Overview & Reviews

The history of Chevrolet's minivan models has been one of consistently trying to catch up with the other guy, but ultimately falling short. Through three generations and names, the Chevy vans and their various GM siblings struggled to match, let alone better, "mom-mobiles" from Chrysler and import competition. The final variant was the Chevrolet Uplander.

Introduced in 2005 as a "crossover sport van," the Uplander was designed to be more hip than the average mom-mobile. But this makeover did little to improve on its Chevy Venture roots. True, the Uplander succeeded in providing the expected features and creature comforts, but it lacked the refinement and ingenuity that other top minivans from Honda, Kia and Toyota provided.

Not finding much success, Chevy finally discontinued its van in favor of the Traverse large crossover SUV. In general, we suggest skipping over the Uplander (and the previous Chevy Venture) and looking at other, more desirable used minivans.

Most Recent Chevrolet Uplander

The Chevrolet Uplander was a minivan sold from the 2005-'08 model years. At the minivan's debut, it came with a 200-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and a four-speed automatic driving the front wheels. All-wheel drive was available as an option. For 2006, a short-wheelbase version was added to the lineup, while a 3.9-liter V6 with 240 hp became an option on front-wheel-drive Uplanders. The base 3.5-liter V6 was dropped for 2007, as was all-wheel drive.

The Uplander came in LS and LT trim levels, both of which seated seven with a fold-flat 50/50-split third-row seat. The short wheelbase was only available on the LS, while the LT initially came in three different equipment subsets: 1LT, 2LT and 3LT. For '08, the LT was pared down to a singular version.

Standard and available equipment included 17-inch wheels, rear parking assist, power-sliding doors, a power driver seat, heated front seats, leather seating, dual-zone automatic climate control, an innovative multimedia overhead console, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, satellite radio and a "PhatNoise" digital media system.

The Chevrolet Uplander did an OK job of protecting its valuable human cargo but fell short of other minivans. Antilock brakes were standard on all trim levels, while stability control initially came on all but the short-wheelbase LS, to which it was added for '08. Front side-impact airbags that protect the head and torso were optional on the LS and standard on the LT. The 2LT and 3LT packages added side airbags for the second row. Although these airbags essentially did the same job as the side curtain airbags offered on all other minivans, there was no side protection available for the third row.

Inside, the Chevy Uplander had a two-tone color scheme with decent materials and a pleasing overall look. Lower-level Uplanders came with GM's old-school modular seating in the second row, while the 2LT and 3LT were upgraded with fixed captain's chairs. In the all-important minivan gizmo department, the Uplander had a few aces up its sleeve. An overhead rail system on the LT provided easy rear-seat access to climate and entertainment functions. The PhatNoise digital media system eliminated the hassle of shuffling through CDs and DVDs on road trips by providing a hard drive that could store music and movies.

Previous to the Uplander, Chevrolet offered the otherwise similar Venture.

User Reviews:

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  My Uplander review - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Mark - April 19 - 8:31 pm

  I love this car/van/suv because the interior design. It is a good family car plus the rear air condition is great. I did not buy the model with all the bells and whistles but the standard equipment alone offers a good bit.

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  So Far So Good - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By justducky150 - April 18 - 8:16 pm

  So far we have had a very positive experience with our Uplander as we had with our Montana. The AWD certainly worked well in the deep Pennslvania snow. Phatnoise is a wonderful idea, Im not sure why GM discontinued their relationship with that vendor. Basically we have unlimited amount of MP3s at our fingertips on a 40 GB Phatnoise Harddrive while the kids watch their DVDs in silence. We took it on our first roadtrip and it performed magnificently. In addition the snubnose SUV styling tricks everyone. I still dont understand minivan apathy, these cars rock with good power in a utilitarian wrapper. We love it. GM should continue to manufacture these vehicles.

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  Very Happy With My Chevy Uplander - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Elaine - April 16 - 1:11 pm

  My husband and I have always owned a Chevy and we have been very happy with them. I am 64 years old and I love my Chevy and I know it will last me for a long time.

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  Dissatisfied - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Camie - April 9 - 8:03 am

  We have had several trips to the dealership with repairs on this vehicle. The automatic rear passenger door tries to open while car is in motion. "fixed" at least 4 times. The car only starts when it wants to. You have to push the gas to start the vehicle. I would not suggest buying this vehicle.

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  Pleasantly surprised - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Skihawk - April 8 - 8:42 am

  I just bought this vehicle. It was a lease car and I was hesitant to buy it but my wife has been wanting a new car and I got a good deal on it. We immediately took a 600 mile trip in it and I was pleasantly surprised. The fuel economy was pretty good at 27.6 mpg on the road. The ride was nice and visibility was good. Havent had any issues yet.

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  Quality by GM? - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By anthony - April 7 - 6:12 pm

  2 day old van and defrost blower stopped working. Coldest night of the year too. The dealer took care of the issue giving me a rental. The passenger door and fender dont fit at all at the windshield, big gap on one side no gap on the other. The dealer isnt sure if it can be fixed. A terrible visual disaster. It is however not limited to my van only as I have seen many Uplanders the same. Also a rough idle sometimes with a gentle surge when I have a foot on the brake.

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  First Car I Bought New - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Summbreeze - April 5 - 1:15 pm

  I needed room for my daughters family which has my 3 grandkids, and also wanted the DVD player to keep them quiet! Lots of room for everyone on trips. The only thing I have noticed is that the lights get brighter and dimmer sometimes. I have consistently gotten an avgerage of 21mpg which combines city and road. We live in the hills and I drive 32 miles commuting. Thats not bad for a roomy vehicle. Only thing I have done is change the oil and filters on time. I am beginning to feel a bumpiness when braking, so I think it is time for brakes though.

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  Tragedy - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By brox08 - March 30 - 9:14 am

  This is the worst vehicle on the roads. The van features poor and ill handling. OnStar is the best feature. I am now trading it in for a New Sienna. Never drive this again

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  van from hell - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Lisa - March 25 - 6:50 pm

  Ever since buying this brand new vehicle, we have had nothing but problems. Two weeks after purchase it was misfiring on 1 & 4 sparkplugs. Then the stability traction control comes on when you dont expect it. Youll be driving on dry pavement and then all of a sudden the abs comes on. Had the ebcm changed twice, the yaw censor changed but the problem keeps happening. Its really scary when your driving down the road at 70 km/h and the abs start applying for no reason. At first the code c0196 came up and now nothing comes up, it doesnt even store it in the computer. The dealer doesnt know what to do and GM isnt too concerned. I drive this with my 3 kids and Im scared to death. Beware!

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  Converted Uplander for Wheelchairs - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By munshpe - March 21 - 10:09 am

  I bought a Braun Entervan (a Chevy Uplander that has been converted by the Braun Corporation for wheelchairs) 7 months ago and have had it in the shop 15 times. The ramp was improperly installed, the Smart box failed, the Braun wiring harness was broken, and the Braun applied weatherstripping fell off (I had a GM dealer fix some of these problems). Ive also had Onstar problems, seatbelt, and molding problems that are GM issues. The initial quality was very low.