2003 Buick Rendezvous - A Distinctive SUV
Based on GM's front-drive minivan platform the Rendezvous is Buick's first answer to the call for an SUV. Truly its car-like ride and handling and light duty off-road capability classify it in the crossover category. While we'll have to wait until the 2004 Rainier debuts for a truck-based Buick sport utility the Rendezvous has a lot to offer buyers who would normally opt for a station wagon but prefer the taller ride height and all-wheel drive flexibility of this class of vehicle.
While sharing its underpinnings with Pontiac's Aztek it approaches styling in a more conservative fashion, offering a quiet sophistication similar to the Lexus RX 300 rather the than brash machismo of some of its more rugged competitors. A big oval chrome-topped grille dominates front and center with equally large chrome-trimmed headlamp clusters at each corner. The lower front fascia incorporates fog lamps at its outside edges and then wraps backward along the lower half of the cars profile, severed by tastefully flared wheel arches along the way. The Rendezvous' most unique vantage point comes from its rear quarter view where triangular taillights cut a sharp path across its rear flanks and join a similarly bold rear window surround which apexes at the roofline. A two-tone paint scheme is available adding a touch of class to the SUV segment. Three new exterior colors include Aerosilver Gray, Polar Mist White and Cappaccino Frost.