Posts tagged van

Overall, the full-size van has not benefitted much from the popularity of minivans.  Families that would have once bought big vans are flocking to minivans and SUVs, leaving the big rear-drive boxes on wheels high and dry. It’s no surprise, either.  For the most part, big vans aren’t fun to drive and get dismal fuel economy.  While Dodge’s approach to this problem has been to drop full-sized vans entirely (Dodge’s Ram van goes away shortly), and Ford’s has been to more or less ignore it (Ford’s E-Series vans have been largely unchanged for a decade), General Motors has chosen to improve the breed instead.  The all-new 2003 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana are heading back to their work-vehicle roots, with new features that make them as tough as the pickups they share showroom floor space with.

There are two pieces of big news for full-size van customers.  The new big boxes from General Motors offer left-hand doors and four-wheel drive, two segment firsts.

The redesign is subtle, but significant.  The new vans are longer and wider. Both Chevy and GMC vans gain a closer resemblance to the pickups. Chevrolet’s distinctive chrome crossbar bisects the grille of the Express, and the hood gets some Avalanche-like angular sculpting.  On the GMC side, the Savana has the familiar horizontal-bar chrome grille, softer lines, and a big red “GMC” logo out front.  The noses are longer as well, for easier engine access and crash protection.  Out back, both vans feature high-mounted taillights and full-width doors that open to 165 degrees for easy loading.  Work vans also have a black plastic “halo” around the rear doors to reduce the chance of damage when loading objects onto the roof.  An industry first is a left-side passenger door.  They’ve been commonplace on minivans for several years, but General Motors is the first to offer doors on both sides of its full-size vans.  The 60/40 split side doors on both sides are a bonus for work vans and passenger vans alike.

Underneath the skin, GM has beefed up its vans to make them as tough as the pickup trucks.   In fact, parts such as fully boxed frames and independent short/long arm front suspension are basically the same.  A solid rear axle uses leaf springs and gas shocks for a high payload, whether it’s cargo or the heavy equipment that goes with conversion vans.  Four-wheel disc brakes are borrowed from the pickups and four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard. Additionally, all vans feature GM’s Dynamic Rear Proportioning (DRP) system which modulates rear brake pressure depending on wheel speed and load.  This system lessens the tail-wagging tendency that many full-size vans show when braking hard, and keeps the vehicle pointed straight.

Thanks to V8 engines borrowed from the pickup trucks, the Express and Savana offer best-in-class power and acceleration.  A 200-horsepower 4.3 liter V6 is standard; 4.8, 5.3 and 6.0 liter V8s round out the engine selections.  GM says a Duramax diesel will be available in the future.  Power ratings on the V8 engines range from 270 to over 300 horsepower.  We drove 4.8 liter and 5.3 liter vans, and both were just as quiet and powerful as GM’s great pickup trucks.  Four-speed automatic transmissions are standard across the board.  A “Tow/Haul” mode which adjust the shift points to compensate for a load is standard on GM’s truck transmissions.  The Savana and Express have a base payload of 2430 pounds (1500 in V6 models) and can tow up to 10,000 pounds.

The four-wheel drive options enables vans to be as flexible as pickup trucks when it comes to work.  The Savana and Express use a full-time four-wheel drive system which engages more power to the front wheels when traction is required.  It’s just as handy on snow and ice as it is on muddy job sites.

>From the driver’s seat, the Savana and Express are surprisingly friendly on the road.  The cargo-van versions we drove were also surprisingly quiet, despite having industrial, carpet-less interiors.  Like many other aspects, the dash is similar to that found in GM’s pickup trucks, with large, easy-to-use controls and full instrumentation.  This is good news for RV customers as well, because they’ll have to live with Express and Savana cutaway models that are used as the basis for some campers.  Large families who choose a Savana or Express over a minivan will find that these vans are large and comfortable on the freeway.  Two different wheelbase choices are available, providing seating (and appropriate cupholders) for eight, twelve, or fifteen passengers.  GM’s OnStar system is available for passenger and conversion vans (commercial and cargo vans are wired for OnStar as well). For contractors, the Chevy Express Access and GMC Savana Pro offer electrically opening side panels that allow access to cargo without climbing inside the van.  And for convenience sake, a sophisticated electronic engine monitoring system keeps an eye on oil life, battery power, and other vital functions.

Will GM’s new full-size vans bring back the heyday of the cruisin’ van? Well, probably not.  But for contractors looking for an alternative to a pickup truck or Suburban, and for families who’ve outgrown their minivans, the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana offer a strong and convenient alternative to the featureless Giant Boxes of the past.  The new vans go on sale this fall.

Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, which we
tested.
Length:     224.1 in.
Width:        79.4 in.
Height:        81.6 in.
Wheelbase:    135.0 in.
Curb weight:    5100 lb. (est.)
Payload:    2430 lb.
Towing capacity:    4000-10,000 lb.
Engine:     4.3 liter V6 or 4.8, 5.3, 6.0 liter V8
Drivetrain:     four-speed automatic, rear- or four-wheel drive
Horsepower:     200-300
Torque:     250-360
Fuel capacity:    31 gal.