Short Take Road Test
Thanks to the Rendezvous sport-ute, we're already accustomed to the unlikely notion of a Buick truck, so the arrival of this Rainier SUV is devoid of culture shock. In fact, if the Rainier had preceded the awkward Rendezvous, Buick's apparent departure from its long tradition as a purveyor of premium passenger cars might have been easier to comprehend.
That's because the Rainier really qualifies as a truck and is distinctly more rewarding to drive than the minivan-based Rendezvous-particularly when the Rainier is equipped with a V-8, as was our tester.
Thanks to its vast ovoid waterfall grille, the Rainier is clearly recognizable as a Buick, but beneath the disguise we find some familiar goods. The hydroformed perimeter frame rails, the powertrains, and most of the suspension components see service in other versions of this vehicle, known variously as the Chevy TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender, and Oldsmobile Bravada. The Rainier is the latest, and won't be the last. Saab is expected to clothe these GM family bones in Scandinavian duds for the 2005 model year.
Still, for all the corporate commonality, the Rainier does enjoy one big distinction. During its debut year, it'll be the only version of this SUV that combines the option of V-8 grunt, supplied by GM's 5.3-liter aluminum pushrod engine, with the short wheelbase that helped make the original TrailBlazer surprisingly handy in dodgy maneuvers.
As always, we caution you that handy is a relative term here-think handiness among Clydesdales rather than rodeo barrel racers, particularly in Buick's iteration of this vehicle, which sets cushy ride as a priority over brisk responses. The press kit speaks of "a very nimble driving machine," but this is nimble measured on a squishier scale than our own-a brand of nimble, further, that regards numb, slow steering (3.8 turns lock-to-lock) as "precise and responsive."
But we were discussing grunt. Even with all sorts of content, the 4813-pound short-wheelbase Rainier with V-8 power and all-wheel drive weighed 147 pounds less than the long-wheelbase Chevy TrailBlazer EXT V-8 we tested last December. The V-8 TrailBlazer needed 8.7 seconds to attain 60 mph and tripped the quarter-mile clock in 16.8 seconds at 82 mph. The Rainier hit 60 much sooner-in 7.6 seconds-and covered the quarter in 15.9 at 86 mph. It's worth noting that the first TrailBlazer we tested ("Two Trucks and a Car," June 2001), propelled by the 4.2-liter straight-six that's standard for this SUV family, weighed in 176 pounds lighter than our Rainier and was only slightly slower than its Buick stepbrother: 0 to 60 in 7.9 seconds, 16.3 in the quarter.
Some of the weight difference noted above is attributable to the Rainier's extra cylinders, but a lot of it can be chalked up to the acoustical material crammed into the fire wall, roof pillars, and doors, as well as the new laminated glass employed for the windshield and front side windows. QuietTuning is the new mantra inside Buick, and if the Rainier doesn't quite hit the decibel levels that helped make Lexus famous, it's no boiler factory, either. Our test crew recorded 67 dBA cruising at 70 mph, a number that would place the Rainier midpack with luxury SUVs such as the Acura MDX and, yes, Lexus GX470 ("The 'Bradsher Bunch,'" January 2003).
Our loaded V-8 tester tallied $42,540, but Rainier pricing starts at just $35,945 for a rear-drive six-cylinder version. Add $1500 for the V-8, $1300 for all-wheel drive, GM's full-time 50/50-split system with a viscous limited-slip center differential. There are other add-ons to tempt potential buyers-a DVD-based nav system ($1995), a DVD entertainment system ($1435), a Bose audio upgrade ($495), side airbags ($350)-but the standard Rainier is no stripper. Baked-in features include power front seats, leather, a driver info center, dual automatic climate controls, a very good 200-watt sound system, power everything, ABS, and a locking rear diff.
A driver's dead pedal and one-touch power-up front windows are conspicuously absent, and the black-on-silver gauges don't scan well, particularly at twilight.
Still, the Rainier rates as a pleasant place to pass one's driving time and, unlike the Rendezvous, adds real towing capability (up to 6700 pounds) to the Buick lineup for the first time since the old Roadmaster. Whether it can compete with some of the other work-capable iron in this upscale mid-size category-the GX470 and the Lincoln Aviator, for example-remains to be seen.
-Tony Swan
