover SUV not to offer any kind of all-weather capability.

In road tests we found the Rendezvous similar to most other Buicks in its driving characteristics, which is to say it focused on comfort at the expense of road feel. The vehicle's handling was sloppy, with considerable body roll around most corners. Neither the 3.4-liter nor the 3.5-liter engine was particularly competitive when it came to response or refinement, and the four-speed automatic's wide gear ratios didn't take full advantage of the power reserves. Although Rendezvous models equipped with the 3.6-liter V6 still had this old-tech transmission, they felt much stronger during passing and merging maneuvers. The 3.6-liter's power delivery was smoother and quieter as well.

Consumer reviews of the Buick Rendezvous have generally been favorable, as owners are pleased with its combination of interior space, ride comfort, fuel economy and overall value. Resale value has never been a strong point for the Rendezvous, so if you're in need of an affordable family vehicle, it might be worth a look on the used car market. We'd advise you to zero in on 2004-'06 models equipped with the 3.6-liter V6.

User Reviews:

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  Maintenance - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By Chris - July 25 - 12:51 pm

  I bought my Rendezvous used with 13K on it and couldnt be happier. I have loaded 50 bags of mulch in it, moved furniture, TVs, and an assortment of other things that I could not fit into our minivan. The key thing to any cars reliabilty is maintenance. Oil changes regularly, transmission flushed once a year and dont drive it like a sportscar because it aint one. Simple rules to follow to keep your car performing at 80K plus and still going strong.

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  Good Execution but Not Great - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By JackiesMyHero - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Im satisfied with the CXL. It performs as well or better than expected whether driving in the snow to Tahoe from the East Bay, or down to Los Angeles.

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  An Outstanding Car - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By David Dotson - July 22 - 2:27 pm

  This car is the best car I have ever owned and I am 71 years old. We purchased the car new at the beginning of 2002. It has been a pleasure to drive. The lowest our gas mileage has been is 15 mpg and that was in stop and go freeway driving in San Diego. We ususally get 17 to 18 mpg around town and 23 to 26 mpgs on trips.Its comfort and dependability are unequaled. My only complaint is that Buick stopped making them.

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  At least it looks diffrent - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By sr71 - July 10 - 10:30 pm

  Well I have close to 10k on this SUV. And I have to say it has not seen the dealer yet, but for the 1st oil change. I do have to say I am happy with the mpgs I an getting. At 80 Im seeing 24.7 av mpgs on the FL. TPK. So Im glad I did not get a V8 powered SUV. Around town as a kid transport you could do a lot worse, I talked to a lot other mid sized SUV owners and while they like there MB MLs, BMW X5s and the lot, the x-tra bucks they spent may have been, as some have said un-wise.

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  No problems so far - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By been good to me - July 8 - 2:44 pm

  Ive owned this car for 3 years bought it with 35,000 on it. Ive since put another 75,000 and it still runs well. No serious problems. I love driving it. Everyone I know that has one says that they love it.

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  Disappointed - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By Pete Hulett - July 6 - 10:13 am

  I had problems with the ignition from the start. This Buick refused to start and was at the garage three times for this and they could not find the problem. I moved and it stopped moving day and was repaired in a city. worked 6 months and did it again. They reprogramed the keys this time. Now just this month it did it again. Well this time it was the fuel pump - only 41000 miles and its gone $611 to repalce, thnk goodness for extened warranty. I have owned Buick for 20 yrs with no issues like this. My last Buick had 172,000 and no issues. There will not be another one after this one. Have to keep it as no ones buying them now. Just waiting to see what is going next.

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  Bought it used. - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By Joey - July 6 - 9:55 am

  I like the vehicle a lot. My only problem is the fact that it suddenly depriciated. Now I am upside down with payments and cannot think of buying something new until its near paid off.

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  06 Rendezvous - 2006 Buick Rendezvous
  By Cathy - June 30 - 10:34 pm

  The Rendezvous has been a great family car. Its only been in the garage for normal maintenance. Great advantages from both an SUV and vans standpoints. It has 60000 miles now and still nothing major with it.

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  So-So - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By Darren - June 16 - 2:05 pm

  I bought this car because my wife liked the looks of it. I should have researched it more. In the span of 80,000 miles we have had to replace front wheel bearings 3 times. Very weak on engine power. Make sure you have plenty of room to pass. On the positive side, we bought it with 123,000 on it and just recently turned 200,000 with same engine and transmission. Warning, dont get a model with the self-leveling shocks. Can only get through GM at a cost of $250 per shock not including labor. Real joke. Would not buy Rendezvous

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  Whats with GMs Power Windows? - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By Bob Batch - June 12 - 5:46 am

  Weve had this car for 4 years and it has been mechanically sound. The vehicle averages about 21 mpg with the commute everyday. I have had to replace the left and right front power window regulators ($500 at the dealer-$289 at my mechanic) Then last month the power rear hatch assembly broke and cost another $300 to repair. Hatch assembly was originally covered under a recall but once it was performed in 2004 that "Closed out the recall" and this ones on me. They put in a faulty part and its my fault! I had the same window problem with my 2001 Bonneville, right and left rear regulators had to be replaced.Im entitled to GM supplier pricing but will think twice before buying another GM