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2005
Buick Terraza

Starts at:
$28,110
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New 2005 Buick Terraza
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Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Not rated
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
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Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • 4dr CX FWD
    Starts at
    $28,110
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    7
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr CX AWD
    Starts at
    $30,990
    17 City / 23 Hwy
    MPG
    7
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    All Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr CXL FWD
    Starts at
    $31,170
    18 City / 24 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • 4dr CXL AWD
    Starts at
    $33,855
    17 City / 23 Hwy
    MPG
    7
    Seat capacity
    Gas V6
    Engine
    All Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

Notable features

SUV-like styling cues
3.5-liter V-6
Seven-passenger seating
Available StabiliTrak stability control
Available Versatrak AWD

The good & the bad

The good

Familiar Buick look
Passenger space
Cargo capacity
Sliding side doors

The bad

Pending further review

Expert 2005 Buick Terraza review

our expert's take
Our expert's take
By Kristin Varela
Full article
our expert's take


According to Buick, “the all-new Terraza crossover sport van brings a rich blend of style, comfort and elegance to the premium mid-van segment.” Style, comfort and elegance: Perfect! I’m missing all three of those.

My life is better described as dirty (nobody told me that having children forfeits my right to a daily shower), exhausted (I don’t remember the last time I read more than a paragraph at night before falling asleep), and sticky (how do my children manage to cover nearly every household surface in yogurt?).

Style? Elegance? Did the people at Buick actually see this car before writing that? My experience in the 2005 Buick Terraza CXL is quite different. My first impression is that the exterior of the vehicle looks like a really old Dodge Caravan. The metal trim piece on the side is very dated looking. I’m still trying to figure out who came up with the term “crossover sport van.” There’s nothing sporty about it.

Climbing into to car has me wondering: Is this car actually new? Nothing about it seems modern. The interior is dominated by icky brown plastic, with the exception of the leather seats. The butter soft leather trimmed with contrasted piping is oddly out of place.

Buick has a reputation of being popular amongst the more mature segment of our population, something that Buick is attempting to change with the addition of the ever popular (and young) Tiger Woods as a spokesperson. I’m curious, what does Tiger’s fiancee; drive? I’d be willing to bet that it’s not a Terraza.

It’s no secret that I don’t like how this “sport van” looks. But how does it function?

The automatic sliding doors win my kids over immediately. They also like the folding tray table with cupholders between the second row captains chairs – a feature also seen between the front two seats. Folding the trays down makes it easy to move about in the vehicle.

Opening the cargo door to load my stroller and other necessary mom and kid equipment leaves me in pain. The cargo door latch pinches my fingers each and every time I use it.

I do love the level cargo floor (as opposed to the sunken ones found in most minivans). It makes a great platform for changing diapers when the need arises. The level floor lifts up in two sections to reveal a clever series of underfloor storage bins (perfect for storing an emergency diaper changing kit).

When additional cargo space is necessary, the seats fold flat simply (although the head restraints must first be removed).

Driving the 2005 Buick Terraza CXL gives me a whole slough of other complaints. The driver’s seatbelt is attached too high up on the door jam, causing some rubbing on my neck, despite adjusting it to its lowest position and raising the seat up; the lack of power is frustrating (even to me – and I normally couldn’t care less about power) and the noisy cabin is, well, noisy, making it hard to hold a conversation with my children in the back.

Modern moms demand form and function in their cars today. The 2005 Buick Terraza has some function but no form. I’m sorry to say it, but despite its nifty “crossover sports van” title, it just can’t compete with other more innovative and style conscious minivans on the market today.

*For more information on the Buick Terraza and its safety features visit Cars.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS LATCH Connectors: 2 Seating Capacity (includes driver): 7

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

SENSE AND STYLE Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): None

Senior Editor
Kristin Varela

Former Senior Family Editor Kristin Varela blends work and family life by driving her three tween-teen girls every which way in test cars.

2005 Buick Terraza review: Our expert's take
By Kristin Varela


According to Buick, “the all-new Terraza crossover sport van brings a rich blend of style, comfort and elegance to the premium mid-van segment.” Style, comfort and elegance: Perfect! I’m missing all three of those.

My life is better described as dirty (nobody told me that having children forfeits my right to a daily shower), exhausted (I don’t remember the last time I read more than a paragraph at night before falling asleep), and sticky (how do my children manage to cover nearly every household surface in yogurt?).

Style? Elegance? Did the people at Buick actually see this car before writing that? My experience in the 2005 Buick Terraza CXL is quite different. My first impression is that the exterior of the vehicle looks like a really old Dodge Caravan. The metal trim piece on the side is very dated looking. I’m still trying to figure out who came up with the term “crossover sport van.” There’s nothing sporty about it.

Climbing into to car has me wondering: Is this car actually new? Nothing about it seems modern. The interior is dominated by icky brown plastic, with the exception of the leather seats. The butter soft leather trimmed with contrasted piping is oddly out of place.

Buick has a reputation of being popular amongst the more mature segment of our population, something that Buick is attempting to change with the addition of the ever popular (and young) Tiger Woods as a spokesperson. I’m curious, what does Tiger’s fiancee; drive? I’d be willing to bet that it’s not a Terraza.

It’s no secret that I don’t like how this “sport van” looks. But how does it function?

The automatic sliding doors win my kids over immediately. They also like the folding tray table with cupholders between the second row captains chairs – a feature also seen between the front two seats. Folding the trays down makes it easy to move about in the vehicle.

Opening the cargo door to load my stroller and other necessary mom and kid equipment leaves me in pain. The cargo door latch pinches my fingers each and every time I use it.

I do love the level cargo floor (as opposed to the sunken ones found in most minivans). It makes a great platform for changing diapers when the need arises. The level floor lifts up in two sections to reveal a clever series of underfloor storage bins (perfect for storing an emergency diaper changing kit).

When additional cargo space is necessary, the seats fold flat simply (although the head restraints must first be removed).

Driving the 2005 Buick Terraza CXL gives me a whole slough of other complaints. The driver’s seatbelt is attached too high up on the door jam, causing some rubbing on my neck, despite adjusting it to its lowest position and raising the seat up; the lack of power is frustrating (even to me – and I normally couldn’t care less about power) and the noisy cabin is, well, noisy, making it hard to hold a conversation with my children in the back.

Modern moms demand form and function in their cars today. The 2005 Buick Terraza has some function but no form. I’m sorry to say it, but despite its nifty “crossover sports van” title, it just can’t compete with other more innovative and style conscious minivans on the market today.

*For more information on the Buick Terraza and its safety features visit Cars.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS LATCH Connectors: 2 Seating Capacity (includes driver): 7

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

SENSE AND STYLE Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Great Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): None

Available cars near you

Safety review

Based on the 2005 Buick Terraza base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
5/5
Frontal passenger
5/5
Side driver
4/5
Side rear passenger
5/5

Factory warranties

New car program benefits

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
6 years / 100,000 miles
Powertrain
3 years / 36,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
3 years / 36,000 miles

Certified Pre-Owned program benefits

Age / mileage
5 model years or newer / up to 75,000 miles
Basic
12 months / 12,000 miles bumper-to-bumper original warranty, then may continue to 6 years / 100,000 miles limited (depending on variables)
Dealer certification
172-point inspection

Consumer reviews

3.7 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.3
Interior 4.3
Performance 3.8
Value 3.6
Exterior 4.3
Reliability 3.6

Most recent

  • Reliable, quiet and roomy, great for DVD watching.

    This vehicle is like riding in business class on a plane front and and reat seats. The extra row allowed my whole family to take trips or store large items when removing it. So quiet you can fall asleep.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    7 people out of 7 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • My favorite vehicle I own so far. Have it 5 yrs ❣️

    It's my favorite, comfort, reliable, great on gas. It has exceeded all, my expectatio ns. Already have 139,000 miles And still love it like it was the first day.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    6 people out of 6 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Get something else.

    When my 2002 VW Jetta wagon died, I needed something at least that big, as I'm a musician and carry instruments (including upright bass) and equipment regularly. I don't commute as much as I used to, so gas mileage was no longer a top priority and I expanded my search to minivans. This used Buick Terraza looked like a good option: comfy, price wasn't bad, only 1 owner, and it looked well-maintained. It had 125k miles on it. I didn't care that the arms for the liftgate were shot, or that the stereo was messed up (knobs would respond randomly to how you turn them) since I knew those were things I could replace myself. Rear wiper broken, too. First month, needed a new water pump. Soon discovered that passenger-side heat didn't work. Fuel gauge started acting up, then the problem went away. The traction & stability control and ABS would have an error and shut off, but then that went away. In the next couple of months, power steering fluid started leaking or burning off. Engine started running a little rough and irregular--needed new spark plugs and wires, and a coil. Rear suspension in need of work, too. Started to notice an issue with it being tough to start. After a few months, the power steering leak went away. Over the next couple of months, starting became even harder and more unpredictable; throttle body was clogged with a bunch of gunk (never encountered this issue in another vehicle). One of the battery connectors was also falling apart. (Also, just to note, the battery is under an engine support, so it'll be a total pain to replace if I still own it when the time comes.) Mechanics also informed me that the loose steering isn't a matter of perception after driving a VW for several years, something needs to be tightened up. Traction/stability/ABS issue came back. Fuel gauge issues came back. Traction & stability were traced to a failing ABS module, the unit itself about $500. When the temperature dropped, the issues have mostly gone away, and the fuel gauge also started behaving again. Then the power steering leak came back. Handle for one of the sliding doors snapped off. Most recently, I've had the linkage cable for the transmission snap. A strange noise that has always come from the back was suggested to me by a tow truck driver to be the fuel pump. This has all been within the span of 1 year, and less than 20k miles of driving. Some of the issues will come up when the miles start to build up, I know, but some of these things should last much longer. I'm regular with changing oil and filters. I've spent well over $500 on repairs in one year, and that's with having a cheap mechanic and holding off on the ABS and the suspension. I'm ready to ditch this for something else, and based on previous experiences, I'm done with GM.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does not recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 3.0
    Value 2.0
    Exterior 3.0
    Reliability 2.0
    5 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Great car for family daily driver

    Very nice minivan. More on the high end when it comes to comfort and amenities. Our van is a daily driver for work and the family. Very dependable, love it!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
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  • A used vehicle that looks and drives like new

    This Vehicle had everything I was looking for, Not just your basic mini van, great color, low miles, smooth ride, loaded with many options, leather seats, heated seats, DVD player,
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Nicest car I've ever owned.

    This Buick Terraza is the top of the line for options and style. The best part is the ability to get in and out very easily, since it is farther off the ground than standard vans/minivans. This is a definite plus for the aging population and/or people with restrictions in movement.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Very nice car

    I am very pleased with this buick - you've got a sense of a modest luxury, nice suspension, very quiet inside and still a good mileage. In my case - 22 gallons combined driving.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Great Buy for the money

    I bought this wagon at 77485 miles for $7500. What a steal. It was in pristine condition. It has all the toys including things I have no use for because I don't have kids. It is spacious and gives me all the room I need for a sound system and an Upright String Bass.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • First Van and Love it

    Purchased the car new in 2005 with all the toys. Have made multiple trips to North Carolina and average 26mpg during the trips, even in the mountains. Currently have over 124000 miles on it and have done all the scheduled maintenance. Maybe that is why some poor reviews. No major issues except had to rebuild transmission at 115000. That's not bad in my book. Original tires lasted 60000 miles and have only had to resurface rotors once and have replaced pads twice. Poor reviews on these parts may also be dur to driving habits. I love the van and was upset when Buick quit making it as I would have purchased another. Will hang on tho this one as long as it is functional.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • vanfamily

    I love this so far....I'm just wondering does everyone have the same issue with having to wait to shift out of park? I have to wait like 3 minutes and I absolutely hate waiting....please let me know...that's the only thing I don't like...
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 4.0
    2 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • lovemyvan!

    This van is the most amazing van I have owned, and I've owned four. I have owned a dodge and 2 fords, and this van is the most luxurious and most comfortable in comparison.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Buick Terraza

    Love my Terraza. Bought this car when it had 10,000 miles on it. It has been an amazing family vehicle. Kids have their DVD player and the dual sliding duals are awesome. I am just sad they stopped making them, I'd buy another in a heart beat!
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No

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FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2005 Buick Terraza?

The 2005 Buick Terraza is available in 2 trim levels:

  • CX (2 styles)
  • CXL (2 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2005 Buick Terraza?

The 2005 Buick Terraza offers up to 18 MPG in city driving and 24 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

Is the 2005 Buick Terraza reliable?

The 2005 Buick Terraza has an average reliability rating of 3.6 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2005 Buick Terraza owners.

Is the 2005 Buick Terraza a good Minivan?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2005 Buick Terraza. 60.0% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

3.7 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.3
  • Interior: 4.3
  • Performance: 3.8
  • Value: 3.6
  • Exterior: 4.3
  • Reliability: 3.6
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