4WD Vans: Chevy Astro/GMC Safari

One of the most legendary 4WD Vans ever produced in North America, the Chevy Astro / GMC Safari, is largely unknown outside of this continent.

That is, unless you go to Japan where the Astro enjoys a following nothing short of cult-ish. I've even seen Astro vans sitting in used car lots in Japan selling for more than a Landrover Discovery of the same vintage and condition.

That may seem unbelievable, but the 4WD Astro / Safari is pretty darn unique for what it is. And what is it, exactly? Well, it's many things: a medium-mini mini-van that's smaller than a full size but larger than a mini-van. It's a camper. A commercial hauler. A family traveler. A truck-like van, a car-like van, an under-appreciated workhorse, and more.

In 4WD form, the Astro came surprisingly well equipped: leaf springs out back, throaty V6 engines producing up to 200hp, easily lifted suspension, a 5000lbs+ towing capacity, and even an optional limited slip rear differential. This dog hunts, as they say down south.

But being a GM product, when failures occur they can be pretty monumental. And the 4WD Chevy Astro / GMC Safari van was no exception. Hundreds of torsion bar failures caused the front suspension to collapse requiring costly repairs, and premature front suspension idle arm repair was all too common. In additional to a plethora of smaller build quality issues, this made the 4WD Chevy Astro / GMC Safari something of a hobbyist's 4WD van.

Despite its shortcomings, the 4WD Chevy Astro / GMC Safari van is still a popular choice for those looking for an inexpensive camping, travel, and daily hauling rig--in North America, at least. In Japan, they can be as expensive as a Landrover Discovery. Who knew.

If you're planning a drive across continent or way down "the Mexico way", this could be the 4WD Van you need. Reliable enough, simple and easy to repair, well equipped and capable, relatively inexpensive, and available in plenty of different configurations, 4WD vans don't get much better. Unless of course you want a diesel, but that's another post.