Buick Rainier takes its name from the snow-covered mountain southwest of Seattle and from the royal family of Monaco. One of the vehicle's chief designers says Mount Rainier "reflects majesty with ruggedness and independence" while the late Grace Kelly and her husband's family symbolize "quality, sophistication and elegance."Rainier is based on the GM360 platform, a mid-size, truck-based SUV also marketed as the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, the outgoing Oldsmobile Bravada, and the Isuzu Ascender, a badge-engineered GM model. It's a solid platform featuring a frame that uses hydroformed steel for incredible strength and rigidity. This gives the Rainier a tow rating of up to 6,300 pounds.
Rainier features unique styling cues, including a distinct grille, hood, front quarter panels and rear hatch door. Its large, oval-shaped grille helps soften the boxy SUV architecture. The upper section of the chrome grilles provides a bold background for the Buick name, with a large Buick tri-shield badge set in the midst of the grille's vertical bars. The Rainier's face also includes wide, three-element headlamps with separate fog lights and side marker lights in the lower front fascia.