BUICK FINALLY HAS ITS "TRUCK"
PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA — It could be hard to imagine but Buick finally has its "truck". Well, it's not exactly a truck but mostly a multi-purpose vehicle, the Rendezvous. Most people have seen this Buick in car shows and many associated it to the Pontiac Aztek. But it surely is very different. Though its shares the same 3.4-litre 185-horsepower V6 engine and its four-speed automatic transmission, the Rendezvous will be available at its very introduction as a front-wheel drive (CX) or all-wheel-drive (CX or CXL) Versatrak version. What is interesting is that the Rendezvous will sport an independent rear suspension even on the base model while the Aztek has a twist axle rear end in its front-wheel drive version. And the Rendezvous rides on a wheelbase that is some four inches longer than the one of the Aztek. That allows the Rendezvous to have an optional third row seat.
How different is the Rendezvous? You have to try it and compare it to the Aztek to believe it. The Buick feels like a minivan but with a different attitude. Its V6 engine could be more powerful but acceleration is honest. Passing requires a little more patience but the Rendezvous can make it quite safely. The engine is very quiet at cruising speed but roars when the gas pedal is floored. Anyhow, the sound is not that bad! But power is a little down.
As far as road handling is concerned, the new Buick is soft but well behaved. If treated according to its configuration, it is fine though I felt the front-wheel drive version had more nose plow than the Versatrak version. Funny because the latter will only go in action if there is slippage with the front wheel. And the Versatrak system only adds some 70 kilos to the car.