2007 Buick Rainier Review
2007 Buick Rainier Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Hushed ride, powerful V8 option, easy ingress and egress, respectable off-road ability.
Cons
- Inconsistent build and materials quality, sloppy handling, missing some key safety features, lacks storage space.
What’s new
Other than the OnStar system adopting a "turn-by-turn" navigation function and the shuffling of a few colors, the Buick Rainier stands pat for 2007.
Edmunds says
Although quiet and powerful, especially in V8 form, the 2007 Buick Rainier otherwise fails to look and act the part of a luxury SUV.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2007 Buick Rainier CXL 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$262/mo for Rainier CXL
Rainier CXL
vs
$201/mo
Avg. Midsize SUV
Vehicle overview
The 2007 Buick Rainier represents the company's sole foray into the luxury SUV market. Based on the same body-on-frame midsize SUV platform shared by the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy, the Rainier incorporates distinctive styling elements such as an ellipsoid grille and unique lighting clusters. To emphasize the intended luxury persona, Buick's "QuietTuning" directive features additional sound insulation in key points (such as the engine compartment) and even an acoustic laminate coating for the windshield and front side windows. But other than the styling tweaks and hushed cabin, the Rainier looks, feels and drives like its GM cousins. Compared to its premium-brand competition, the Buick falls short in the areas of interior materials and build quality.
As expected, the 2007 Rainier's forte is a plush, quiet ride. Power is ample with the standard inline six, and more than enough with the optional V8. Indeed, consumers who go for a spin around the dealer's block may be initially impressed, and the Rainier's truck-based chassis also proves capable off-road. But in the real world of workday commutes, day-care carpools and unpredictable drivers, the Buick Rainier's lack of confident handling at higher speeds hurts it when compared to segment leaders such as the Toyota 4Runner, Mercury Mountaineer and Volkswagen Touareg. Any of those will provide an equally comfortable ride along with a more sure-footed feel during everyday driving and especially during quick transitions, such as when performing an evasive maneuver.
Performance & mpg
Buyers have a choice of two competent engines in the Rainier SUV. Standard is a 4.2-liter inline six shared with other GM SUVs that makes an impressive 291 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque. Overall performance with the six is more than adequate, but those who plan on heavy towing should consider the brawny 5.3-liter V8 (300 hp and 330 lb-ft of torque). With the V8, maximum towing capacity is rated at 6,700 pounds. Either way, a four-speed automatic is the sole transmission choice, but this is not a problem as the gearbox furnishes smooth, timely shifts regardless of driving conditions. The Rainier is offered in two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions.
Safety
Stability control, antilock disc brakes and a one-year subscription to OnStar are standard. Optional are full-length head curtain airbags. Although seat-mounted side airbags are not available, a side curtain airbag-equipped 2007 Buick Rainier received five stars (the highest rating possible) in NHTSA's side-impact testing for front- and rear-passenger protection. In NHTSA frontal-impact tests, the Rainier garnered a three-star rating for the driver and four stars for the front passenger. However, in IIHS frontal offset testing, the Buick managed just a "Marginal" rating, the second lowest out of four.
Driving
The inline six doesn't feel particularly strong at lower rpm, though it comes alive once in the midrange. Equipped with the "5300" V8, the Buick Rainier has more than enough power to get around quickly. Highway passing maneuvers are effortless as well, even on steep uphill grades. Handling dynamics are not equal to the Rainier's strong straight-line performance, however. Although truck-based SUVs are still not expected to have the reflexes of cars (or even car-based SUVs), the Buick SUV and its GM stablemates fall well behind peers like the 4Runner, Durango and Mountaineer. When asked to make rapid directional changes during slalom testing, the rear end tends to feel skittish. Standard stability control will keep it on course in most situations, but still, this kind of behavior and seat-of-the-pants feeling does not instill confidence when faced with real-life emergency maneuvers. Likewise, the steering feels sloppy on center and generally disconnected because of slow responses and a lack of road feel.
Interior
Sadly, the Rainier's cabin furnishings are heavily derivative of GM's lower-line SUVs and fail to provide the authentic luxury ambience required in an upscale vehicle. The leather upholstery on the seating surfaces looks and feels luxurious, but the accompanying vinyl trim used elsewhere on the seats is of low quality. Handsome gauges help, but those are offset by iffy ergonomics that include GM's convoluted three-on-one signal/wiper/cruise stalk and a tiny black nub that's used for power mirror adjustment. The cabin is noticeably quieter when compared to nearly any other SUV in this price range, but seat comfort is only average. With the rear seat folded down, there are 80 cubic feet of cargo space.
2007 Buick Rainier models
The Buick Rainier comes as a five passenger, four-door SUV in one CXL trim level. Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, simulated wood accents, power front seats, memory positions for the seats and mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, a CD player and OnStar telematics. Among the options are a sunroof, power adjustable pedals, heated seats, satellite radio, a six-disc CD changer, a navigation system and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2007 Buick Rainier.
5 star(61%)
4 star(27%)
3 star(8%)
2 star(4%)
1 star(0%)
51 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.75 out of 5 stars
2007 RANIER
BILL GILL, 08/20/2006
2007 Buick Rainier CXL 4dr SUV AWD (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
I think this is a very under-rated SUV. It is so much nicer than the Envoy which is more popular. Very quiet and the fuel economy is about like everything else.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Truly useful
Bill, 10/30/2009
2006 Buick Rainier CXL 4dr SUV AWD (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
I purchased this former short-term rental vehicle with 13k miles on it in Dec '06. Now with 65k miles on it, the only thing that has malfunctioned was a headlight relay, quickly replaced under warranty. It's dead reliable, smooth, comfortable, great in snow and good at towing a 4k lbs, 26ft sailboat. Milage average is 19 mpg with mostly highway driving. Quality of materials and assembly … is very high - the leather upholstery is actually better than that in my '04 Mercedes.
5 out of 5 stars
Great Value and Under-Rated by Editors
RonP, 11/28/2007
2007 Buick Rainier CXL 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
With over 17,000 miles on my Rainier, there have been zero problems with the vehicle. I purchased the Rainier because the seats in my 2004 LeSabre were so uncomfortable my wife could not ride in it for any distance, even though we had zero problems with it over 85,000 miles and still experienced 32 mpg on the highway and 22 in my commute to work. The Rainier's ride is great, wind noise … in minimal, seating comfort is perfect (I'm 6'4" and my wife is 5'6"), and the towing and carrying flexibility are outstanding. While the mpg averages are less than the LeSabre, I still average slightly over 22 mpg on the highway and a little over 15 mpg commuting to work. This was Buick's best kept secret!
4.13 out of 5 stars
Rainier
John T Valentine, 08/01/2005
2006 Buick Rainier CXL 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)
A gook looking SUV with all the options. Nice drive with power. Very quiet and a smooth ride. The fuel economy is poor, city 16 highway at 20. Headroom for a big guy like myself is not as much as I would like, but would be fine for anyone under 6 foot 1. Nice engine.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2007 Buick Rainier, so we've included reviews for other years of the Rainier since its last redesign.
2007 Rainier Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $31,550 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 16 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $262/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 39.8 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Rainier include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver3 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover3 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalAcceptable
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalMarginal
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintPoor
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