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The Cost of Car Insurance
Liability insurance is like Mafia protection. It's a pain in the neck, it's expensive and you'd... Read More
The Cost of Car Insurance
Liability insurance is like Mafia protection. It's a pain in the neck, it's expensive and you'd... Read More
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NOGALES, Ariz. — Normally when you go to the Southwest desert, the expectation is sun and dry heat. Thousands of escapees from the Northern chills were disappointed with unseasonable rains, but the variety of conditions were perfect for evaluating Buick’s new “anywhere, anytime” vehicle, the Rendezvous.
With Oldsmobile on the way out, GM is starting to reinvigorate the old established ways at Buick. For the first time the company has given a woman, Liz Wetzel, the overall responsibility for the design and features of a major product. "Our mission was to create a design that visually supports the vehicle’s versatility, reinforces Buick’s brand equity and heritage, and portrays a youthful image," Wetzel told us of the Rendezvous.
The Rendezvous shares the same minivan foundation as the Pontiac Aztek, yet has an appearance that is not nearly so polarizing. The new Buick’s overall appearance is suggestive of a capable-enough SUV, yet it sets its own course with such elements as a striking grille that is more substantial version of the Buick vertical-bar design. Instead of chrome, the grille is finished in an attractive paint treatment that’s more appropriate to the SUV mission. Under the hood is GM’s 3.4-liter V-6, a tried and true engine that’s unexciting but produces a steady stream of power and torque. It’s rated at 185 hp.
Versatrak versatility
The Rendezvous comes in two flavors: front- and all-wheel drive. The front-wheel drive CX model can be ordered with an all-speed traction control system that employs both powertrain and brake system intervention to avoid wheel spin on slippery surfaces. That will be fine for most states that don’t have bad weather. All-wheel drive models come with GM’s Versatrak system, which switches invisibly to all-wheel-drive mode when conditions require traction spread to all four wheels.
