2007 Buick Rainier
- Used Buick Rainier
Buick Rainier
Overall Score - 7.0 (Good)
The Rainier delivers a powerful powertrain and a quiet ride, but it can't match the interior refinement or exterior styling of others in its class. If you're in the market for an affordable midsize SUV, you should also consider the highly rated and comparably priced GMC Acadia, Nissan Murano and Honda Pilot.
According to auto reviewers, the 2007 Buick Rainier is a powerful SUV that offers a quiet ride and plenty of room, but can't deliver the refinement or style to justify its relatively hefty price tag. "Although quiet and powerful, especially in V8 form, the 2007 Buick Rainier otherwise fails to look and act the part of a luxury SUV," decides Edmunds. Based purely on power and size, some reviewers agree with the Detroit News that the Rainier "has a commanding presence both in the driveway and on the road." But the Rainier's sticker price is high for its class. With this in mind, the Los Angeles Times writes, "Comfortably appointed, confidently powered and extremely conservative in style, the Rainier brings an understated eloquence to the ranks of the SUV market. Yet compared with the competition, it may be a little too conservative for its price."
"Buick positions Rainier as more luxurious than the Chevrolet, GMC, and Isuzu SUVs that share its basic design," reports Consumer Guide. "It is the quietest and best-riding of the bunch. Still, Rainier costs more than the others and can't escape the faults common to their truck-type design: indifferent handling and mediocre fuel economy." Because of its price tag, some reviewers assume the Rainier is, in fact, targeting luxury SUV shoppers. For instance, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says, "Rainier, being from a luxury marquee, is not for folks with economy in mind." IntelliChoice gives the Rainier a rating of "worse than average" for its predicted five-year total cost of ownership, compared to other vehicles in its class. However, it's also a Best in Class Winner for SmartChoice Repair Costs.
The 2007 Buick Rainier has one available trim: the CXL. It is available in rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) versions.
Rainier Performance - 6.9 (Mediocre)
Reviewers find that the Buick Rainier is a powerful, smooth-riding SUV better built for the open road than twists and turns. The Washington Post calls the Rainier "a luxury liner," saying, "Although it is built body-on-frame in the manner of traditional SUVs and pickup trucks, it is better suited to peaceful cruising than combat." Read More
Rainier Exterior - 7.4 (Good)
Reviewers don't dislike the exterior styling of the Rainier so much as they find it uninspired. Though distinguished in minor ways from its GMC and Chevrolet brethren, it has a look that many reviewers think is due for an update. U.S. News' Rick Newman says, "It's not ugly, but the Rainier is big and bulky and familiar at that." Read More
Rainier Interior - 7.8 (Good)
The interior of the Rainier, reviewers say, is comfortable and accommodating, but not quite up to the luxury standards one might expect from an SUV with the Rainier's price tag. AutoWeek says, "Inside, the Rainier leans more toward what you would expect from a front-rank truck than from a luxury SUV." Read More
Rainier Safety - 7.3 (Good)
The 2007 Buick Rainier has most of the safety features of its in-class competitors, but receives some marginal to average scores in government crash tests. In frontal crash tests, it gets just three of five stars for driver's side protection, though it does get four of five for passenger-side protection. It does better in side crash tests, receiving five stars. Read More
Rainier Reliability - 6.0 (Mediocre)
The 2007 Buick Rainier reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). The Rainier comes with a four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Read More
