2005 Chevrolet Uplander

The refined version of the old GM minivan is a tremendous improvement over the older models. I owned a 2000 Pontiac Montana and this is virtually the same vehicle, but 10 times better.
To start, the exterior has a more aggressive stance and appearance. GM was going for the "SUV look" and they succeeded to an extent. The larger tires and 5-spoke rims give it a sporty look as well as add to the overall ride of the vehicle. The headlamps are a huge improvement over the older style van. The whole road as well as the sides of the road are well lit, and with the high beams on, you can see everything. I don't worry about deer surprising me and jumping out onto the road so much now that I can see them well ahead of time.
Gas mileage is great. I averaged around 26 mpg on a near 3000 mile round trip from Michigan to Florida and back. Also the standard driver information center is great. It's nice having outside temperature, average fuel economy, trip odometers, distance to drive on tank of gas and my favorite, you can reset the oil life monitor by pushing down the buttons. This is much improved over the old method.
The interior has changed most dramatically over the former version of this van. The "custom cloth" seats, which are vinyl with cloth inserts, give a more upscale feel as well as provide ample support and hold the driver and passengers securely in place. The instrument panel has a higher quality appearance with the white back-lighting and chrome rings around the gages. Fake wood accents around the door switch bezels and around the center stack add to the quality look. The knobs are all a "soft touch" plastic that feels pleasing to the touch, and not so cheap. The standard DVD system is one of the best features. It makes all drives over an hour a lot easier when you have the kids in the back. They can watch movies or hook up a video game system. The seats all fold down so loading up some lumber, shrubs, ladder, or whatever is simple.
The overall quality of this vehicle is much improved over former GM models of minivans. I have owned the vehicle for over four months and have not had any issues with it yet. This is definitely a step in the right direction for GM as far as quality and appearance go. I can't wait to see what the new vans look like in a few years.