Is This the Chart Topper Chevy Needs?
My wife and I have long been mulling around the idea of buying a new vehicle. It's not a critical decision as my line of work allows me the use of a couple of new vehicles every week, but there's something special about owning a car specifically bought with personal needs and preferences in mind.
 |
| My family is not alone in wanting the functionality of a minivan without the associated stereotype, and Chevy may have the answer. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
As much as I like the functionality of minivans there's no way Jennifer will allow me to spend good money on something that makes her feel thirty to forty something. She likes sport wagons, but might be able to be talked into one of a dozen or so new crossovers.
While I like to think of myself as unique, this identical scenario is being played out in homes across the country, which is precisely why the crossover segment has gone gangbusters in such a short time.
 |
| While SUV-like in general design, Chevy designates the upcoming Uplander a "sport van." (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
Enter the Chevy Uplander. It's something entirely different, or at least GM wants us to think so. But in reality is anything really new? Mazda brought its MPV to market with much the same pretense, including an optional all-wheel drivetrain.
But while SUV-like in general design, the upcoming Uplander is designated a "sport van" by its manufacturer, a phrase the automaker has coined in an attempt to set its new vans apart even from the "conventional" crossover crowd.