Base price: Astro, $21,925–$25,816/Safari, $21,925– $25,816
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear- or 4-wheel-drive; 4-door 2–8-passenger van
Interior volume, F/M/R (cu ft) 60/49/56
Cargo volume, seats up/maximum (cu ft) 41/170
Wheelbase 111.2 in
Length/width/height 189.8/77.5/74.9 in
Turning circle 40.5–43.8 ft
Curb weight 3900–4600 lb
EPA city/hwy mpg 15–17/18–22
Fuel-tank capacity/range 27.0 gal/405–4459 mi
Passive restraints driver and passenger airbags
POWERTRAIN
4.3-liter pushrod 12-valve V-6, 190 hp; 4-sp auto
SUSPENSION
F ind, unequal-length control arms; rwd: coil springs, 4wd: torsion bars; anti-roll bar
R rigid axle, leaf springs
BRAKES
F/R vented disc/drum
ABS standard
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CHEVROLET ASTRO/GMC SAFARI
We were certain these two old-timers wouldn’t see 2003, but here they are, with lower base prices plus some updates: improved interior head protection, upgraded braking, and 16-inch wheels. GM’s Astro/Safari “midivans” persist because there’s nothing quite like them. Introduced in 1985, they’ve changed little since. Still, these truck-based rear-drive twins continue to be solid workhorses with an appetite for towing (5800 pounds max) front-drive minivans can’t match. Power (190 hp, 250 lb-ft of torque) continues to come from GM’s venerable 4.3-liter Vortec V-6 mated to a four-speed automatic. Optional all-wheel drive lends all-weather capability. Available in LS, LT, and stripped cargo editions, they offer optional three-part rear doors—an upper hatch and two side-hinged half-doors below—improving both access and rearward vision for the driver.
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