The Buick Terraza was a four-door minivan marketed for the 2005 to 2007 model years as a luxury crossover sport van. It was Buick’s first minivan for North America, and it replaced the Rendezvous and the old minivan line in the showroom.
Buick Terraza at a glance
| Maker | Buick, General Motors |
|---|---|
| Production | 2005–2007 |
| Class | minivan, marketed as a crossover sport van |
| Platform | GM U platform |
| Sister cars | Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn minivans |
| Assembly | Doraville, Georgia |
| Launch price | US$28,110 (2005) |
| First engine | 3.5 L High Value V6, 200 hp |
| From 2006 | 3.9 L LZ9 V6, 240 hp |
| Trims | CX, CX Plus (2007), CXL |
| Drive | front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive |
| Last car built | June 2007 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Terraza.
History of the Buick Terraza
The Terraza was Buick’s first minivan for the North American market. It was a badge-engineered version of the minivans sold by Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn on GM’s U platform, and all of them were built at Doraville, Georgia.
It went on sale for 2005 at US$28,110 with a single engine: a 3.5-litre High Value V6 of 200 hp and 220 lb·ft. Inside there were leather seats and faux wood trim on the steering wheel, instrument panel and gear lever. Two trims were offered, the entry-level CX and the top CXL, both available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Borrowing an idea from the Rendezvous, the 2005 and 2006 cars had an independent short-and-long-arm rear suspension with an aluminium crossmember and control arms, whatever the drivetrain. For 2007 that was replaced by a beam axle.
For 2006 the 3.5 could be upgraded to a 3.9-litre LZ9 V6 of 240 hp and 240 lb·ft, in front-wheel-drive form only; second-row seat-mounted side airbags became optional, and the wheels went from five to six lug nuts. The 3.5 was dropped a year later.
In its final year, 2007, all-wheel drive was dropped, the 3.9 V6 was the only engine and could be ordered with flex-fuel capability, and a new CX Plus trim slotted between CX and CXL. A 2007 Terraza with side airbags scored Good in the IIHS frontal offset test and Acceptable in the side impact test. The last Terraza was assembled in June 2007, and the model disappeared from Buick’s website in the autumn.
Design and features
- First Buick minivan: the marque’s first van for North America.
- Independent rear suspension: aluminium arms and crossmember on 2005–06 cars.
- Two V6 engines: a 3.5 of 200 hp, then a 3.9 of 240 hp.
- All-wheel drive: offered until the final model year.
Buick Terraza versions
- CX: the entry trim.
- CX Plus (2007): added equipment between CX and CXL.
- CXL: the top trim, with leather and wood trim.
- All-wheel drive: available from 2005 to 2006.
The Terraza was replaced in Buick’s range by the Enclave and shared its showroom with the Rendezvous and the Rainier. More Buicks are in the Buick collection.
Sources
- Buick Terraza, English Wikipedia: design, engines, yearly changes, safety
