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.
I have owned my Astro for 12+ years and
loved every minute of it. It has taken
trips from Canada to Florida and all
points in between. I used it as a
cargo van, loading it over its maximum
capacity to mounting the seats and
carrying passengers. I have also gone
on numerous camping trips with my
Astro. This is truly the best Mini Van
every built! Thank-you General Motors
for building a Great Mini Van, I have
since purchased a 2001 GMC Safari and
now reliving my experiences with my new
found love. Keep up the good work and
Long Live the Astro / Safaris
Take this van for what it is - roomy, practical, relatively inexpensive, no-frills
transportation. Van has had its share of minor problems, most of them
related to fit and finish items, but no problems with any major component
(engine, transmission, electrical, etc.). Very good for towing light trailers
and for long-distance hauling with a full load of kids and goodies. Decent
gas mileage for its capabilities (16.0 - 21 mpg).
Well, I am on my third Astro Van. I
literally cried we I was told I had to
give the 1st one up at 100,000. Then
the second one at 107,000 miles. Today
in our throw-away world its nice to
know there are somethings still
dependable. I carry alot of children
around and the ruggedness of this
vehicle is unbelieveable. My only
suggestion would be for Chevy to ask
mothers what changes they would make.
The rear windows opening is a very good
point.Other than that I hope they keep
making this model.
Every year new irritating problems with
this vehicle. I got sick of fixing
them and now theyve really piled up.
Broken power windows, broken wiper
motor, growling transmission, broken A/C
(for three years), high speed on heater
fan, tailgate handle/latch,...it goes
on. Too bad for all of the problems
cause it has great potential. Its
bigger than the minis and smaller than
the full sized vans. can fit a full
sized piece of plywood and close all
ofthe doors. I wish it was more
reliable,....I wouldve bought
another. BUT NO!
No problems in 4 years. Towed a 19
boat 2400 miles each yr with no
problems. Only problem is the small leg
area in front seat. That is why we are
trading. It rides great. Back seat is
comfortable. Grandkids like the tv and
vcr.
The short story is We have 211,000
miles on our van. I have put in little
more than a battery,ignition module,
and front bushing. Less than $1,000.00
has been invested and she is still
strong.
I have a 1998 Astro and its in great
condition. For any car you buy you
must maintain it! Example: NEVER miss
a oil change, check tires, brakes,
fluid levels regularly, also keep it
clean. I have about 70 000km on it,
and the engine runs great..90L gas
tank...use nothing but high grade! It
is true that the air filters get dirty
fast....but i put a fine net around
the opening and it stays clean long!
The body design is great, the paint it
good quality. The seats inside could
be more comfortable but overall its
nice. The 8 speaker 500 watt stock
sound system is really nice!! If Chevy
had to do one improvement i would say
make the performance better.
I have 127,000 miles on my 1990 Astro
van and have had no major trouble with
it other than a few of the door locks
going bad. Its very reliable and its
wonderful how well it gets around in
the winter time! Im never afraid to go
out on the snowy roads here in NW Pa.
My in-laws have 300 thousand miles on
theirs and still dont hesitate to
drive it cross country!
This is the second Astro Van we have
owned one right after the other, since
1990, These vans are great in all kinds
of weather, and road conditions, the
AWD is the only way to go.........I
have had only one problem that I
consider a engineering problem and it
is that the rear air conditioning has a
line running from front to back, that
has a tendency to wear at the brackets,
costing close to 300.00 to fix! Other
then that if you take care of this
vehicle, it is extremely dependable.
Sold the 1990 to a couple, with 125,000
miles on it and it is still in near
perfect shape. Even my auto repair shop
was impressed with that van!
I guess I would say that the Astro is
fairly solid IF you get one with a
generous extended factory warranty.
Reliability "issues":
--> replaced front pads at 20K
--> had TWO experiences (one inside and
one outside of standard factory
warranty period) with "bad ignition"
wires (>$450 each)
--> transmission went to mush around
35K miles (fortunately just barely
within warranty period). User Reviews:
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