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:

    Gasoline Specifications
    At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specification D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadie ...

    Driver Information Center (DIC)
    The Driver Information Center (DIC) displays information about the vehicle. It also displays warning messages if a system problem is detected. See Vehicle Messages  for more information. All mes ...

    Defensive Driving
    Defensive driving means “always expect the unexpected.” The first step in driving defensively is to wear the safety belt. See Safety Belts . WARNING Assume that other road users (pedestrian ...