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.
The engine and transmission have been
great. After 100,000 miles, the engine
runs smoothly, and doesnt burn any
oil. The motors for the power windows
go out regularly, The sensors for the
ABS system are also not reliable. The
body has been solid. After 100,000
miles, still very few rattles.
to change spark plugs pull tires off
for 2 ,then two through hood, 2 through
inside engine hood. mechanics hate them
because you cant get to any thing on
the engine,150 dollars for labor to put
manifold gasket in.doesnt have half the
passing power of my 6 cylinder dodge
caravan.would never purchase another one
We bought this with 46000 miles.
Conversion by Choo Choo. Excellent
dealer. Car is smooth and quiet and
relatively dependable. Disappointed
that the trans went at 140000 as GMs
are supposed to be the best. (never had
a trans go bad until we were required
to change fluids) Great on tires and
other maintenance.
FOR THE MONEY I WOULDNT HAVE ANY OTHER
MINI VAN! I HAVE ALL THAT SPACE THAT
OTHERS DONT AND ITS NOT TO BIG OR TO
SMALL! I DRIVE MY VAN EVERYDAY TO TAKE
THE KIDS TO SCHOOL AND BALLGAMES AND
ERRANDS IT DOES FINE!!!
I have used this vehicle to pull a
horse trailer and it has been very
reliable. It now has 146000 miles and
is still going strong. I have not had
to do anything to this vehicle except
routine repairs.
My family has had this car for 9 years
and its been nothing less than great.We
have taken many long trips with it and
it has never failed even with 135,000
miles on it, its just excellent.
Very happy with vehicle performance.
Good acceleration, mileage, and sits up
as high as any passenger truck on the
road. I only wish I had ordered the
rear heating and a/c. AWD is awesome,
never go back.
Since 1996, we used van for 8 trips of
~3200 miles from Edmonton Alberta to
Las Vegas. W/ two exceptions we took
the van off the road in the U.S., using
it for normal city driving only in
Canada. Nearly 50% of the mileage comes
from eight return trips on expressways.
The vans maintenance record is
available:
Tires ~8900 miles brakes replaced ~3
years ago, air-conditioning, rear
hydraulic lift, front end alignment and
other completed 2001. The windshield
has a crack, and there are several
scratches and dimples on its "autumn
brown" rust-free exterior.
We had owned a 90 Plymouth Grand Voyager, and liked its large interior,
but didnt like its reliability. The Astro has at least as much room, but has
been perfectly reliable so far, and has a lot more power. We enjoy camping,
but never dared take our pop-up into the mountains with the Plymouth. The
Astro does a nice job of taking us and our stuff wherever we want to go. The
old van was good on snow, but the Astro is something else altogether - it is
diffucult to make it slip even when you try. Id recommend it to anyone who
has an active family.
Ive had mine for about 70,000 miles
now and only had a couple of
significant problems: idler arms, and
fuel injection needed repair. Neither
left us stranded.
Its got lots of room and from what
Ive seen, theyll run forever.
Get a tranny cooler if you tow, or live
in a hot climate.
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