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:

    Compact Spare Tire
    WARNING: Driving with more than one compact spare tire at a time could result in loss of braking and handling. This could lead to a crash and you or others could be injured. Use only one compact ...

    Using Cruise Control on Hills
    How well the cruise control will work on hills depends upon the vehicle speed, load and the steepness of the hills. When going up steep hills, you might have to step on the accelerator pedal to ...

    Dual Automatic Climate Control System
    The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled with this system. For vehicles with the remote start feature and it is activated, the climate control system heats or cools ...