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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  Buyers Beware! - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Proud Momma - October 5 - 7:37 pm

  Buyers beware! I brought this fairly new, only 37000 miles on it. The gas gauge never works, the car only starts when it wants to, the rear passenger door tries to open when you are driving and wont close when you want it to, the radio controls are hit or miss, oh yeah and my transmission went at 45,000 miles! I am stuck with this heap and the Subaru dealer that sold it to me told me I should have bought a Subaru. I am a Nissan girl and will get rid of this as soon as I can! Dont buy this unless you like being stranded!

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  Never buy GM again - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Sean - October 3 - 10:04 am

  Owned this vehicle for two years and had starting problems from day one. Dealership told me "theres no codes coming up so theres nothing wrong with it". The front tires were replaced (Oh they only make one type of tire for this van and it there $140 a piece). The front stabilizer was replaced. The ABS sensors were replaced. The battery was replaced three times. The fuel sending unit was replaced. Went on vacation for a week and came back to a completely dead van. Dealership tells me now my warranty is up and the DVD player is drawing on the battery. Recently traded this in for a 2009 Toyota Camry and couldnt be happier. Dont waste your money on this vehicle.

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  Dont Buy An Uplander - Big Mistake - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Bill - October 2 - 10:39 pm

  To start with..The interior design is the worst ever.The seats in the second row are very poorly designed,you cannot recline fully because the seats hit against the interior side walls,they are too narrow and uncomfortable and lack knee space,they should also have been made to swivel.The side sliding doors should have sliding windows on them,not fixed windows.The cruise control is totally in the wrong location, and when in use is not smooth at all.The cigarette lighter or auxiliary outlet is in a very dumb and dangerous location (almost on the floor)makes it nearly impossible to use.The rear door is dangerous when opening,it will slam you in the face if you are not careful.

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  Like it but hate the power sliding doors - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Fed Up - September 8 - 1:57 pm

  We are pretty much pleased with our 2005 Uplander ls except for the power sliding doors. They open when they want to and close when they want to. The power sliding door on the drivers side has had many problems of not closing and opening when it is supposed to so we had to unplug it so the alarm on it would stop going off. Its pretty hard to drive 30 miles with the alarm going off and still be in your right mind when you return home. Also we have a thumping noise under the hood and cant figure out what it is.

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  I am not a soccer mom - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Aubrey - September 8 - 1:51 pm

  I am 26 and did not want to be in a minivan. I fell in love with the design of this van. It was modern, safe, and comfortable. I have had the van for almost a year and love it more today then the day I bought it. The acceleration is quick, it handles great, and I feel secure. I love driving now. I purchased it used and added the extended warranty (My mechanic told me to). I am glad because of the sensors and new electronic mechanisms, it is very expensive to fix little repairs. It has been in twice, once for the headlight and starter sensors, and another time for for the tie rod ends needing replaced. We have been on a few long trips and the kids love the entertainment package. Us too!

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  Great Looks - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Sam - September 1 - 1:00 pm

  The Uplander has the styling that I love. It looks like an SUV but has the capacity of a mini-van. It drives great and has all the features I want.

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  Pleasant Surprise - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By overrev - August 28 - 7:25 pm

  I saw in another review a claim of 27.6 MPG. I was also pleasantly surprised in this area. We have been as high as 27.9. We came out of an HHR and it took some getting used to, but this is a damn good buy. The price was very liveable, and we have not found any defect so far. It handles well for a van of any type and the ride is very smooth. Good power. I am waiting for winter to see what effects Traction control and Stabili-trac combined will provide. Overall, I think it is a well thought out vehicle

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  A vast improvement! - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By B. Norton - August 19 - 6:58 pm

  I purchased this van after I traded in a 2001 Venture. I have owned 2 Ventures and was again looking for a GM product. I was going to buy an HHR, but my wife saw this Uplander on the dealerships used car lot, and she fell in love with it. I just returned from a 2000+ mile trip through Virginia and West Virginia, and was really surprised how much improved this van is compared to my two previous Venture vans. The ride and handling are just awesome! The 3.9 V- 6 has plenty of power, and the 4-wheel disc brakes are a enormous improvement over any Ventures brakes. Overall, a smash hit at my house!

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  Pleasantly Surprised - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Skiingpapa - August 17 - 8:32 pm

  After 20 years driving a full size fan I was unsure about moving up, in fuel economy. Wow! Our Uplander was that and more. From the outstanding ease of entry, the comfortable seats, room, and features. Easily the best vehicle I have ever purchased and no visits to the dealer to correct anything. We took it on a 1200 mile trip with f5 adults, food, luggage, and a full car top carrier and averaged over 26 mpg. Safe is the word with this vehicle ABS with skid control, side air bags and ease of handling this Chevy it awesome. The styling gets very high marks from everyones first look. A Ford owner wished that his company a vehicle with the ride, features and looks.

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  Beware - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Dom - August 17 - 6:05 pm

  Out of 1 year I have owned vehicle, it has been in the service shop 6 times because of passenger sliding door problems. Its either the door gets stuck in fully opened position (2x), pops back open after closing, closes partially then stops. Door has been out of alignment 4 times, and the the front passenger door was out of alignment once. Other consumers have reported door opened while car was in motion. Chevy has been unable to fix and seems to be stymied.