Four plush sedans and three sporty SUVs represent the 2005 line of vehicles by Buick, one of the oldest marques at General Motors. New models for 2005 include LaCrosse, a premium mid-size sedan developed as a replacement for Regal and Century, and a seven-passenger crossover sport van called the Terraza.

Buick's five-door SUV tips toward luxury mode with two rows of seats in a plush cabin and deluxe appointments including rich leather upholstery. It carries a six-cylinder or V8 powertrain and either rear-wheel-drive (RWD) or AWD traction for forays on slick pavement or graveled trails. Rainier's standard engine is the 4.6-liter in-line-six from GM with 275 hp. A 5.3-liter V8 pushing 290 hp is optional. In the cabin, bucket seats in front flank a central console with multiple functions.

The seatback on the second-row bench splits and folds, fashioning a flat floor in the cargo bay with double the space at 85 cubic feet. Rainier brings a high content of standard equipment like power windows, locks and mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate system, OnStar telecommunications with a DVD-based navigation system, and perforated leather upholstery with front seats adding armrests and power controls plus memory settings. Options range from heated seats to adjustable floor pedals, a Bose audio system with CD changer and a DVD-based video entertainment system for backseat riders. Curtain-style side air bags are new on 2005 models, along with a wood-rimmed steering wheel.

Buick's smaller SUV combines attributes of both a wagon and a minivan. The platform and some mechanical elements were borrowed from GM minivans so Rendezvous drives and rides with the easy-to-maneuver agility of a minivan, yet the boxy package works like a sport-utility. The cabin is that of a luxury vehicle, stocking as many as three tiers of seats for six or seven passengers plus room in the rear for cargo.

A luxurious monochromatic version of Rendezvous (Ultra) contains appointments that elevate it beyond the CX and CXL trims. The Ultra also uses a 3.6-liter V6 engine with variable valve timing (VVT) to make 242 hp. Rendezvous CX and CXL stock a 3.4-liter V6 that nets 185 hp, although the larger V6 is available on CXL in 2005. A conventional Rendezvous drivetrain operates constantly in FWD format, while an available AWD system for CXL or Ultra helps maintain traction on wet or slippery pavement. Options extend to side-impact air bags for front seats, captain's chairs in place of the second-row bench, a DVD-based entertainment system and UPAS.

Production of Buick's biggest sedans -- the front-wheel-drive (FWD) Park Avenue and supercharged Park Avenue Ultra -- will be limited to 8,400 units in 2005 for a final run. A new grille on the face and functional portholes cut into the forward flanks distinguish these ultimate issues. Expect the final 3,000 to carry a Special Edition badge and chrome wheels. Models vary primarily in power points and on-board amenities. Park Avenue Ultra sparks with a mechanical supercharger used to extract more-than-normal power from a six-cylinder engine. Without the supercharger, Buick's 3.8-liter V6 for Park Avenue musters 205 hp. With the supercharger boost, the Ultra runs up to 240 hp. (CONTINUED...)

For a dozen years LeSabre has been the best-selling full-size sedan in the country. Editions for 2005 -- divided into trims labeled Custom, Limited and Celebration -- show OnStar telecommunications equipment on the list of standard equipment. Also, Buick adds four option packages that combine leather upholstery with various stereo sound and suspension upgrades, plus comfort and safety items. Power for LeSabre flows from a 3.8-liter V6 rated at 205 hp with a four-speed automatic transaxle. Standard LeSabre seating consists of a 55/45-split bench in front, but a 45/45 design with console is available. Special refinements with the Celebration edition include two-tone leather seats, wood grain trim on the instrument panel and doors, shiny chrome finish for door handles and floor mats embroidered with Buick's tri-shield symbol.

The badge on this mid-size sedan traces to 1936, when Buick first identified its products by easy-to-remember names rather than numbers. Now it's in a final run as Buick's entry-level car. The issues of 2005 offer a Special Edition package with twin-zone automatic climate controls, 16-inch chrome-plated aluminum wheels and four-wheel ABS. Three other packages bear familiar Century labels -- Standard, Custom and Limited.
Century Standard with six-place seats gets a remote keyless entry system, power door locks and power windows, and an audio kit with CD deck. Century Custom adds power to the driver's seat, cruise control, rear grips with switch-on reading lamps, floor mats and a cargo net in the trunk. Then Limited piles on luxury items. Century's engine -- a 3.1-liter V6 -- registers 175 hp and links to the GM Hydra-Matic 4T65E automatic with four forward gears and electronic controls.

Buick's new mid-size sedan is freshly designed inside and out. The slinky body features a bold prow marked by Buick's signature oval grille in chrome and pairs of articulated oval headlamps. A canted hood incorporates striking curves from the headlamps and extends them in taut lines rearward to the raked windshield. LaCrosse's passenger compartment is a refined space with seats for five or six and trimmings in wood grain accents and chrome. The six-seat version sets a bench for three in front of the three-place backbench, while a five-seat arrangement applies twin front buckets divided by a console with a padded armrest.

Two trims -- LaCrosse CX and elegant CXL -- pull power from a 3.8-liter V6 rated at 200 hp, while LaCrosse CXS stocks an aluminum 3.6-liter V6 spiked to 240 hp. Safety systems include disc brakes with anti-lock brake system (ABS) and frontal air bags, as well as optional curtain-style side air bags. LaCrosse also provides premium luxury equipment such as eight-way power for the driver's seat and a stereo audio system with CD player. GM's StabiliTrak vehicle stability controller, ultrasonic rear park assist system (UPAS), and a remote starter package are options.

Terraza is the name picked for Buick's first minivan, which pops up as a 2005 model under the description of a crossover sport van (CSV).Its wheelbase stretches nine inches longer than other GM minivans and the big cabin has a capacity for seven riders plus cargo.

Styling for Terraza appears strong yet elegant with a shapely face coated in monochromatic paint but flashes of bright chrome on the grille, flank moldings and door handles. Inside, the space is organized in a clean design dotted by touches of dark burled wood and chrome. Seats on second and third rows may be removed to make room for more gear, or the back bench, split in half, folds on the seatback.

Power for Terraza stems from a 3.5-liter V6 pushed to 200 hp with a four-speed automatic transaxle. GM's Versatrak all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction mechanism is optional on Terraza's two trims (CX and upscale CXL), as is the StabiliTrak vehicle stability system. Standard gear for both trims is a rear HVAC climate system, a DVD-based entertainment kit and OnStar telecommunications, with side-impact air bags available for front buckets.

Read our Review: Buick Terraza