Driving Impressions

Despite structural similarities to the wildly styled Pontiac Aztek, Buick's crossover model has a personality of its own. Automatic-transmission responses are quick and easy. Acceleration is good, if not exactly inspiring. The Rendezvous runs very quietly and offers plenty of versatile space. The gauges are notable in appearance, but they're not the easiest to read at a glance.

The Rendezvous delivers a generally soft ride, but its suspension hits some bumps rather hard. Handling is reasonably precise with good steering feel and feedback, very much like what drivers might expect from a minivan.

    See also:

    Driving on Grades
    Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so much that they would get h ...

    Heated Seats
    Your vehicle may have heated front seats. The buttons used to control this feature are located on the front door armrests. The engine must be running for the heated seat feature to work. ...

    Body Component Lubrication
    Lubricate all key lock cylinders, hood hinges, liftgate hinges, and the steel fuel door hinge unless the components are plastic. Applying silicone grease on weatherstrips with a clean cloth ...