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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  Our 2002 CXL - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By regalluvr2 - November 16 - 2:00 am

  After years of driving Buick Regals we decided to try a 2002 RDV.Being used to the power of the 3800 and SC3800 engines we are disapointed with the under powered 185 hp 3400 V-6.The 3800 Buick should have been used. Its nice looking from the front but from the rear it isnt so great. The worst problem is that in the past month we have had lots of electrical problems and will soon be on our 3rd BCM.Its soon to be out of warranty and if we keep it we will be purchasing a GM extended warranty as we dont trust its reliability.

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  All around performer.... great mpg! - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By Perry Kravec - November 16 - 2:00 am

  I have 27,000 miles on my Buick Rndezvous and can say it is performing perfect. And Im very pleased with the gas miliage for a vehicle that weighs over 4,000lbs and has the room of a full size SUV it is the best. The removable seats comoe in very handy .. all the seats come out easy just like the Montana Minivan .. something no other SUV can do... giving the Rendezvous the most cargo space of any SUV.. the interior design is great... the very large center console holds a laptop and a lot of other things .. keeping the cabin neat while charging the laptop also. The fiberglass rear hatch is the lightest one Ive ever seen... and the brakes are oversized and stop on a dime.

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  WHAT THE FREAK!! - 2002 Buick Rendezvous
  By EVE - November 15 - 6:07 am

  OK. Single mom of 9 buys a nice "reliable" vehicle to accommodate kids to events, school, shopping, etc. Car had problems from the jump. Dealership replaced Heating/AC system faulty at purchase. Car had a few in between issues covered by warranty. OK, warranty over. Car had starting problems. Im not recession skipped, but mechanics want to get paid to diagnost problems. They say no codes appear. Towed to dealership and they "think" its fuel pump. Want MAJOR money, right? Drove vehicle out to ser station, "Go Figure"! They say not fuel pump, fuel filter rather. Started. Walmart changed air filter. Started and went home. Home, dead again. Is CRAZY a bad thing these days?

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  Not what we expected - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By Jonathan - November 14 - 8:05 am

  When originally shopping for our family SUV we never expected wed end up with a Buick Rendezvous. However, after seeing so many SUVs with the boring dark gray interior we finally looked at one and fell in love the with spacious interior, comfortable captain seats and smooth ride. A year into ownership we started experiencing issues. Both wheel bearings went under 60,000 miles costing $400 each. Break pads and rotors had to be changed every 6-9 months because they kept warping (another pricey repair). The handle on the rear hatch door broke as well, making it harder for my wife to close. The nail in the coffin was the transmission starting to slip at just 71,000 miles!

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  The most comfortable 4X4 in its class - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By MikeP - October 22 - 8:37 am

  I purchased this pre-owned car recently and Im completely satisfied with the ride, handling and comfort level. The heads-up display and backup sensors are great Buick features. Luckily, I also purchased the GM Major Guard protection plan. The dealer warranty was 60 days bumper to bumper. Within the first 60 days I had 3 wheel hubs (which includes sensors and bearings) replaced by the Buick dealership and a rear differential switch and fluid replaced. You have to be realistic when purchasing a used car (any car) that parts may need replacement and that the previous owner may have neglected problems due to trade-in etc. The 3.4 car can last at least 300,000 miles if maintained.

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  never buy g.m. again - 2005 Buick Rendezvous
  By TD - October 15 - 5:36 pm

  Some nice features to this car but far too many problems. Some minor things like interior flooding due too sunroof problems. Windows are scratched pretty deeply in some spots from going up and down. Big problem was rear differential needing to be replaced at a cost of $3000. Buick would offer no assistance or explanation for such a problem in a relatively new car.

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  worst carEVER!!!! - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By janet - October 12 - 1:10 pm

  I was very happy w my rendevous until April-2007. After only having the vehicle 1 year EVERYTHING:brakes,minifold,alternator, starter,sensors,motor for the windows on 2 doors,knock sensor,battery,gas tank,door handles,wheel bearing,transmission started jerking, EVERITHING started going wrong,the worst thing is that the warranty had already ended. Finally in October 6,2008 the suv turned OFF on me while making a turn in a busy intersection causing me an accident (Thank GOD my kids were NOT w/me).

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  Like it... - 2003 Buick Rendezvous
  By mkp53081 - October 12 - 11:52 am

  We owned a CXL 2 years ago and traded it for a Scion xB (BIG mistake!). We have two growing boys (7 & 4) so the Scion was just too small. We got rid of it and bought another Rendezvous. We went back to the Rendezvous because its comfortable, gets decent gas mileage, and has room to haul stuff. The only things we are dissapointed about so far on the CX model is that it is missing a lot of the features that the CXL had. No backup sensors, cloth instead of leather, no third row seat (but it has the option to easily install an aftermarket one), and FWD instead of AWD. We love having a Rendezvous--even without the CXL options--and are glad we bought another one!

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  Very pleased - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By Jill Richwine - October 10 - 2:00 am

  I have been very please with this vehicle and plan to keep with the Buick line of SUVs.

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  Engineers vehicle.... - 2004 Buick Rendezvous
  By Perry Kravec - October 4 - 2:00 am

  This is a Two Year review... 25K in severe duty... and doing very well... the gas milage for a vehicle that weighs over 4,000lbs with 185HP is as good as a VW beetle that had 85HP... 26mpg on the road.... goig to work and back Im getting 22mpg ... thats more than the 4cyl CRV my cooworker is getting driving the same route. Needless to say this vehicle was designed for my taste.. its roomy as a full size SUV but gets the gas milage of a much smaller vehicle... all the seats come out easily just like a minivan for more cargo space than any SUV... and the ride is smooth and quiet. The large 16" wheels take the rough roads around here very well. Very satisfied.