2005 Buick Terraza

Vehicle Highlights

• New front-drive or all-wheel-drive crossover sport van

• Standard 3500 3.5L V-6 with 200 hp (149 kw)

• Bold SÚV appearance combined with mid-van flexibility

• Terraza-exclusive standard independent long- and short-arm rear suspension with automatic load leveling

• Seven-passenger seating with ample cargo room and innovative rear storage system

• Exclusive QuietTuning materials

• Foldable or removable second- and third-row seats

• 50/50 split-stowable third row, fold-flat bench seat

• Overhead rail system with snap-in accessory options

• Standard rear HVAC and DVD system

• Dual-stage front air bags and available side air bags for driver and front-seat passenger

• Optional Versatrak on-demand all-wheel-drive system

• Standard overhead DVD rear-passenger entertainment system

• Optional first-in-segment PhatNoise entertainment system includes 40-gig removable hard drive cartridge (interim '05 introduction)

• Standard OnStar driver safety and security system, featuring Gen 6 hardware with analog/digital coverage and upgraded hands-free capabilities

TERRAZA BRINGS BÚICK STYLE AND SÚV REFINEMENT TO PREMIÚM MID-VAN SEGMENT
As the latest entry in Buick's growing truck portfolio, the all-new Terraza crossover sport van brings a rich blend of style, comfort and elegance to the premium mid-van segment.

With its ability to carry seven people in quiet comfort along with plenty of cargo, Terraza complements Rendezvous and Rainier in the Buick truck lineup by combining SÚV styling and all-weather driving capability with the flexibility required by mid-van customers. Just as Rendezvous and Rainier have done in their respective segments, Terraza raises the bar in the mid-van market by bringing in the Buick hallmarks of comfort, style, a quiet ride and ample power.

Available in two versions – the well-equipped CX or elegantly appointed CXL – Terraza derives its responsive performance from the new 3500 3.5L V-6, rated at 200 horsepower (149 kw), coupled to GM's proven Hydra-Matic 4T65-E electronically controlled automatic overdrive transaxle.

While front-wheel drive is standard on the Terraza, GM's exclusive Versatrak on-demand all-wheel-drive system is available on both CX and CXL models, giving this crossover sport van even more capability. The on-demand Versatrak system – lightweight, quiet and efficient – is one of the most advanced approaches to all-wheel drive. If one or both front wheels lose grip, the Versatrak system goes into action progressively, with no buttons to push or levers to throw. The system is poised to help drivers make use of the traction available by not only transferring torque from front to rear, but also from side to side between the rear wheels – an ability not found in many competitive systems.

Terraza also is offered with StabiliTrak, GM's advanced Vehicle Stability Enhancement System, which helps drivers maintain control in sudden maneuvers, particularly in low traction conditions, in emergency lane changes, and during avoidance maneuvers.

StabiliTrak assists the vehicle in maintaining the driver's intended path by applying a brake force at any corner of the vehicle independent of the driver's use of the brake pedal.

StabiliTrak uses an accelerator pedal position sensor, a brake master cylinder pressure sensor and a steering wheel angle sensor as inputs to interpret the driver's desired path and whether to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle. StabiliTrak also uses these sensors plus a lateral accelerometer and yaw rate sensor to determine the vehicle's actual path.

If the difference between the driver's desired path and the vehicle's actual path becomes great enough, StabiliTrak takes appropriate action to assist the driver with maintaining the desired path. If the vehicle begins to 'snowplow,' or understeer, StabiliTrak applies the inside rear brake to help turn the vehicle. If the vehicle begins to fishtail, or oversteer, StabiliTrak applies the outside front brake to straighten the vehicle. StabiliTrak is integrated with the traction control and ABS systems.

StabiliTrak is not available on Terraza models equipped with Versatrak all-wheel drive.

'QuietTuned' ride for comfort and response
Standard features such as a four-wheel disc brake system, 17-inch wheels and tires, a rigid chassis structure and lengthy 121-inch (308-cm) wheelbase all give Terraza a smooth car-like ride with excellent handling characteristics.

Also contributing to its smooth ride and agile handling are independent front and rear suspensions. MacPherson struts and stabilizer bars up front provide responsive maneuvering, while the rear suspension uses aluminum short and long control arms for improved stability, particularly when cornering over rough pavement. Terraza's ride is further enhanced by standard self-leveling monotube air shocks in the rear.

Like other Buick models, Terraza benefits from QuietTuning, a comprehensive noise reduction initiative covering every area of the vehicle. This includes a forged steel crankshaft, increased engine isolation and other acoustic treatments to ensure this all-new crossover sport van has one of the quietest interiors in the segment to match its rich appearance and attention to detail.

Elegant and functional interior
Inside the Terraza is where comfort and elegance meet versatility and convenience. Chrome and wood trim accents highlight its overall interior design, providing a rich appearance throughout. The instrument panel, center console and door panels have a smooth, integrated design. Terraza's seats feature piping in a contrasting color with a matching deck stitch for an elegant look. Another detail: contrast stitching on door trim panels. Terraza CX seats have cloth inserts with leather bolsters in the first two rows, while the CXL has leather seat surfaces in the first two rows.

A seven-passenger seating configuration is standard, with individual captain's chairs in both the first and second row positions. Terraza can be configured to provide numerous combinations of passenger and cargo space. The second- and third-row seats are both foldable and removable for additional cargo room, while the third-row seat has a 50/50 split.

Terraza offers an innovative rear cargo and convenience area. With its door panels closed, the box-like cargo system's height is flush with that of the folded third-row seat, providing a level load floor for carrying items behind the second row. The cargo system's doors are split evenly to line up with the split/folding third-row seat, creating the flexibility to carry a passenger on one side and cargo, such as long objects, on the other. Tired of objects rolling around in the back? The cargo system contains four storage compartments appropriately sized to hold items such as milk and orange juice containers, 12-packs of soda, and grocery bags. The forward edge of the dividers is cut out to create a long, left-to-right compartment, capable of storing longer objects, such as an umbrella.

Other notable interior features include a front overhead console and standard overhead rail system, with snap-in accessory and storage modules for a less cluttered interior. The rail system, standard on all models, neatly integrates the overhead lighting system, and is designed to accommodate the standard rear HVAC and audio controls, or rear-seat entertainment system/DVD into a single unit. The available snap-in storage models have wide, flip-open doors, enabling passengers to store loose items such as CDs, DVDs, sunglasses or cell phones.

Total safety and security approach

Terraza is engineered to be among the safest vehicles in the mid-van segment, and is designed for outstanding performance in real-world crashes. Notable features include structural enhancements to the frame using high-strength steel. A long front-end compartment provides a large crush zone to preserve interior space, while long and strong engine compartment side frame rails increase energy absorption in the event of a frontal impact.

Dual-stage driver and front-passenger frontal air bags are standard, providing supplemental protection for front seat passengers. Dual-stage air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of air bag-induced injury. When the air bag system's control unit detects an impact, it determines whether the crash is severe enough to trigger a deployment, and whether the primary amount of inflation is sufficient. The primary stage alone will deploy in most frontal impacts requiring the supplemental protection of an air bag, while a secondary stage is designed to deploy in more severe frontal collisions.

Optional seat-mounted side air bags provide head and torso protection for both the front passenger and driver during side-impact crashes. All seven seating positions have three-point safety belts with load-limiting retractors.

The Terraza also has standard pretensioners in the front safety belt system that deploy at the same time as the frontal air bags to take up slack in the safety belt webbing. Pretensioners also help reduce the amount of occupant movement in the event of a crash to help reduce the risk of injury.

Terraza is equipped with LATCH (Lower Anchors and top Tethers for CHildren) system anchors for child safety seats in all second-row seats. The center position of the third-row seat provides a top tether anchor for child seat attachment. The LATCH system provides two lower anchors and a top tether anchor to be used to secure a child seat to the vehicle seat structure. These anchorages are designed to make it easier to properly install compatible child safety seats.

Terraza also comes standard with GM's OnStar Safe & Sound package. The Terraza features OnStar's new sixth generation hardware with digital and analog coverage. The Gen 6 hardware also includes upgraded hands-free voice recognition capabilities including more intuitive continuous digit dialing and improved voice recognition accuracy. OnStar is the leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services in the Únited States and Canada. Úsing the GPS satellite network and wireless technology, OnStar features core safety services and OnStar Personal Calling that allows drivers to make and receive hands-free, voice-activated phone calls using a powerful three-watt digital/analog system and external antenna for greater reception.

Endless entertainment possibilities

Standard on the Terraza is a six-speaker AM/FM/CD premium sound system, including a six-disc in-dash CD changer, or an available DVD-based navigation radio that provides drivers with detailed driving routes from coast to coast.

Also standard is a rear-seat entertainment system that includes a DVD player with flip-down screen and integrated controls. The DVD unit also provides auxiliary video and audio inputs for video games and camcorders, enabling an 'instant replay' of a child's soccer match, for example.

XM Satellite Radio also is available. XM (continental Ú.S. only) provides more than 120 coast-to-coast, digital-quality channels of original commercial-free music and premier news, sports and talk as well as advanced traffic and weather information for select major metropolitan areas nationwide. Consumers can subscribe to the basic service for $9.99 a month. In addition, GM customers with GMAC financing can choose to include the XM subscription in their car payments.

An available 'tri-mode' entertainment system lets occupants listen to as many as three separate entertainment sources simultaneously – DVD, CD and radio – through the speakers and dual-channel wireless headphones.

Also available is the first-in-segment Mobile Digital Media Powered by PhatNoise system. PhatNoise is a wallet-sized, 40-gigabyte hard drive that installs in the Terraza's overhead rail system. The system's capabilities include:

• Storing and playing back up to 10,000 songs in MP3, WMA or WAV formats.

• Storing and playing up to 40 movies in MPEG format (standard format for movies).

• Storing and playing a combination of songs and movies.

• The ability to provide the software for playing classic video games.

• A voice-browsing interface – if the driver wants to listen to music, the system tells him or her over the radio speakers the song's name, allowing the driver to run through a list of stored music using steering wheel buttons.

• Listening to books, magazine or newspaper articles recorded on a PC.

• Allowing simultaneous listening to two entertainment sources.

• Transferring digital camera pictures through a ÚSB port in the PhatNoise cartridge and playing them back on the DVD screen.

The PhatNoise system's hard drive cartridge is easily removable, so it can be connected to a home PC or laptop to download computer files for playback in the Terraza, giving passengers an unprecedented level of entertainment customization.

For physically challenged customers, the Sit-N-Lift power seat available with the Terraza provides convenient access to the right-hand second-row seating area. Operated with a remote control, the power bucket seat rotates, then extends out of the vehicle and lowers for easy entry and exit.

Source - Buick