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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  Thank you Buick! - 2005 Buick Rendezvous
  By Trace - March 8 - 12:17 am

  I bought this CSUV a couple of years ago and have loved it ever since. At first the exterior "look" was a little iffy since I am an active single mother or only one. But when my son and I went out camping, fishing, and using the vehicle as an overall Road Trip/Outdoor Enthusiast mode for transportation, we fell in love even more! My son has back surgery every 6 months and the Rendezvous has by far been the most comfortable ride he has had since his accident! We would highly recommend a Rendezvous to anyone! They are great and with rising gas prices, we cant complain about the 25 Mpg we recieve when road tripping for all the ammenities and versatility we have with it! Thank you Buick!

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  love it - 2005 Buick Rendezvous
  By chris21 - March 6 - 10:00 am

  we love our buick ez to drive and not too big loads of extras and awesome interior room

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  Rendezvous Has Mechanical Defects - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By Kathlyn Garcee - February 25 - 8:46 pm

  I loved the vehicle, and still do with the exception of major problems occurring at 51,000 miles. Needed intake manifold gasket replaced as well as new head gaskets. $1,680. Then 2 days later found a crack in the A/C condenser. Condenser needed to be replaced. GM finally paid the cost of the condenser ($400+/-) and we paid the labor ($423). Even though other Rendezvous were having manifold gasket and head gasket problems they refused to help us with the repair costs. 51,000 miles is to early to have these types of problems. I do like the interior design and feel when driving this vehicle. Due to the mechanical defects, I would not recommend anyone purchase this vehicle.

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  Great car - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By TLC - February 21 - 1:12 pm

  Ive had this car for 4 years, and its been a delight. Comfortable but with all the functionality of clunky SUVs. Only one recall, so it was well-built. Ive had no (knock wood!) major problems with it just typical maintenance issues. Id buy another in a minute if GM still made them. Was never crazy about the exterior design, but the interior is what I see most, and I love it. Got great mileage until recently (probably need to change fuel filter or something). Ill be passing this car onto my daughter when she turns 16 next year, and feel good that shell be in a safe, reliable car. Ive been spoiled, and Im not sure I can ever return to a sedan!

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  Engine Reliability - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By JM - February 16 - 10:42 am

  Purchased used at 33k. Head gasket replaced at 40K at dealer expense. Since then a number of catastrophic failures - 3 different rocker arms and one cylinder head have been replaced. Afraid to drive other than locally. GM needs to stand behing their cars that have these sorts of problems

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  never again ! - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By smb - February 12 - 9:59 am

  I thought I had made the perfect purchase. Got the car brand new and what I thought was a deal. Less than a month the tires were falling apart. had them replaced. Then, the a/c started making strange noises. The dealership said nothings wrong-- twice! Then last year(2007) we rebuilt the head gasket--very expensive. Now oil leaks and we cant find its source. Looking forward to another vehicle as soon as the negative equitity evens out. Resale value stinks!

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  Finally Buick makes a vehicle worth its - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By Vandilizer - February 7 - 4:24 pm

  Excellent SUV it fits everywhere, it very fuel efficient, and the rear door opens up so you can really stuff the hell out of the back. love taking it out for long weekend gateways. I look forward to keeping the SUV for 8 years so I still a year and a half to go. So I think I will upgrade to the Enclave. Since I am really impressed with Buick.

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  A Very Classy and Stylish Buick SUV - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By AC - February 6 - 10:00 am

  Very nice SUV for Buicks first try in this market segment. Has nice looks and standsout from the crowd. Very pleasing interior with many nice touches. Fit and finish inside and out is good. Rides extreemly nice and is extreemly nimble for an AWD vehicle. Has great gas milage for its market segment. With a wife and two young daughters I needed the room and safty features this vehicle provides. Overall a classy alternative to a Minivan.

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  Sows EAR - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By Jack - February 2 - 4:16 pm

  My 3rd Buick and my Last. This could have been a great car if reliability had been there. Head gasket replaced at 55k and 175k, air conditioning condenser, power steering pump, 3 wheel bearings, 4th gear on transmission failed, rear ball joints replaced. All of these identified by service bulletins but cost me just more than $10,000 in repairs with no relief from GM except the first head gasket. Last jab is being left no residual value on resale. GM makes the mistakes and the customer pays. What a disappointment. GM should learn that reputation not just made on successes but how you handle the failures. In this case GM made the customer pay. Losing market share GM? Wonder why? You shouldnt!

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  A Good Riding RDV - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By fontella - January 26 - 10:00 am

  This is a good performance SUV for first time buyer of SUVs. It has a good feel to it and can make women feel at ease about riding in a SUV. The entry into this SUV is low enough for women to climb in and out of it without feeling like we are climbing onto a horse. I just love my new Buick SUV.