The restyled Uplander LS is equipped with a 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine that utilizes 12 valves. The engine is mated to a General Motors four-speed transaxle. This has resulted in an increase in horsepower and torque over the 2004 version.
The 2005 Uplander is an important vehicle to Chevrolet for the mini passenger van market segment. The Base is a member of a series of three trim levels for the Uplander which include Base, LS, and LT. The four-door van with its front-wheel drive is positioned to aggressively fill this niche for Chevrolet. There is strong competition from vehicles from Nissan.
As time has gone by several things can be said about the Chevrolet Uplander series: including the strong reaction most buyers have towards their van. The 6-cylinder engine is at the core of the strong emotions, it is reliable for its class and delivers a huge amount of torque.
Chevrolet introduced the Venture Plus in late 2004 to regain its grip on the Mini Passenger Van market. There are 3 trim levels for the Venture in 2005: . With four doors and spacious seating for seven, the front-wheel drive Venture makes a statement. There is plenty of competition in the Mini Passenger Van market, including strong offerings from Infiniti.
A high point in the mini passenger van market is the Chevrolet Venture. In 2005 Chevrolet released an upgraded version of the Venture with three versions: LS, LT, and Plus. Sales for the Venture, especially the Venture LS, were brisk during 2005 and 2006. The improved reliability and the sporty styling were responsible for the sales boost.