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 bought this van new in 1995 after having two Chrysler "Magic Wagons." The Astro has lots more room, more power, has been much more reliable, and uses no more fuel than my 1993 Grande Voyager did. The only downside is that it is on a truck chassis, so ride and handling is more truck-like than the Chrysler product. The Astro and Safari have taken an undeserved bad rap from some auto mags-just because of the fuel economy-but I have 276,000km on mine, many owners report in excess of 500,000km and still running strong. My two Chrysler vans were falling apart within two years. The Astro has been a much better purchase.
This is our second Astro. The first one was destroyed in a side-impact collision by a drunk driver. The impact was so hard it flipped the van over onto its roof and spun it around the intersection. No serious injuries to my wife and children, just small cuts from broken glass. Astro vans are built on a truck frame, and are durable, strong, and can almost drive like a pickup. Its been on many a campout with my sons scout troop. If youre thinking about buying a minivan, and need durability, strength, and space, get an Astrovan.
This is my fourth Chevy. I have had two major repairs on this van, both on family trips out of state. Around 20K I had the transmission rebuilt. At 56K I had the alternator replaced twice. Imagine driving across SC and GA on a 90+ degree day with a failing alternator and no a/c. I have had countless problems with cruise control, power locks, windows, mirrors etc. This is with only 62k mileage. This will be my last Chevy until their relability is improved.
We paid $10,000 for this in 2002 and it had 50,000 miles on it. For the price and mileage you would expect a decent vehicle. However this van broke down constantly. It has cost us thousands extra in repairs, including a new transmission. Broke down out of state leaving us stranded hundreds of miles from home. Twice. Dont buy this van! A bad, bad, bad vehicle. Horrible experience to own. The torsion bar broke on it, twice. Same thing happened to my friend. The torsion bar broke while I was driving on a crowded interstate at 70mph, on a bridge, with no place to pull over. All my children were in the van. We are lucky that I did not panic and that we didnt wreck. Horrible!
Just bought my van, it is a cargo van used for hauling just about anything. GM just quit making these in 2005, for another SUV-like vehicle[ like there arent enought of them]..a mistake in my view. My 1st Astro was an 86, ran forever, and I needed a van that could take more cargo capacity than a front drive mini. I plan on driving the wheels off, and it should hold up I think
I have owned this same vehicle for the past 6.5 years. I have taken it on many long distance trips and found it quite exceptional. It is very comfortable and roomy for kids moving about, and for extra storing.
This is the 2nd van I have owned - the first being an almost identical 1987 GMC Safari, which I drove for over 200,000 miles. This one has more gizmos and I bought it used in 2001 with about 30,000 m on it - and I use it HARD - it now has about 85000. My 15 yr old son and I are avid boy scout campers, home remodelers and we volunteer with Golden retreiver rescue. I have hauled scouts, dogs and equipment, pulled large trailers over rough dirt roads. We move seats all the time to haul construction material, furniture, anything. The interior has been trashed by kids & dogs with food, mud, trash and dog hair. I keep covers on seats, vaccuum and clean the carpet, and it looks great again.
My 1997 van is approaching the 200k mark and she still rides fine. Ive had problems with the following: catalytic converter(twice),fuel gauge stuck on "E" even though I just filled up, drivers window broken, air condt knob broke, rear hutch window doesnt stay up, sliding door stuck, tranny, oh yeah..the "service engine" light stays on even though Ive spent over 1k to figure out why, just to name a few. But all in all, its a pretty good van.
The size of this van cannot be beat. I LOVE my Astro Van, but I have had the van in for warranty work 9 times for what we thought was the transmission, which was replaced, the accelerator was stuck, and a variety of other engine- transmission problems. I am still in a rental and waiting for a diagnosis. I owned a 1992 Astro and had 150,000 miles on it and never had a problem. Mixed feelings if I would ever buy another.
This is my 2nd Astro both have been great! This one now has 200,000 miles and going strong. Typical minor repairs have been done over the years. Nothing out of the ordinary. Hubbys NEW car has had more repairs in 1yr than mine has had in 5! I get great mileage too on this van. about 24 on the highway 19 in town. User Reviews:
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