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:

    Disc Music Menu
    Press the SELECT knob to access the Disc music menu. Turn the SELECT knob to scroll, then press it to select any of the following category buttons on the MP3 music menu to display the corre ...

    Engine Drive Belt Routing
    Engine Drive Belt Routing ...

    Driving On Grades
    Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer w ...