Spanning 20 years and two generations, Chevy’s Astro was a tough competitor in the minivan market. And, barring its bad crash test ratings, it was a reliable and spacious vehicle.
With the declining station wagon market in the late 1970s, auto manufacturers looked for more fuel-efficient ways to make family haulers. As a result, 1984 saw the introduction of the first “mini-van” with the Plymouth Voyager.
Then, in 1985, Chevrolet released their own minivan, the Chevrolet Astro (also known as the GMC Safari). Over 20 years of production, the Chevrolet Astro was split between two generations–however, there weren’t many drastic changes.
In this article, we deep dive into the differences over the years of the Chevrolet Astro van and choose the best. As long as you can look past the concerning crash test ratings, the Astro provides phenomenal room for a “mini” van along with an excellent tow rating.
The Astro offers a little something for everyone, whether you want a 1990 manual four-cylinder or a 2004 V6 powered camper conversion. With minor changes between either generation, this means there are many examples to choose from.
Chevrolet Astro 1st Gen. (1985-1994)
Regarded by some as the best, while others see it as the worst, the first-generation Chevrolet Astro van broke into the rising minivan market in 1985. Originally marketed as a “middle van” to be placed between the mini and full-size van categories. The Astro’s size allowed up to eight passengers depending on seating configuration. In addition, pulling out all of the seats behind the front row allowed for use as a cargo van. This fact gave consumers a dual-purpose vehicle.
Unlike the Plymouth Voyager and other minivans, the Chevrolet Astro was built upon a truck chassis. Utilizing a bolt-on front subframe, the Astro shared many suspension components with the GM B-Body station wagons along with rear leaf springs from the Chevrolet S-10 trucks. These shared parts mean an abundance of maintenance pieces are available even though the van is well over 20 years old.
Continuing to pull from the parts bin, GM equipped the Chevrolet Astro with two engine options. Base models received a 98 horsepower 2.5L four-cylinder famously known as the “Tech IV.” The “Tech IV” is an iteration of the “Iron Duke,” which GM developed as a fuel-saving four-cylinder after the 1970s gas crisis. While the four-cylinder was famous for its fuel mileage, many opted for the more powerful V6 engine.
A 4.3L V6 equipped Chevrolet Astro produced 165 horsepower and allowed users to tow up to 5,000 pounds. Tow ratings alone set the Astro apart as most minivans in its class could only tow up to 3,500 pounds. Up until 1989, the Chevrolet Astro came standard with a manual transmission.
Beginning in 1990, GM decided to ax the manual transmission and only offered the four-speed automatic that continued until the end of the Astro/Safari line. The satisfaction of rowing gears in a minivan is sought after by enthusiasts making the once “cheaply optioned” manuals more expensive today.
Updates & Mid-model Refresh Introduce AWD & ABS
A pivotal year for the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari, 1990 models were now offered with an optional All-Wheel-Drive system. It was the first U.S.-built minivan to do so. It also featured four-wheel anti-lock brakes. By the end of the first generation in 1994, the Chevrolet Astro was given optional Dutch-style rear doors. GM also went on to utilize a new R134A refrigerant for the air conditioning system.
The most significant downsides of the Chevrolet Astro are its one-star crash test rating by the NHTSA and a concerning fuel filter recall. Plus, we rarely have seen this pop up on a NHTSA page: “There is a safety concern present for this vehicle.”
While it may not be rated the safest vehicle, it is reportedly very reliable and durable enough for big families. As is tradition, the last iteration of a vehicle is usually the best version. For first-generation Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari, it is best to look for a 1994 model as it will have the most options available and likely fewer miles.
Chevrolet Astro 2nd Gen. (1995-2005)
After nearly 10 years of production, GM decided to facelift the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari. While base model vans still housed the square sealed beam headlights, better-optioned models were given the horizontal headlights seen on Chevrolet Silverados of the same generation.
In addition, combining the new headlights with a slightly longer nose gave the Astro and Safari a more aerodynamic shape. The other major design takeaway was that GM dropped the short wheelbase version of the vans.
Moving to the interior, 1996 models received a passenger-side airbag as standard. Adding an airbag and some more safety improvements gave the Chevrolet Astro a massive improvement in crash test ratings. Now you could feel comfortable with an NHTSA three-star driver rating and four-star passenger rating. As for side-impact, the Astro and Safari were granted five-star ratings every year the test was administered.
Updates & Mid-model Refresh Bring Better Suspension
Aside from minor interior improvements like optional leather dual captains chairs and better audio systems, the vans essentially remained unchanged for the rest of their production.
However, much to consumers’ liking, the 2003 model years saw slight chassis improvements with better suspension, larger brakes, and six-lug 16-inch wheels from the Chevrolet trucks.
Chevrolet Astro Camper Conversions
We can’t talk about the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari without mentioning the incredible camper conversions. So, many companies worked with GM dealerships throughout the years to option and spec out camper conversions for your new van. Through the likes of Glaval, Mark III, and Starcraft, you were able to get things like a TV, VHS, surround sound, electronic reclining rear seats that fold into a bed, and more storage than you know what to do with.
While many of these conversions are beat and tattered from miles upon miles of road trips, you can come across pristine examples in the used market. There were nearly 200,000 conversions made by the companies mentioned above. These conversion vans aren’t necessarily cheap, but they are still less than a DIY bus conversion.
What Year Chevrolet Astro is the Best?
As we have mentioned in the article, there are a few stand-out years for the Chevrolet Astro and GMC Safari. If you are a die-hard manual transmission owner, options are limited to the first few years of the van. However, if you are after the best version possible without tipping into the conversion vans, it is best to look for a 2003 to 2005 Chevrolet Astro. These specific years of Astro vans will give you the best chassis, safety, and interior upgrades possible.
Although not much changed with the second generation vans, finding the later year models for the safety upgrades alone is worth the effort. As for the conversion van enthusiasts, you have the whole range of second-generation vans to look for as the conversion specifics vary per individual van.
Photos: Chevrolet; Evox Images
