Chevrolet Uplander

[GAIntrigue]

I travel quite a bit for my job and usually end up having to rent a car. This week the only vehicle available to rent was an Uplander. The van had 49 miles on it when it took it off the lot. This was the LS version. I've not even looked at these vans to see what comes standard and what doesn't. Here are some of the features: keyless entry, CD player, DVD player, information center, 7 passenger seating, dual-sliding doors, and rear air.

I own a 2003 Pontiac Aztek. The first thing I noticed when I got into the seat was that the a-pillar forward was very Aztek-ish with similar a-pillar and dash area just ahead of the instrument cluster. The 3.5 liter performed very similar to the 3.4 liter in my Aztek. I really couldn't tell that any improvements at all with the increased displacement. The ride was similar to my Aztek even though I expected better with the longer wheel base. I wonder if the Buick is an improvement.

[vanquish25]

Wait till the Uplander with the new 3.9L comes out in the fall, its gonna perform very well.

[goochman]

Still doesnt fix all the letdowns this 'new' minivan has.

[FourOnTheFloor]

I believe all the features you listed are standard on the Uplander.
I think it is great to have a DVD player standard, it really changes the driving experience for parents with kids.

[FourOnTheFloor]

An Uplander with the 3.9 must get terrible gas mileage.
I think at least buick should offer the "high feature" 3.6 instead of the 3.9.
I guess it all come down to a compromise between gas, power and price.

[vanquish25]

I don't think the new CSV's have any "let downs"! Interiors nice and upscale, exterior styling is unique, and now with the new 3.9L, power and decent fuel economy! This vans a winner and I'm seeing them everytime I'm out of the house.

[Family Man]

Well, when C&D reviewed the Terazza, they noted that it was slower to 60mph than the other models. The added weight of the new CSVs is simplt too much for the slightly larger engine.

I see tons of these around (it helps that I live near a car-rental company). However, I think the addition (to the US, anyways) of a short wheelbase version should help with both fuel economy and performance. I, for one, would like to see the 3.9L in a SWB version.

[goochman]

Originally Posted by vanquish25

I don't think the new CSV's have any "let downs"! Interiors nice and upscale, exterior styling is unique, and now with the new 3.9L, power and decent fuel economy! This vans a winner and I'm seeing them everytime I'm out of the house.

Go sit in the Honda Minivan and Toyota one - You'll then understand the let down comment.

Ill give you a few highlights as noted elsewhere:

Fold down flat seats
Side Curtain Airbags
Power Rear Liftgate
Sunroof
Roll down middle windows

Oh, but I can forget all those since it has Phat Noise and Remote Starting - what was every other minivan producer thinking by not offering that!

Some of my own nit picks -
No lumbar adjustment on seat
No seating memory
No dual air control (Though the Terazza has this I think)
No Nav system (Terazza got it this year)

Sorry,
This van is a let down - Note, I didnt say it was garbage - but it doesnt offer any competive package, and until recently the pricing was not competitve either.

[T-Type]

You need to take fold flat seats and power rear liftgate off your 'let down' list. Fold flat seats are uncomfortable and are definately a tradeoff to normal seats. Power rear liftgate is a gimmic. I really don't see the benefit over current manual liftgates.

The only valid arguments are side curtain airbags (Terraza does have it for first row), sunroof and roll down side windows.

[goochman]

The 'stow and go' seats are unfomfortable - The Toyota and Honda dont have these seats and they are just fine -

The salesperson and myself couldnt get the Uplander 2nd row down - I guess you have to remove those seats if you want a flat bed?

Sorry - This is not acceptable in the 'new' CSVs


As for Power rear liftgate - I thought this was a gimic also until Ive heard 3 people with them who insist on having them in future cars - Gimic or not, its standard fare in *every* other minivan.

[FourOnTheFloor]

I think the CSV's are competetive with Ford and Dodge, but toyota, honda and nissan have features that the Americans do not have. I guess Japan invests more in minivans.

[AdmiralViscen]

The Chrysler vans have features that the Japanese vans do not. The Odyssey has features that the other two Japanese vans do not. The only vans that have nothing to offer the segment are the Ford twins.

[goochman]

Chrysler is the only US (are they really?) that competes with the Toyota and Honda - Ford is 2nd and GM is a distant 3rd unless Phat Noise and Remote starting are at the top of your Minivan list.

[give_it_all_]

How much power will the 3.9 have?

[T-Type]

Originally Posted by goochman

The 'stow and go' seats are unfomfortable - The Toyota and Honda dont have these seats and they are just fine -

The salesperson and myself couldnt get the Uplander 2nd row down - I guess you have to remove those seats if you want a flat bed?

Sorry - This is not acceptable in the 'new' CSVs


As for Power rear liftgate - I thought this was a gimic also until Ive heard 3 people with them who insist on having them in future cars - Gimic or not, its standard fare in *every* other minivan.

I've just finished browsing the Toyota, Honda and Dodge websites and from what I can see, only Dodge offers 2nd and 3rd row fold flat seats. Toyota and Honda only have third row fold flat seats - the second row needs to be removed. This is the same setup the Uplander has. So I don't see how Toyohonda are better in this regard...

If your going to argue that a powerliftgate is a competitive advantage, then you have to give GM credit for remote starters and Phat Noise. Just because Toyohonda don't have this doesn't make these items irrelevant. The remote start in particular is an excellent feature, that frankly I'm surprised hasn't been copied yet by the 'industry leaders'.