We found the Rendezvous comported itself surprisingly well on winding roads. Even when pushed it was thoroughly honest and never felt incapable of dealing with stringent demands. Of course, it isn't a sports car, nor is it intended to be. Willing as it was, the Rendezvous still seemed to offer a slight admonishment: "I'll do that if you insist, but it's not my specialty."

Yet the Rendezvous does surprisingly well in treacherous conditions when equipped with all-wheel drive. In some sandy and rocky arroyos, the SUV side of the Rendezvous' personality came to the fore. Its all-wheel-drive system, called Versatrak, requires no input from the driver. Versatrak drives just the front wheels until sensors agree that some traction assistance from the rear is advisable. Versatrak is clever: Power is meted out separately and individually to each rear wheel, not just to the rear axle. That is a fineness of traction disbursement not available in most other four-wheel-drive systems. The result is better traction and increased stability, making the Rendezvous more capable in the snow and easier to drive in the slush.

With its 185-horsepower 3.4-liter V6, our CXL Plus test vehicle accelerated with reasonable aplomb. This engine uses an iron block and pushrod-operated overhead valves.

We expect the Ultra to accelerate more quickly. The Ultra's 3.6-liter V6 is an entirely new and different engine, with all-aluminum construction and dual overhead camshafts. A 32-bit microprocessor continuously adjusts its valve timing according to conditions; GM calls this technology VVT (for Variable Valve Timing). The same computer also manages this engine's more advanced fuel injection and coil-on-plug ignition systems. In short, the overhead-cam 3.6-liter V6 is a more modern, more sophisticated design than the overhead-valve 3.4-liter V6.

And the new 3.6-liter produces significantly more power: 245 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 235 pounds-feet of torque at 3200 rpm. More important, 90 percent of the new engine's peak torque is available between 1600 and 5800 rpm. That means that a strong surge of power should be instantly available at virtually any driving speed. Fuel economy hardly suffers: Preliminary ratings show 17/24 mpg city/highway for the more powerful 3.6 vs. 18/24 mpg for the 3.4 with AWD. GM claims reduced emissions as well.

The load-leveling suspension, available as part of the trailer towing package, uses compressed air to fill bladders in line with the rear shock absorbers. The air pressure keeps Rendezvous level when carrying a heavy load or towing a trailer. The system comes with an auxiliary air outlet, rubber air hose, and pressure gauge, for inflating tires or toys.