Buick Terraza
Encyclopedia
The Buick Terraza is a minivan
from General Motors
' Buick
brand that was sold from the 2005 through 2007 model years. It filled the position of GM's luxury minivan
that was previously occupied by the Oldsmobile Silhouette
until the division's
demise in 2004. The Terraza was built alongside its Chevrolet
, Pontiac
, and Saturn sisters; (Uplander
, Montana SV6, and Relay
) in Doraville, Georgia
. Contrary to popular belief, the Terraza was not Buick's first minivan – the GL8
debuted in China
in 2000, where it was solely marketed and is still produced and sold today.
The chrome-trimmed Terraza was the most luxurious and costliest of the GM minivans, starting at US$28,110 in 2005. The Buick debuted with one engine, a 3.5 L
High Value V6 that generates 200 hp
(149 kW) and 220 ft·lbf (298 N·m) of torque
, going from 0-60 mph in the 9-second range. For 2006, a 3.9 L LZ9 V6, with 240 hp (179 kW) and 240 ft·lbf (332 Nm) torque, was added as an option, which delivered faster acceleration and better response. It offered leather seats, and a wood trim on the panels and also offered on the steering wheel and gear shift knob unlike other GM minivans.
For 2007, the 3.5 L V6 was dropped, leaving the 3.9 L as the base engine. Consequently, the optional AWD system was also dropped, since it could not handle the torque of the 3.9 L engine. A flex-fuel version of the 3.9 L V6 also became available for the Terraza's third season. The 2007 Terraza equipped with side airbags scored a "good" in the frontal offset and an "acceptable" in the side impact Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(IIHS) crash test
s.
plant closed on 26 September 2008.
Because of low sales of minivans, GM has decided to exit the minivan business altogether in the United States. The Terraza, alongside the related Rendezvous
crossover SUV
and the truck-based Rainier
SUV, have all been replaced by the 8-passenger Buick Enclave
crossover for 2008.
The last Terraza rolled off the assembly line on June 21, 2007.
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....
from General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
' Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
brand that was sold from the 2005 through 2007 model years. It filled the position of GM's luxury minivan
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....
that was previously occupied by the Oldsmobile Silhouette
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings, the Pontiac Trans Sport and Chevrolet Lumina APV , were a trio of minivans that débuted in late 1989 as 1990 models...
until the division's
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
demise in 2004. The Terraza was built alongside its Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
, Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
, and Saturn sisters; (Uplander
Chevrolet Uplander
The Chevrolet Uplander is a minivan produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. It replaced the Venture and Astro. Although introduced for the 2005 model year, it overlapped with the final model years of the Venture and Astro. It was built on the same platform as the Saturn Relay, Buick...
, Montana SV6, and Relay
Saturn Relay
The Saturn Relay was the first and only minivan from the Saturn brand of American automaker General Motors. It was introduced for the 2005 model year, and was built alongside its sisters, the Buick Terraza, the Chevrolet Uplander, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 in Doraville, Georgia...
) in Doraville, Georgia
Doraville, Georgia
Doraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 8,330.-History:Doraville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly, approved December 15, 1871...
. Contrary to popular belief, the Terraza was not Buick's first minivan – the GL8
Buick GL8
The Buick GL8 is a minivan sold by General Motors' Buick division in China. Introduced in 2000, the GL8 is similar to the Pontiac Montana. Unlike other GM minivans, a roof rack was never offered...
debuted in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in 2000, where it was solely marketed and is still produced and sold today.
The chrome-trimmed Terraza was the most luxurious and costliest of the GM minivans, starting at US$28,110 in 2005. The Buick debuted with one engine, a 3.5 L
Litér
- External links :*...
High Value V6 that generates 200 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
(149 kW) and 220 ft·lbf (298 N·m) of torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
, going from 0-60 mph in the 9-second range. For 2006, a 3.9 L LZ9 V6, with 240 hp (179 kW) and 240 ft·lbf (332 Nm) torque, was added as an option, which delivered faster acceleration and better response. It offered leather seats, and a wood trim on the panels and also offered on the steering wheel and gear shift knob unlike other GM minivans.
For 2007, the 3.5 L V6 was dropped, leaving the 3.9 L as the base engine. Consequently, the optional AWD system was also dropped, since it could not handle the torque of the 3.9 L engine. A flex-fuel version of the 3.9 L V6 also became available for the Terraza's third season. The 2007 Terraza equipped with side airbags scored a "good" in the frontal offset and an "acceptable" in the side impact Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
(IIHS) crash test
Crash test
A crash test is a form of destructive testing usually performed in order to ensure safe design standards in crashworthiness and crash compatibility for various modes of transportation or related systems and components.- Types :...
s.
Year-by-year changes
- 2005 • Buick introduces the Terraza, its first minivan for the North-American market. The Terraza was available in two trim lines: entry-level CX (FWD or AWD) and top-of-the-line CXL (FWD or AWD).
- 2006 • The 3.5 L V6 could now be upgraded to a 3.9 (in FWD only) LZ9 V6 engine. Second row seat-mounted side airbags were now an option.
- 2007 • The Terraza's last year, and all-wheel drive models were dropped. For 2007, the 3.9 L V6 was the only engine offered, however it was available with a flex-fuel option. More standard features were offered on the new CX Plus model, which slotted between the CX and CXL. The Terraza was removed from Buick's website in early fall 2007, around the same time it was dropped from Buick's lineup, in anticipation of the new Enclave.
Discontinuation
The fairly slow-selling Terraza (in Canada it enjoyed average sales, though it was not enough to let GM continue making it) was discontinued after the 2007 model year, and GM's DoravilleDoraville Assembly
Doraville Assembly was a General Motors automobile factory in Doraville, Georgia, just northeast of Atlanta. The plant opened in 1947, and closed on 26 September 2008 as part of the company's cost-cutting measures...
plant closed on 26 September 2008.
Because of low sales of minivans, GM has decided to exit the minivan business altogether in the United States. The Terraza, alongside the related Rendezvous
Buick Rendezvous
The Buick Rendezvous, introduced in the spring of 2001 as a 2002 model year vehicle, was a Mid-size crossover SUV that was sold by the Buick division of General Motors for the 2002-2007 model years.-Background:...
crossover SUV
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
and the truck-based Rainier
Buick Rainier
The Buick Rainier was a mid-size SUV sold by the Buick division of General Motors. Introduced for 2004 to replace the Oldsmobile Bravada, the Rainier was the first truck sold under the Buick marque since the 1920s, and was the first body-on-frame...
SUV, have all been replaced by the 8-passenger Buick Enclave
Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave is a full-size crossover SUV launched in May 2007 as a 2008 model by the Buick division of General Motors. The Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and Saturn Outlook all share the GM Lambda platform. The Enclave was previewed at the 2006 North American International...
crossover for 2008.
The last Terraza rolled off the assembly line on June 21, 2007.