2002 Buick Rendezvous

Consider this a fresh sprout on Buick's gnarly old tree. Without abandoning upscale (read "wealthy") customers, Buick hopes to lower the age of its client base by at least 15 years by offering its first "truck" (although the EPA classifies the Rendezvous as a special-purpose vehicle) since 1923.

Rendezvous' available AWD system is called Versatrak. Wheel-speed variances cause torque to automatically be transferred to the rear, where clutches redirect the power to one or both wheels.

Rendezvous is spun off from the Chevrolet Venture minivan platform. Consider it a Pontiac Aztek (which is also Venture-derived) with a 3.9-inch-longer wheelbase and an infinitely more endearing exterior design. The minivan origins yield a transverse engine orientation, primarily front-drive propulsion (with optional all-wheel drive), a low and flat floor, and somewhat awkward exterior proportions. The advantage is that this is a crossover SUV with a minivan's sense of interior space efficiency.


Contrary to all the equity invested in the 3800 V-6, Buick powers the Rendezvous with GM's lackluster 3400 V-6 engine, which is rated at a modest 185 horsepower at 5,200 rpm. (The larger 90-degree engine would have entailed a major architectural tear-up and delayed these "fast-track" engineering programs by several months.) Also missing is a modern 5-speed automatic transmission. Instead, Rendezvous uses a Hydra-matic 4T65E electronically controlled four-speed device. All-wheel drive (optional on the CX model and standard on the CXL) is the Puch-designed Versatrak. A rear driveshaft connects a power take-off unit on the transaxle to a rear-drive "module." Inside this unit are two georotor pumps, which pressurize fluid. In turn, this fluid engages the clutches that transfer power to the rear wheels. Versatrak is fully automatic and virtually transparent—no noticeable clunks or thuds during rear-wheel engagement.

Second- and third-row seating configurations offer a range of possibilities.

In every other respect, the Rendezvous is a positive meeting of intelligent minds. Its optional third-row seat folds flat into the floor or offers space where two full-sized adults can ride in uncompromised comfort. In fact, this is the first less-than-full-size SUV that can honestly make that claim, the 2002 Ford Explorer specifically included. The interior decor is a tasteful departure from both the boy-racer Aztek theme and the plebeian minivan dashes that have gone before. Leather and cloth fabrics are used nicely in the top-edition CXL trim.

Dual-wishbone independent rear suspension permits the long third-row seat to fit and offers ride-quality improvements over rigid-axle assemblies.

Driving dynamics are also a departure from Buick's past. Shock absorbers are surprisingly firm—old Buick fogies will call them harsh—and that floaty feel that the porthole division honed to a high degree is absent. There's more than enough resiliency to handle severe swoops and bumps without bottoming or wallowing. Rear load-leveling using air shocks is part of the optional Towing Package. The rack-and-pinion steering system is delightfully free of slack and friction. The mostly aluminum independent rear suspension is doubly rubber-isolated from the main unibody structure, a special feature not found in the AWD Pontiac Aztek.