Overview & Reviews
While today's minivans offer levels of comfort and performance on par with sedans, the Chevrolet Astro was a minivan from a different era. Born in the mid-1980s when full-size Chevy vans were still in style, the Astro modeled the looks of its bigger brothers. It also shared their tough body-on-frame construction and rear-wheel-drive layout. Compared to front-wheel-drive, car-based minivans, the Chevy Astro was a true workhorse with considerable towing and hauling capabilities.
However, it was nowhere close to more modern minivans when it came to day-to-day convenience and driving ease. Its old-school, box-on-wheels design located the engine within close proximity of the passenger compartment, resulting in cramped quarters for the driver and front passenger, and high cabin noise levels. Getting kids in and out wasn't easy either, thanks to the van's high step-in height and single sliding rear door.
Ride and handling characteristics weren't bad considering the Astro's rudimentary suspension components, though driving it was certainly more akin to a truck than a car. Fuel economy was similarly trucklike, given the engine's origins in GM's light truck line and the Astro's hefty curb weight. Chevrolet did offer the Astro van with an all-wheel-drive system, which made it one of the handful of vans, mini or otherwise, capable of tracking confidently through snow and ice.
To be sure, the Chevrolet Astro fulfilled the basic requirements for a minivan, given its accommodations for up to eight passengers, removable rear seats and considerable 170 cubic feet of cargo room. But given that car-based competitors like the Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna have long been far nicer to drive and easier to use, we don't recommend the anachronistic Astro as a used vehicle choice unless you're in need of a small tow vehicle or family/cargo hauler at a rock-bottom price.
Most Recent Chevrolet Astro Introduced for 1985, the Chevrolet Astro, and its twin, the GMC Safari, lived on through the 2005 model year without a major redesign. Along with Ford's Aerostar (which debuted the following year), the Astro was a stopgap response to the wildly popular Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager twins. Truck-based underpinnings put these late entries at a significant disadvantage alongside the front-drive Chrysler minis, and both GM and Ford eventually undertook clean-sheet minivan designs. However, a niche market emerged for the Astro, and Chevrolet sold it profitably to ordinary consumers and fleet customers alike for the next two decades. A 4.3-liter V6 was standard on all Chevrolet Astro passenger vans. (Early cargo versions came with a four-cylinder engine.) This engine went through several iterations, producing anywhere from 150 to 200 horsepower, depending on the year and model. It held steady at 190 hp and 250 pound-feet of torque from 1997-2005. Initially, GM offered a standard five-speed manual transmission, but almost all Astros were sold with a four-speed automatic that soon became the sole transmission offering. Early vans were exclusively rear-wheel drive; Chevrolet added the option of all-wheel drive in 1990. Towing capacity was right around 6,000 pounds with either drivetrain. Chevy Astros of the 1980s seated only five passengers in two rows. In 1990, Chevrolet created an Extended version that was 10 inches longer (190 inches overall) and could be equipped with a third-row bench, increasing capacity to eight. Notably, it rode atop the same 111-inch wheelbase as the standard van. From 1995 onward, Chevrolet sold only the extended-length Astro. Standard equipment varied over the years, but most Astros you encounter on the used market will have 15-inch wheels (16s starting in 2003), power steering, air-conditioning, cloth seating, an AM/FM stereo, power accessories and cruise control. Options included rear air-conditioning, leather upholstery, second-row bucket seats (reducing seating capacity to seven), upgraded stereos, towing preparation and a locking rear differential. The Chevrolet Astro changed remarkably little over the years, though there were some noteworthy developments. Four-wheel antilock brakes were made standard on Astro passenger vans in 1990. The brake system was upgraded again in 2003, when the van's rear drum brakes were swapped out for discs. A driver-side front airbag first became available in 1993, and Chevy made it standard the next year. Dual front airbags were fitted to all vans starting in '96. The addition of airbags improved the Astro's crashworthiness in government frontal-impact tests, but prospective buyers should note that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the van "Poor" (the lowest possible score) in its higher-speed, frontal-offset crash test -- hardly a surprise given the vehicle's aged structural design. A 1995 face-lift gave the Astro a fresher exterior look. The face-lift spread to the interior in 1996, bringing an all-new dashboard with easy-to-use controls. Speed-sensitive power steering was added to ease parking in 1997, and in 1999, Chevrolet adopted a new all-wheel-drive system that sent power to the front wheels only when the rear wheels began to slip -- thus improving fuel economy.
This is the second Astro I have owned,
the other being a 1995 AWD that was a
maintenance nightmare. But the Astro is
so ideal for my needs that I traded for
the 2001 AWD. What a difference! So
much more thoughfully laid out, seats
are MUCH lighter (still no picnic) to
remove. The driver controls are
thoughfully laid out easy to reach and
control. The response to driver imput
is much improved and better power when
its needed.
The rocker arm mouldings are a nice
addition and make the van more
attractive than the 1995.
I am very happy with my purchase and
expect to continue with the
Astro/Safari for yet another one.
I just bought my 4th Astro van,
starting back in 1986.They are super
reliable and just the right size for
both doing an antique buss. or family
use. A very rugged vehicle with good
towing cap. All have had over 200k mi.
on them. My 96 has 260k on it and still
going strong.
If your looking for a SUV, truck or
mini-van this is it except better.
Its all of the above. Plenty of room
for cargo and people. It tows up to
5000 lbs(AWD version)and seats 6
people without feeling cramped, 8 for
those short trips. The LT version
provides a luxury feel to this "mid
size Van". I never driven a more
stable vehicle on snow,water and ice
(again AWD). Our initial intention
was to buy a larger SUV (smaller SUVs
are no comparison) and when we looked
at overall interior space, power and
fuel economy we became ASTRO owners
and yet saved about 10,000 dollars.
Although we had read pretty bad reviews
about the Astro in Consumer Reports, we
have had great luck with ours. We
didnt have many options in choosing a
minivan since we needed something that
could tow our boat, and the Astro is
the only one other than GMC Safari that
can handle it. We have a number of
repairs, two of them pricey, but the
extended warranty we bought at Carmax
covered everything. Overall, this has
been a great van for our family of 4
kids with room to spare for friends to
come along. We found ours to be worth
the price. If anything, the low CR
rating makes a used Astro very
affordable.
Love the AWD.Prefer over 4WD.Its the
only minivan that my labrador fits in.
Would like more leg room up front,
available DVD roof mount and moonroof
would be nice. Back seat a monster to
remove. Need to modify power window
switches. My cat closed the window on
my neighbors hand!
i have had a few problems but i like
the truck . and it does a good job
moving my gear. i play music for a
living. the van works well for me. i
can move people or gear to a job.
Lacks cramped room of the smaller vans
(ventures, caravans, aerostars, etc.).
More room, more power.
NOT A GOOD VEHICLE TO OWN. TRANSMISSION
WE OUT WITH IN 2 WEEKS. DOORS DO NOT
STAY ALIGNED. OVERHEATING PROBLEMS. WAS
IN THE SHOP 10 TIMES FOR ALARM SYSTEM.
LOST THE ALTERNATOR WITHIN 2 MONTHS.
NOT BUILT LIKE A ROCK. WOULD NEVER BUY
ANOTHER ASTRO VAN.
Great vehicle with great towing
capacity for its class.
We purchased a used 1991 Astro in 1993
and have put 160,000 trouble free miles
on it.We pulled a travel trailer with
it,including many trips to Florida,and
Kentucky.I have done all general
maintenance work on it,and never have
had to have it in a shop for repair.In
December 2003 we bought a 2001 AWD
Astro that we really find very useful
with having five children.And we still
have that 1991! User Reviews:
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