Introduction

The Buick Rainier shares its body shell and mechanical platform with GM's other mid-size SUVs, the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. But of the three, only the Rainier offers a 300-horsepower V8 engine in the handier, standard-wheelbase configuration. Rainier doesn't even offer an extended-wheelbase version like the TrailBlazer EXT and Envoy XL; and that's fine with us, because the stretch-model Chevy and GMC fall short of the standard trucks in handling and stability, while failing to match the space efficiency of GM's full-size Tahoe and Yukon SUVs. Buick offers other benefits. Rainier rides more smoothly than the other GM models, and it's among the quietest SUVs we've driven. Rainier has a uniquely Buick style and a near-luxury sensibility. Yet it still seats five and boasts an engine powerful enough to pull a boat or horse trailer. As with the GMC Envoy, however, choosing the Rainier (especially the six-cylinder model) over the corresponding Chevy may be mostly a matter of image. Just as the GMC badge stands for Serious Trucks, the Buick name has, for over a century now, meant arrival at a certain station in life, an achievement of an elevated socio-economic plateau. From the aptly named Roadmasters of the 1930s-50s, through the sculptured Rivieras of the '60s, a Buick has been about stepping up from the ordinary. The old Chevy may have served you well, and you might still aspire someday to own a Cadillac. But in the meantime you're enjoying the quiet comfort, easy performance, and confidently conservative style of a Buick. With a price range from the mid-30s to the low 40s, Rainier continues this tradition as an appealing alternative for buyers who appreciate strong silent types.

Walkaround

Rainier takes its name from the 14,410-foot mountain in Washington and from the royal family of Monaco. One of the Rainier's designers told us that Mount Rainier "reflects majesty with ruggedness and independence," while the late Grace Kelly and her husband's family symbolize "quality, sophistication and elegance." The Buick Rainier is based on the GM360 platform, a mid-size, truck-based SUV also marketed as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, and Isuzu Ascender. It's a solid platform featuring a frame that incorporates hydroformed steel members for optimum strength and rigidity. This strong frame helps Rainier tow up to 6,700 pounds. Rainier features unique styling cues to differentiate it from the other GM models, including a distinct grille, hood, front quarter panels and rear hatch door. Its large, oval-shaped grille helps soften the boxy SUV architecture. The upper section of the chrome grille provides a bold background for the Buick name, with a large Buick tri-shield badge set in the midst of the grille's vertical bars. The Rainier's face also includes wide, three-element headlamps, with separate fog lights and side marker lights in the lower front fascia. A creased hood lends an elegant strength to the Rainier's appearance. Rainier's stance is enhanced by Buick-exclusive, eight-spoke brushed aluminum wheels. Six-spoke aluminum wheels with a polished finish have been added as an option on 2005 models. Just as the front grille alerts you to the fact that this SUV is a Buick, the rear view includes a prominent chrome eyebrow bearing the Buick name as part of the license-plate holder. The rear liftgate features a separate glass hatch to offer quick access to the cargo area. Lifting the rear hatch requires some initial effort, however.

Interior Features

Buick has upgraded the Rainier's interior for 2005, with real wood and leather trim on the steering wheel, a woodgrain gearshift lever, and additional chrome accents. Rainier's interior disappointed us last year, with its obviously fake woodgrain and distinctly plebian plastics. While the GMC Envoy has very attractive, metallic colored heating and cooling outlets, the up-market Rainier's are color-matched to the instrument panel and comparatively plain. Nor are Rainier's cupholders of the jumbo-size we've found in competitive vehicles. On the other hand, there are two power outlets up front, so both driver and passenger can recharge their cell phones and power other devices. The standard leather seats are ventilated by perforations in the center back and lower cushion areas, but the material almost looks more like vinyl than leather. Also, the seats could use more side support. However, we do like the feature that incorporates the shoulder belt into the seat back rather than having it mounted way up on the door pillar. We also liked the instrument cluster, with its platinum-colored gauge faces and turquoise pointers that almost appear to light up against the metallic background. Not only are these gauges very attractive, but we found them easy to read, even through polarized sunglasses, which is certainly not the case with the electroluminescent gauge clusters on many other so-called luxury vehicles. Another nice feature is the large dot matrix shield on the windshield above the rear-view mirror and between the sun visors that helps block direct sunlight through this usually neglected gap. We were disappointed again, however, that the Rainier had only single sun visors on either side, instead of dual visors so you could block the sun both ahead and to the side, a useful feature on winding roads. The rear seats offer decent legroom but not quite luxurious proportions. However, there's plenty of cargo room behind them: 39.8 cubic feet, in fact. An optional cargo organizer ($165) appears to be an excellent way to keep your stuff from sliding around. When more cargo capacity is needed, the split rear seats can be folded forward to open up to 80.1 cubic feet of interior cavern.