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:
Showing 41 through 50 of 278.00-
Nothing But Problems,.. - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
By Jim - April 21 - 8:15 pmWhere do I start. This vehicle has so many problems its unbelievable. The sliding doors, ABS, Traction Control, Stability System, flickering lights, brakes, rotors, tires, bearings, hub assembly, cruise control, tie rods and much more. It was great at first and then it just got bad real quick. I have owned 9 Chevy vehicles and this is by far the end of me ever buying another. I would trade this piece of junk in, but cant find anyone willing to give me anything for it. Of course the warranty is over and the repairs just keep coming. Id love to hear if anyone had any success in getting any resolution and would gladly take any recommendations. Im sick of it, but stuck with it.
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Big Blue - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
By henry hopkins - April 16 - 9:03 amI am having a great time driving my Uplander. It rides well and has great gas mileage. I take my daughter to school everyday and she loves it. Her favorite feature are the dual temperature vents in the back of the van. She enjoys sitting on the back bench of the van. The van feels great on the road. It is heavy and handles well. I love the visibility aspect. The engine is very smooth. I also like the manual sliding door. I would tell anyone, dont believe the negative talk about this vehicle. This is an excellent family vehicle that is great to drive! I cant wait to go on road trips!!
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Piece of Junk - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
By Joe B. - April 6 - 11:13 amI cant believe this thing. At 28k the glove box door completely falls off. At 37,000 the rear A/C line completely rots away. At 41000 both front hub assemblies need to be replaced. The gas gauge never worked right from day 1. Very poor quality. Engine and tranny have held up so far but Im getting rid of it. Chevy should be ashamed to put out such junk.
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Bad experience - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
By Dorothy - March 23 - 4:35 pmI bought this car 8 months ago and have had nothing but problems with it mainly the front end. I dont like the fact that the center seats doesnt recline and no armrest on them. Also they set to close to the side doors. I have owned a van before and their was storage room under the back seat. Overall a poor design. It does get fairly good gas mileage and I like the room, but not so sure I would purchase another Chevrolet and for sure not a uplander.
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POWER DOORS RESOLVED - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
By jake - March 22 - 6:46 pmThe rubber lining an the inside of the door, the seal is blocking the sensor. You will see that the rubber is too big and has a bunch of holes in it from the door hitting it. When the door hits it, it opens back up. All i did was tape the rubber away from the door, then it closes just fine!
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Poor quality with no fix in sight - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
By gafamily - March 16 - 4:13 pmWe purchased this practically new (promo car with 2000 miles). For the first year, I was extremely pleased. However, then problems started and have not stopped. We have had numerous repairs made to the suspension and drivetrain of this vehicle, including bushings, struts, tie-rods, etc. The power doors also have been worked on several times however I cannot say they have been repaired because the problems always come back. I feel that, after reading several reviews, this is a common problem, but neither Chevy nor their dealers have an appropriate solution. The doors will open or close randomly, alarms will sound saying door is open when it is not, and many other problems.
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Solid built van, nice ride. - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
By Jim - March 13 - 3:40 pmpretty nice van built more solidly than foreign, safety of my family was a high priority. Very decent cruising for long trips, good on gas considering its size, DVD player good for kids.
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The worse mistake - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
By Karen - March 6 - 7:59 pmWe bought this van cause our family was growing, I was showed a different van than the one I had. No A/C in the back, a delay on the starter, the brakes issue, the noise in the back, the steering wheel noise, the glove box lock broke, the doors make noises too, the abs light always on. What a nightmare and now is worse cause is worth nothing and we still owe on it....is a crappy car.
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Automotive Atrocity - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
By Steve - March 5 - 11:06 pmThis vehicle is an embarrassment to GM. Its hard to believe it comes from the same company that brought us the Corvette. Interior design and utility is horrific. I have 2 kids, both in car seats. My kids have no leg room at all. I literally cannot use the 3rd row, as there is no way to get to it. Try hanging a jacket on the hook! You cant reach the hook from the sliding door, and you have to CRAWL INTO THE BACK to reach it from the rear! Ours has a roof console that Ive hit my head on many times. This car is a real head-scratcher, and I wonder how it was ever cleared by GM for public consumption. It clearly was not evaluated for everyday usability by families before its release.
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What a Joke!!!!!!!!1 - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
By DawnJ - February 25 - 1:36 pmTraded my Monte Carlo for this van used not even a year ago. Has been in the shop 6 times. Has cost over $1500 in repairs and has to go back into day because "starting is disabled" Have replaced a wheel hub. The brakes shake you out of your seat whenever you depress them. The steering grinds when you turn right. The electronic doors will close and crush a gallon of milk. When you hit a bump the door alarms go off. The reverse warning system tells you, you are going to hit something when there is nothing there and then lets you back into parked cars. The DVD player stopped working just after my baby discovered it was there. Interior noise it horrible! Dont just walk away for this buy, RUN!!!
