2004 Buick Rainier Review

Name: 2004 Buick Rainier Review
Brand: Buick
Price: 1800 USD
Rating: 4.7 (134 reviews)

+46

Used Rainier for sale

Not available nearby

See Cars for Online Purchase See All for Sale

Appraise This Car

Buick Rainier model years

Buick Rainier for Sale

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

See pricing history

Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

Strong drivetrains, upscale exterior treatment, decent off-road ability.

Cons

Same old plastic inside, extra features jack up the price.

What’s new

The Rainier is an all-new SUV for Buick. It is based on GM's capable midsize SUV architecture which also supports the Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. The Rainier is available with a V8 power, but there is no extended-length version.

Edmunds says

Buick is aiming to offer Lexus-like quality and design and the Rainier is a step in the right direction, but there's still plenty of catching up to do.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2004 Buick Rainier CXL Rwd 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 $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$280/mo

$207/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2004 Buick Rainier.

5 (81%)

4 (14%)

3 (3%)

2 (2%)

1 (0%)

4.7

134 reviews

Write a vehicle review See all 134 reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Best I've ever had

Gort, 03/08/2010

2004 Buick Rainier CXL Plus AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)

I have owned a lot of vehicles and this is by far the best. Great performance, I feel like a King driving this. All the options you could ask for. Quite smooth ride. You just cannot beat this SUV. I stumbled upon it by accident and will never buy anything other than a Buick SUV again. People need to stop complaining about the mpg. Its an SUV if you want better than 25 mpg get a geo …

Air conditioning

tcharles, 05/29/2010

2004 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)

The air conditioning just went on me. It actually works but it will not blow out of the top vents. It blows out of the bottom and through the defrost areas. Was told by a dealer that it'll cost me over $3000 to repair it because of where the vent is located. Has anyone else had this problem?

Not your average College Student's Car!

mannyr5653, 12/30/2013

2004 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)

Being only 19, this isn't car most college guys have. Im the only one on campus with one of these! Ever since I bought my Rainier, It has been nothing but good to me. It has proved to be a reliable, luxurious, and all around great vehicle. Only repairs I've done are oil changes and new brake pads. This truck is extremely comfortable and surprisingly easy to drive. The V8 is very …

Bitter Sweet

Tony1234, 02/22/2010

2004 Buick Rainier CXL AWD 4dr SUV (4.2L 6cyl 4A)

This 2004 AWD Rainier has major ongoing issues. Starting at 80,000 miles its one repair after another. I love the features, style and ride. I don't tow, off road or plow. I just drive like any normal person. All scheduled normal lube maintenance has been practiced as recommended by manufacture manual yet the AWD never seems to work. I replaced the transfer case, transmission, front …

See all 134 reviews of the Buick Rainier

Write a vehicle review

2004 Rainier Highlights

Trim:

CXL

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$35,645
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	16 MPG
Cost to Drive	$280/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	39.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Key safety features on the Rainier include:

Alarm
Post-collision safety system

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver3 / 5
Passenger3 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover3 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Marginal
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Acceptable

2004 Buick Rainier Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2004 Buick Rainier CXL Rwd 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 $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2004 Buick Rainier.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Best I've ever had

Air conditioning

Not your average College Student's Car!

Bitter Sweet

2004 Rainier Highlights

Safety

Related Used 2004 Buick Rainier info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Other models

Join Edmunds

2004 Buick Rainier Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2004 Buick Rainier CXL Rwd 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 $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.

Most helpful consumer reviews

Best I've ever had

Air conditioning

Not your average College Student's Car!

Bitter Sweet

2004 Rainier Highlights

Safety

Related Used 2004 Buick Rainier info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2004 Buick Rainier CXL Rwd 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 $3.64 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.}