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.
vehicle is sound and towing capabilty a big plus. i would recommend this van
, and would purchase the same again
I love the van. it has been reliable
we have driven across the country from
NY to New Orleans to las vegas. No
problems
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS,MEVERY YEAR, THE
ELECTRICAL, GAS PEDAL STICKS, THE TIRES
ARE FACTORY ONLY.
I bought this van because of its size.
This van has had many problems. Window
switches replaced, door locks replaced,
door opener replaced, calipers
replaced, all these problems under
36,000 miles. Latest problem the
differential had to be replaced at
38,000. Unheard of by many mechanics.
GM would not pick up total cost to
replace it. Only half. The executive
office said since I didnt use the
dealer to service it all the time, they
would not help me. Why should I pay
the deal 2 times the amount for a
simple oil change.
Ive had my van for 4 years and it was purchased with 52,000 miles. My Astro is a very dependable. In the 4 years I have had $150.00 in repairs and the engine has only dropped 1% in compression power from the original power. I have 103,034 miles and I look forward to another 103,000 miles
This Van has never left me stranded. I
played in a band and used this vehicle
to tow 4000lbs of equipment for 40,000
miles.
Ive had to replace the AC compressor
because of GMs poor quality. The
electrical system is now going a little
haywire and the plastic AC vents break
easy. The rearview mirror falls off
every winter. Some of the power locks
will not lock.
excellent
I would not recomend this van to
anyone. We have 60,000 miles as of
3/02. So far the air went out twice,
the motor was replaced 6 months
after purchase, the front tierods and
bushings need to be replaced the
gas guage does not work the brakes
were replaced last year. The
serpentine belt has been replaced a
year ago and it still makes a loud
noise. They say we need another
new one. This van has been garaged
since we bought it. My wife drives it
40 miles a day to the train station, so
most of othe miles are highway. I
purchased it new in 1997 for $28,900
It was the top of the line TV VCR ect.
If you are looking to purchase an
Astro I would say Dont!!!.
Bough new 2 years ago. It was in the
shop every 2500 miles. Dealer
consistantly claimed "We cant pull
diagnostics on it." Broke down 1st
time close to home (alternator @ 12000
mi). 2nd time on the way to Santa
Barbara, the same day it left the
dealership shop. The 3rd and final
time I refused to drive it until dealer
experienced loss of power. I kept
telling them it was transmission, 1 wk
later they still claimed it drove
perfect for them and that same day the
transmission blew on the freeway
(30,000 mi). I was 8 mo pregnant with
2 kids in my car. Chevys 1-800 cust.
service did nothing about all the
problems so I traded it for a Nissan.
Chevy should go out of business!!!
Bought used from Dealer and have never
regretted it. The 93s rattle here and
there and have a stiff truck like ride,
but we wanted and got a solid Chevy
truck, not a wimpy half breed Car-a-
van. When you need the power with the
4.3 it will put you back against the
seat. Great for towing a boat and
utility trailer. This year we changed
the original fuel filter and battery.
Replaced exhaust once and had new
brakes and shocks 2 years ago. Thats
it. Still gets close to 25 mpg on
freeway @ 60 and on cruise. 147,000
miles and going strong. Wouldnt be
surprised to see her top 250 before
its ready to scrap heap. We love our
Astro! User Reviews:
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