Overview & Reviews
When Buick decided to offer its first minivan, it attempted to minimize the associated stigma by labeling the Terraza, a badge-engineered General Motors minivan, a "luxury crossover sport van." In other words, the Terraza was a minivan featuring a taller stance, an elongated nose and available all-wheel drive. While it shared a platform with several corporate siblings such as the Chevrolet Uplander, the Buick Terraza offered a few distinguishing characteristics and styling tricks that lent an upscale feel in comparison. Nicely finished leather and wood trim in the uplevel versions provided an elegant ambience not seen in the Buick's more lowbrow relatives, and it came with more standard features as well.
But as minivans go, the Buick Terraza lagged behind the segment leaders (as well as newer true crossovers) in terms of driving refinement and safety features. Shoppers are advised to check out models such as the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna or even Buick's own Enclave before settling on this "luxury crossover sport van."
Most recent Buick Terraza
Buick introduced the Terraza in 2005 and discontinued it after the 2007 model year. At first, it had an underwhelming 3.5-liter V6 providing 200 horsepower matched to a four-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive was optional. The Buick Terraza minivan came in three trim levels -- CX, CX Plus and CXL. The well-equipped CX offered the expected popular amenities, while the CX Plus added a sport-tuned suspension, dual-zone climate control and auto-leveling rear suspension. The top-of-the-line CXL provided alloy wheels, rear air-conditioning, rear parking assist and eight-way power front seats.
The Buick Terraza comfortably accommodated up to seven people and offered room for lots of stuff -- its second- and third-row seats folded down to provide up to 137 cubic feet of space. However, unlike most other minivans, the Terraza's third row did not fold completely into the floor, though it could be removed. The rest of the cabin was luxurious thanks to convincing faux wood and double-stitched leather seats with contrasting piping. A modular roof rail system allowed passengers to adjust the DVD player and storage compartment components, and folding center trays were located between the first- and second-row seats. There was also an available remote vehicle start system that enabled one to heat up or cool down the cabin before getting in.
Used-model shoppers might want to focus on 2006-and-later models, as these vans became available with first- and second-row side airbags inside and the more powerful 3.9-liter V6 under the hood of front-wheel-drive models. Rear DVD entertainment was made standard, and those wanting more choices could opt for the PhatNoise digital media system. All-wheel drive and the 3.5-liter V6 were dropped for 2007.
In reviews, we found the Buick Terraza's large V6 capable of delivering respectable acceleration around town and ample power for merging and passing at highway speeds despite its hefty mass. The suspension struck an acceptable balance between ride comfort and responsive handling, but other minivans offered sharper reflexes and a tighter turning radius. The Terraza's braking distances were also a little on the long side. And despite Buick's advertised "QuietTuning" technology, cabin noise levels were above average and not as whisper-quiet as we expected.
User Reviews:
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I LOVE MY TERAZZA ! - 2006 Buick Terraza
By christy harroff - November 13 - 12:06 amI bought this used 2 mo ago for $3000.00& I feel it was very well priced .It has all the bells & whistles .My grandson loves the DVD ! I love the interior .I have been wanting a van like this for a long time .Only problem it has is an occasional grinding & vibration coming from maybe a cv joint or something like that when starting out from a partial stop. It is going to garage to get checked out in next few days. Other than that I love my van.
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Love it! Not enough cup holders though... - 2005 Buick Terraza
By silveeto - April 17 - 8:50 pmI just bought my Terraza recently. It has been maintained so well that Im pretty sure a family of ghosts drove it. It smells like new car, not a stain or a worn spot to be found. At a low 90,000km it looks as though it could have 10km on the clock - so Im very excited just at how clean it is. In my time driving it, my only complaint is the transmission. Sometimes it doesnt seem to know what it wants to do. I stomp it for power on the highway and it launches into 6000rpm and sounds like its about to explode. A little scary - I dont want to face a tranny rebuild so soon in our relationship. Aside from that, driving around town and so forth, shes the smoothest ride Ive ever owned.
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My Terraza - 2005 Buick Terraza
By amherstburgmac - December 2 - 1:13 amHad it since 2009, No major issues, low cost vehicle to run. Wheel bearing replacements and a brake job, but nearly 200K on the clock. Quiet and reliable.
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06 Terrazza with 3.9L V6 - 2006 Buick Terraza
By mikeq - May 2 - 11:42 amOverall I think this is a good van. It has lots of room, very quite. Rides nice on highway. I have had no major problems, However Carl Black Buick performed some warranty work and did a very poor job.
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No problems here - 2005 Buick Terraza
By kirkdouglas - February 13 - 12:58 pmI Got this van at a low cost, so i was willing to check it out no matter what other people said in there reviews. I have to say that it has been nothing but good times for me and my family, no problems to speak about.
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Hey, Its a van--but its not that bad - 2005 Buick Terraza
By Karla - April 8 - 11:25 pmI was one of those people who NEVER thought that I would ever own a minivan. I was (and still am) an SUV woman all the way! THEN, I had two kids and want more...and I am constantly hauling around my twin nephews, so it just became necessary. The only thing I hate about this vehicle is that it is minivan and not...well, anything other than a minivan. It has been great for getting a lot of kids where they need to go and has been very reliable so far. I havent had it long, but I felt the need to tell anyone who wanted to know that this vehicle has had no major problems and hasnt given me anything to complain about so far. I am very pleased with it.
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Van has been good - 2005 Buick Terraza
By R Shipp - January 21 - 12:40 amThis has been one of the better vans I have driven. Handles well in the Canadian winters and is very stable on the highway. Though I do mostly highway diving the mileage is great for this size of vehicle. 30 to 34 MPG(CDN) & 18 MPG in the city. I have not had any of the problems that I have seen written or heard about. Though I did feel the brakes needed replacing much sooner than I expected. I have noticed the road noise is getting louder and there are a few rattles here and there and I feel the temperature may have somethin to do with it. The warmer it is the less the noise.
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Yikes - 2005 Buick Terraza
By mmills - July 18 - 11:22 pmWish I had seen these reviews before we bought this. Lots of trouble--some of the same as others. The stability control also went out at about 7,000 miles. Nothing like the brakes slamming on when driving! Fixed now and no problems, but lots of tire, wheel issues now. Have to replace tires at 27,000 all hubs replaced. New tires arent covered. Dealership blames on lack of rotating--seems like this is a problem on most. It is definitely a lemon but doesnt qualify as one.
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Whoa! - 2005 Buick Terraza
By iblocalca - May 2 - 4:09 pmI picked this car because I had rented a similar vehicle while on vacation. I love the extras, and the car itself, but I have had nothing but problems with it. The stability and the steering system have been ongoing since I bought it. I was making a lane change at 65 mph on the freeway when the traction, stability went out and the brakes locked and I had no control of the van. I feel that safety is a big issue and I cant that my car feels safe anymore. It has been in the shop on and off for the time I have had it. The dealership has been great fixing these issues but they continue to happen and so I think it is now a dealership issue for me.
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Mediocrity - 2005 Buick Terraza
By Deano - May 24 - 11:02 pmWe had the Terraza in the shop for the electric doors the second day we owned it. The build quality is less than satisfactory. However, the seats are very comfortable and the ride is smooth. The leather quality is superior on the seats. Overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, Id give the Terraza a 6.