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2005 Chevy Uplander Road Test

Max Value Uplander to Shake Up Minivan Segment

Ive previously admitted to my adoration for minivans, at least from a pragmatic standpoint. I love what they can do, they way they balance truck-like functionality with car-like road manners, how every time I get my hands on one I schedule my week full of hauling activities I normally cant get done with a regular car or sport utility.

I used to own a 1996 Dodge Caravan, bought brand new with dual sliding doors and removable seats. Now sliders on each side are standard equipment on most competitive models, and rear seats arent only removable but tumble down to make for a flat loading floor.

Chevrolet offered two minivans when I chose my Caravan, a rear-drive workhorse that started life in 1985 as the Astro and was only just decommissioned, and a revamped

While the Oldsmobile Silhouette van will be phased out of production once all 2004 models are sold, GM is betting on new models from Buick (left) and Saturn (far back) to take up the slack. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

version of the ultra-odd Lumina APV in its last year of production. The Lumina APV never sold well, but the Venture that replaced it has done brisk sales since its 1997 introduction along with its Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Montana siblings.

While GM will be losing the Silhouette as the Oldsmobile brand gets phased out of production once all 2004 models are sold, the automaker

The Chevy Uplander is quite a step up from anything GM has ever offered minivan customers before. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

is betting on new models from Buick and Saturn to join stablemates from Chevy and Pontiac to make an unprecedented offensive on the mid-van segment.

The Chevy version is dubbed Uplander, and like the Buick Terraza, Pontiac Montana SV6 and Saturn Relay that join GMs mid-van arsenal, is quite a step up from anything GM has ever offered minivan customers before. Whats so special about them? Unique crossover SUV-like front-end styling, upscale interior accommodations, decent power and nimble handling, flexible

Chevy is targeting crossover-SUV buyers looking for something a little more SUV-like, but still needing all the functionality a van offers. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

interior packaging, and tons of innovative features for starters.

GM dubs its new Uplander a "sport van", a word derived by amalgamating the sport from sport utility with van from minivan. Chevy is targeting crossover-SUV buyers looking for something a little more SUV-like than a Venture, for instance, but still needing all the functionality a van offers. Whether it manages to pull in this trendy crowd or not, hardly matters considering the healthy market share Chevrolet already occupies in the mid-van segment. What matters

Theres not much that separates the Uplander from the Venture when viewing the two side by side from behind. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

more is keeping Venture owners loyal, who might otherwise move over to one of Chevys rival van-makers, such as Chrysler, Honda or Toyota. The Uplander should have no problem doing just that, as it delivers a great deal more than most van buyers expect.

With regards to styling, theres not much that separates it from the Venture when viewing the two side by side from behind. The rear liftgate is more or less identical, while the bumper fascia is now turned upwards at each corner to meet new taillight lenses.

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