2005 Chevrolet Uplander Road Test Review
by
Jeff
Voth
The
line between van and SUV has blurred steadily
over the past five years. All-wheel drive
urban transportation capable of carrying up
to seven people is now the industry standard
by which most "utility" vehicles
are measured.
For
some, a mid-van is still their vehicle of choice.
Large side doors with easy access and spacious
cabins capable of holding enormous volumes of
cargo are accepted as the trade off for boat-like
handling and bus-like steering.
For
others, if it can't be taken off-road, handle
paved highways with at least a modicum of dexterity,
yet still pack in four kids, a dog and most
of their gear, it's not an acceptable form of
mobility.
The
2005 Chevrolet Uplander attempts to bridge the
two designs by offering van-like size and comfort,
with SUV-like handling and styling cues.
The
marketers at Chevrolet refer to the new shape
as a crossover sport van. But a quick glance
at the Uplander and its three siblings, the
Buick Terraza, Pontiac Montana SV6 and Saturn
Relay, proves the styling is solidly in the
camp of the van.
The
all-new Uplander is available in four trim levels:
the Uplander Base, LS, LT and LT AWD. A
3.5L, 60 degree V6 powers all models. It offers
200 hp @ 5200 rpm and 220 lb-ft of torque @
4400 rpm. This
translates into plenty of performance in three
critical areas: acceleration, highway cruising
and pulling power.
In
my experience, more often than not, poor fuel
mileage is the trade-off realized for having
the additional space of a van. This was not
the case in my week of driving the Chevrolet
Uplander.
A
4-speed automatic transmission provides smooth,
quiet shifts for both the base FWD models and
the Versatrak AWD system. The
all-wheel-drive model offers both front and
rear fully independent suspension, with MacPherson
struts and coil springs in front and a double
wishbone with cast aluminum short- and long-arm
control arms arrangement in back.
Potholes
and confined parking spaces are no problem for
the 2005 Chevrolet Uplander. Wheels are 17"
steel, with 5-spoke aluminum available as an
option. Tires are all-season on the base, TL
and LS models, or all-season touring on the
AWD.
Inside
the new Uplander offers plenty of storage space
and convenience features. Seven-passenger seating
is standard, as is a 50/50 split-fold rear seat
and an innovative rear-storage system. Included
with the fold-flat rear bench seat, it hides
a variety of small items and even offers a water-resistant
compartment for things such as swimwear and
beach towels.
My
test vehicle was equipped with the Premium Seat
Package, which includes leather seating surfaces,
a power driver and passenger seat, as well as
heated seats. I found the front seating position
to be less bus-like than many mid-van models
available, with good back support, leg room
and unobstructed visibility.
For
those times when only a large space will do,
both the middle and third row seats are removable.
Surprisingly,
it is in the second row where the new 2005
Chevrolet Uplander struggles to provide adequate
room for passengers taller than 5' 8".
With
the driver's seat comfortably set for my 6'
1" frame, my oldest teenage daughter was
unable to sit behind me, forcing us to re-arrange
her seating position to the middle seat behind
my wife. In my opinion, this is a significant
oversight on the part of Chevrolet and one I
hope they fix when the next new design arrives
later in the decade.
Power
windows, mirrors and door locks are standard,
with a power driver-side sliding door and park
assist optional. Dual stage airbags are standard
in front, with side-impact driver and passenger
airbags standard on LS, LT and LT AWD models
and optional on the base Uplander.
A
new overhead rail-system allows for a unique
solution to the common dilemma of where to store
sunglasses, garage door remotes and yet still
offer mid and back seat passengers the option
for DVD entertainment. It includes a 12"x10"
snap-in storage box as standard equipment, with
optional boxes available to increase overall
storage capacity.
Standard
on all Uplanders is an 8-speaker AM/FM stereo
system with CD/MP3 player. A unique, optional
feature available on all but the entry level
Chevrolet Uplander is the PhatNoise entertainment
system by Mobile Digital Media. This 40 gig
unit connects easily to your home pc and is
capable of storing and playing up to 40 full-length
movies, 10,000 songs or multiple video games.
XM satellite radio is also available as an option.
Chevrolet
hopes to convince those looking for AWD performance
and van-like seating with extra storage to consider
the new Uplander sport van. If you consider
that most of us rarely take all-wheel-drive
vehicles off-road, but rather prefer the added
safety it offers over traditional FWD and RWD
vehicles, they may just be on to something.
2005
Chevrolet Uplander |
Description: |
Mid-size
crossover sport van |
Model
options: |
Uplander
Base
Uplander LS
Uplander LT
Uplander LT AWD |
Wheelbase: |
121.1
inches |
Overall
length: |
204.9
inches |
Engine
size: |
OHV
3.5-L V6 |
Transmission: |
Auto/4
Hydra-Matic 4T65-E |
Drive: |
FWD |
Braking: |
FWD:
Power 4-disc, ABS
opt. StabiliTrak
AWD: Power 4-disc, ABS |
Air
bags: |
2
(front) + opt. 2 (side) |
Fuel
mileage city/hwy: |
FWD:
21/32 mpg
AWD: 20/30 mpg |
Base
MSRP: |
Uplander
Base: $ 24,350
Uplander LS: $ 26,955
Uplander LT: $ 29,385
Uplander LT AWD: $ 32,100 |
For
More Information Click: Chevrolet
Uplander
For the Chevrolet 2005
Model Guide : Click
Here
|