2008 Chevrolet Uplander Review

What the reviewers like:
Reviews say the 2008 Chevrolet Uplander comes with a nice package of standard options for the price, but that's not enough to propel it past the better-rated Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna minivans. Even so, an OnStar in-vehicle communications system, XM satellite radio, automatic crash notification, power sliding side doors, and multimedia sound system are good perks. Some testers like the Chevrolet Uplander's smooth ride, but others say the handling is more “van-like” than that of its competitors. Several sources note that dealers may be willing to offer exceptional prices on 2008 Uplanders due to this minivan’s imminent retirement.

What the reviewers don't like:
Most reviews say that the Chevrolet Uplander is not as well-mannered in highway driving as its competitors. Government crash-test scores are unimpressive and long-term reliability is below average, based on repair data for previous model years. Many sources complain that road noise is excessive, and that the interior is not as well-appointed as in other comparably-priced minivans.

2008 Chevrolet Uplander review highlights

The consensus among most reviewers is the same in 2008 as in years past: The Chevrolet Uplander simply falls short of the leaders in its class, such as the Honda Odyssey (*est. $25,860 to $40,610) and Toyota Sienna (*est. $24,340 to $37,665), when it comes to safety, reliability and resale value. Reviews say handling is less responsive, the cabin is noisy compared to others and many of the interior materials may not be of the best quality. Long-term reliability has also been an issue in reviews. Most sources express little surprise that the Chevrolet Uplander is in its final year of production.

Detailed reviews of the 2008 Chevrolet Uplander aren’t easy to find; many reviewers simply aren’t spending much time on the Uplander due to the fact that 2008 is the final model year for this minivan. However, several reviewers do offer some helpful, credible overviews of the Uplander. Consumer Reports has probably the best coverage, although its write-up is brief; editors here provide good information on safety and predicted reliability, based on extensive owner surveys. Cars.com highlights the handful of changes to the 2008 Chevrolet Uplander, and Car and Driver magazine offers a short capsule review for the new model year. Automotive.com has a detailed review of the 2007 Chevrolet Uplander’s features, which is still applicable given the very limited scope of upgrades to this minivan for 2008. Consumer Guide publishes road test results for the 2007 Uplander that, while dated, still offer a useful overall picture of the new Chevy Uplander’s performance.

Also see full report: Minivans

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Consumer Reports
>> Details/Subscribe
2008 Chevrolet Uplander Review
Editors of Consumer Reports
2008

Consumer Reports tests virtually every minivan on the market, including the 2008 Chevrolet Uplander. One of the best aspects of this review is Consumer Reports’ documentation on predicted reliability, based on past-model-year reader-survey data. The analysis here focuses mainly on reliability, ride quality, handling and safety.

2. Cars.com
2008 Chevrolet Uplander Review
Editors of Cars.com
2008

This review of the Chevrolet Uplander is brief, but does offer an overview of the minor revisions to this minivan’s current model. The main focus here is on features, and road-test information is essentially non-existent, but editors do provide a basic analysis of what they like and dislike about the Chevrolet Uplander.

3. CarCritic.com
>> Details/Subscribe
2008 Chevrolet Uplander Review
Don Vorderman

CarCritic.com is different from other review sites. Rather than going into detail about performance and features, author Don Vorderman focuses mainly on long-term predicted reliability based on owner surveys. Vorderman says the 2008 Chevy Uplander minivan just isn't competitive with the class-leading Odyssey or Sienna minivans.

4. MSN Autos
2008 Chevrolet Uplander Review
Editors of MSN Autos

MSN Autos compiles information from a number of sources, including owner reviews and Consumer Reports test results, to create a short summary of each minivan’s features and performance. Though no owner reviews were available for the 2008 Uplander (at the time of our visit), these reviews do contain details on pricing, specs and certain aspects of performance compared to other vehicles in the same class.

5. Car and Driver
>> Details/Subscribe
2008 Chevrolet Uplander Review
Editors of Car and Driver

This magazine offers a very short capsule review of the 2008 Chevrolet Uplander; the unidentified author says this minivan trails the competition in handling and the smoothness of the drivetrain. There's also a section here for user road tests and scores.

6. Automotive.com
2007 Chevrolet Uplander Review
Editors of Automotive.com

Automotive.com’s review of the Chevrolet Uplander only covers the 2007 model, and focuses more on features than performance. Editors compare the Uplander to the competition in only a casual way. Still, the review is well-balanced, listing both strengths and weaknesses of the Chevy minivan, and is applicable to the current model year thanks to the fact that very few changes were made to the Uplander for 2008.

7. Consumer Guide.com
2007 Chevrolet Uplander Review
Editors of ConsumerGuide.com

Consumer Guide isn't the best source for car reviews, mainly because testing is reported in charts and numerical scores rather than a narrative review. However, ConsumerGuide.com is one of the best places to obtain body style, options and engine information, along with pricing. Best Buy picks are selected in a range of categories.

Also see full report: Minivans

2008 Chevrolet Uplander Review