Inside, the Chevy Uplander stacks up well against its competition. Interior finish and materials are surprisingly good, considering some of GM's efforts just a few years ago. Plastics are generally rich in touch and appearance, and while other media have bashed the fake wood trim, we find it as good as that in cars that cost considerably more. Uplander's instrument panel doesn't try to get cute. It's clean, straightforward design is efficient and easy to get comfortable with.
The instrument binnacle prominently features a large tach and speedometer. The dials are sharp and legible, and trimmed with a thin chrome ring that adds a classy touch. Window, mirror and lock switches are located in the driver's armrest, right where we like them. Lights are on the dash, next to the steering column; wipers on a stalk to the right. There are redundant audio controls on the steering wheel hub.
The center stack is particularly well done. Audio controls sit above the climate controls, also as we like them, and the knobs are not only big, but pleasant to touch. There's a pair of pull-out cup holders and a swing-out storage bin at the bottom. There's also a folding utility table between the front seats with more cupholders and indents to keep phones or glasses handy without allowing them to slide off.
While the cabin is good, it's hardly perfect. The glove box door feels a bit flimsy; the same applies, more so, to the bins behind the front seats. These are well designed, with secure storage for headsets and discs, but they feel cheap. The front fan moves a ton of air, but it's quite loud at full bore. Perhaps most annoying is the view through the rear-view mirror. It's noticeably restricted by the rear-seat headrests, with a relatively narrow scope.
Our Uplander LT had second-row captain's chairs, which are amply spacious and comfortable for good-sized adults. The third-row bench will be no problem for kids through age 15 or 16, even on long drives, but access to the third row is not the best. The pathway between the individual second-row seats is narrow, hampered further by the folding utility table. For access from the outboard side, a one-button mechanism folds the seatbacks forward and slides the entire seat toward the front. That said, it doesn't make climbing in back much easier than walking between the second-row seats.
The interior roof rail system mounts storage bins, DVD screens and lighting under the headliner in modular fashion. It also holds the optional, removable PhatNoise hard drive, which is one of the coolest things going in minivans.
PhatNoise adds a second video screen to the single-DVD entertainment system and a wallet-sized 40-gig hard drive that slips into the overhead rail system. That's enough storage space for 10,000 audio files in virtually any format, or 40 feature films in the MPEG format. PhatNoise has a voice-browsing feature that allows the driver to cycle through menu offerings with buttons on the steering wheel hub. A USB port allows photographs to be loaded directly from a digital camera. Moreover, the PhatNoise hard drive is easily removed and attached to a PC, to be loaded with whatever an Uplander owner chooses. The system was improved last year with pre-loaded promotional content, including TV shows from Nickelodeon, music from eMusic, audio books from Audible and video games from Capcom.
The available onboard inflator generates enough pressure to inflate just about anything. It's integrated into the left-side trim behind the third seat. On the right, there's a standard 110-volt plug that allows Uplander to operate small appliances without a separate power inverter.
The optional Cargo Convenience center has its advantages. It can keep certain items out of site, and holds plenty of groceries without allowing them to slide. Yet it's not very deep, and it raises the load height for larger items a good eight inches.
In short, Uplander has the conveniences that make family excursions or daily driving chores easier and more pleasant, and it holds its own with the best. When it comes to passenger/cargo flexibility, it does well, too. Any or all of the seatbacks quickly fold forward, creating an expansive, essentially flat load floor from the driver's seat back. The rear seats can also be removed without too much difficulty, but they don't simply tumble into the floor as they do on some minivans.
Configured for maximum hauling capacity, Uplander offers 136 cubic feet of cargo space. That's twice as much as a full-size SUV like the Cadillac Escalade, but in the lower half among minivans, which range from 130 to 160 cubic feet.
