1990 Chevrolet Astro AWD | Retro Review 

I have to confess that I have always had an "It's Complicated" relationship with the Astro/Safari. I LOVED how roomy & comfortable they were, how smoothly they rode, & how quiet they were.........& that 4.3-liter V6 is a TORQUE MONSTER, but fit & finish left A LOT to be desired. I will NEVER forget that it was an Astro which brought me to see Home Alone for the first time, however. I will NEVER forget cruising to Showcase Cinema in Woburn, MA in a blue 1986 Chevy Astro full of kids, BLASTING C&C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)".........ON THE CASSETTE PLAYER (Man, I'm old!!!!!)!!!!!!!

This was the best van I ever owned. It simply would not die!

"Whats the sexiest car on the road today? To you?"- "One of those Astro vans, powder blue...". - beck 1995

In 1992 we've had an Astro as a rental for our three week trip through the American West! We've loved it - unbelievably roominess and smoothness compared to our European family haulers!

1990: "Winning in the marketplace often means providing choices!" 2024: "You're SOL unless you want an SUV or pickup"

chevy astro was actually one of the few american cars that sold well in japan, it was fairly small, practical and looked "american" enough for most people who wanted an american cars but worried about getting around the tight japanese roads.

I used to be a chevrolet sales manager at Merrick chevrolet in Berea ohio. That was a good seller miss those days

In 1998 I sold my 1979 Firebird Formula and 1989 Jeep Wrangler Laredo for a 1994 Astro Conversion van in the same color. $8,500 for a 4 year old van. The values of the vehicles I sold are ironically Astronomical.

One of the coolest looking vehicles of all time. We need something like this now. Simple, clean lines…love it.

I’ll be 30 this year, and I remember in the late 90’s both my grandparents on my mom side and dad side having blue Astro Vans 😂😂😂😂😂.

10k towing capacity with a v6?! 😮 Did not expect that!

I've always liked how these look. Great styling!👍

We had an Astro as a rental back in the late 90s. I liked it but my parents were afraid of it because it was rear wheel drive and a snowy Canadian winter. The late 90s versions were definitely more refined and had nicer composite headlights, but these vans lasted forever.

One of the best vehicles that GM ever made.

We all need 10 inches more Astro in our lives

3:18 John: INSTRUMENTS STILL HAVE THAT HOCKEY STICK DESIGN! LOL

It's funny how these old astro vans are still popular in Japan.

I am fairly certain the transfer case in the AWD astro used a planetary center differential and the viscous coupling to control slip. Under normal driving, the center differential is geared to provide a 35/65 front-to-rear torque split, so AWD is always engaged. This AWD system is the same one used later in the souped up super truck Cyclone and Typhoons. Very good system in my opinion.

I am from Ontario Canada there’s still lots of these still on the road. They stood to salt an winter very well

well, that 10,000 pound beast of a van was a fantastic one back in the 90s. it's a shame they don't make stuff like that no more 😢

We need vehicles like this again. Simple and durable

What an interesting option package. Power drivers seat with manual windows and door locks. Although the seats look very nice and comfortable compared to modern minivans.

I always wanted one of these going to start looking for one today

The 4.3 liter V6 was awesome. My dad had a 1987 S10 Blazer with a 2.8 liter V6. It got the job done but kind of slow. He had a 1993 S10 pickup with the 4.3 liter V6 and it sounded like a V8 and was strong.

The Astro and Safari lived to be more of a working van than a family van

I always thought those looked wayyy better than the Chrysler mini vans! My wife’s father bought one of those new back in 1990, fully loaded all wheel drive. Man! He drove that van to the ground! He was an iron worker and used it more as a workhorse than a family truckster! But it lasted him for a long time!

I've currently got a 98 awd and I love it! Had it for about 20 yrs and the damn thing is bulletproof! No problems in sand or snow either.

The famiy and i took this van through hell and back I wish thay made vans like work hourse

My parents had two Astro's, a 1994 then a 2000. Both were great & reliable & were fun to take on long road trips. I drove the 2000 after I got my drivers permit. My only flaw with it as said in this video, lack of front seat leg room especially since I'm over 6ft. It was fine for my mom though as it was mainly her car, she's 5'8".

Wear a windbreaker indoors? Why not? It's 1990!

These were great vehicles! Built at the long gone GM Baltimore Assembly plant.

$23k in 1990 and it doesn't even have power windows? Wow.

My parents had a 1994 Astro. The thing was bulletproof. They gave it to my sister, who almost immediately wrecked it.

Denim Dan basically disappeared when he sat in the blue interior at 3:28

10klbs towing… this thing was a beast!!

There is tons of em here still in my Country!

My uncle had a 94 astro EXT. That van was awesome.

My uncle used to own a 1990 Chevy Astro. They had it for 26 years and their mileage odometer relapse more than 5 times.

@4:07 “the extended version give you ten inches more Astro” (as the rear end is shown). Edgy, John! 😂

Many birthday parties were accommodated in this beauty as a kid. Usually with us loose in the back with the seats removed bouncing around on the drive

The Astro. I had two of them..... One was the original short one that was tan in color. We called it the bread box. It had the 4.3. It still exists somewhere in our family. Then I had a newer extended version. We didn't keep it long enough to verify it's long term durability. But the old short one was amazing. I cannot say it ever drove good as the engineering was old Chevy truck. But it was tough.

I tell you what the two-wheel drive version would burn the back wheel off of it, the one wheel peel-a-meal 🤣🤣🤣

My godmother had a 1992 Astro EXT in the medium quasar blue with the sport package on sporty wheels. I remember having fond memories riding in it.

Astro/Safari are the best 'mini' vans made thus far.

I remember the van craze very well. They were the vehicle to have for a while. A day two modification was rims and tires.

Thank you for another GM review. It is appreciated.

Best styled minivan ever 😊

My dad had one back in the early 90s. So many fishing and road trips.

Back in 2011 and 2012 I had one of these as a roadside assistance service van. That thing didn’t catch a break and I drove it hard everywhere I went. It finally spun and a rod bearing one night just going down the highway at 55 lol

I learned to drive on a '93 RWD short wheelbase Astro stripper, loved that thing. It was the same blue metallic color that was popular on the Camaro at the time and it would absolutely decimate a single rear tire. Good storage space, good power, very reliable. Only bad things were the driver's footwell was very cramped, not good on long trips... And it had the weird ABS on rear axle only system that GM trucks used back then. Worked well normally but was awful in the snow, back end would dance all iver the place if you weren't careful.

Loved those vans and miss them. They were quite the statement with all wheel drive and the LT package.

1:49 I always heard of people putting windshield washer fluid in their coolant reservoir and visa versa. I wondered HOW? Looking at this engine, there’s my answer.

Yeah, I have memories of the safari too, Good times. Good stuff GM.

Ah Childhood... My Dad had a 1987 GMC Safari van. I remember going on vacations to northern Michigan a few times in it. The gages were funky but I always kind of liked that, not the smoothest riding vehicle, along with a good share of squeaks & rattles but reliable as hell. Good memories.

Now that's a cool minivan! And also the first car I've ever seen with electric seats and manual windows.

Who doesn't like a two tone?

This mini van was anything but mini. My grandma drove one of these beasts throughout the 90s.

We had a few of these. I think my favorite was a dark green extended version with tinted windows. I don’t even like green but it looked cool.

I had a friend that had a Astro. The power window on drivers side shorted out and burned the whole van to a crisp. Luckily it was parked in his driveway and no one was inside it.

I had a white Safari😅

I had two of them they were the best I wish they were still around

I got so many chicks in that van. I'm now serving life without parole.

230 lb/ft is a crazy amount of torque compared to the other minivans of the day

Being a mid-size van, Chevy once proclaimed the Astro van in 1994 as “the only truck tough enough to handle childhood”. Compared to the Ford Aerostar, it still is.

I love these vans so much. Best vehicle ever❤.

Got my drivers license in the 2000 gmc safari Inherited a 1995 Astro with digital dash. Hated both but they were reliable

Hands down, an Astro AWD with studless snows kicks the crap out of pretty much everything else in winter driving. Not sure why, perhaps track, wheel base and weight distribution. The later Vortec, 4L60E and the 03-06 with upgraded brakes are all nice improvements.

This unit featured here is a bit of an oddball offering. LT package with AWD and power seat however no power windows or locks. Also no rear side glass. I know they offered the rear side glass delete and kind of a louvred piece after the middle side glass. Really liked the LT trim for the seats and wheels. Also the GMC safari touring edition

Chrysler may not have had AWD back in 90, but they did have extended length bodies since 87!

i'm looking for one of the longer ones with awd and in-tact interior in an interesting color velour to hook a car trailer up to and start bringing home projects for the car channel. the gold/mocha admittedly looks quite good on there, but i'm thinking something a bit more heartbeat of America meets neon retrofuture city.

10,000 towing capacity is impressive from a 150hp V6.

We had a Astro AWD EXT of this van in the early 90s with the triple doors. Robust and swallowed the family with ease. We ended up getting a Plymouth Voyager for whatever reason.

Coolest looking van EVER…….!!!!!

Wish i could buy one today. They were great cars//truck

My favorite manvan

"...gives you ten inches more Astro..."😄

those wheels are awesome

Oh man I miss these for work vans. The GMC Safari

Miss ya mom, sorry i dented the Astro when i was 8.

Amazing van. Probably the best ever in its class. Put the digital dash in it and you are set.

I like the windowless rear quarters.

If the van is rocking...

It's good to see it has a vague approximation of aux gauges.

The Chrysler minivans had the advantage of better MPG, a lower height and lower step in. The Astro had the advantage of being built on a frame with more towing capacity.

Power seats but no power windows is crazy

I always liked them, thought it was underrated, I personally knew someone that put a 3 inch lift and 32 inch tires.

Choices, Choices

"ten inches more Astro" 😂

This is the same AWD system that was used in the Oldsmobile Bravada and, with some more refinement, the Saturn Vue. This is what GM should’ve done instead of the crossover route: keep the Astro/Safari and S10 Blazer/Sonoma/Bravada, evolving them slowly with improved refinements, but keeping them firmly as working/family vehicles that could pull dual duty. You can’t take a crossover easily into the woods on snow and ice, hauling a ton of adults, along with a utility trailer full of chopped down trees to the lumber mill, and you certainly can’t pull a stuck family sedan out of a ditch on an icy hairpin turn. Those are the two user stories no product manager at GM has bothered to define for any of their products that weren’t trucks for decades, compared to what station wagons and mid-size A bodies from the 70s were expected to do.

Astro reminds me of my dad.

I have one in my backyard. The transmission grenaded after the cooler lines exploded.

Official van of deadly low speed accidents ☠️ My dad wanted one in the 90s but mom quickly vetoed it

Description of AWD viscous coupling function is misleading. "The wheels that have the traction get the power" suggests power is transferred intentionally to the front or rear depending on which axle has more traction and that's not true. Both axles get roughly equal power if there's no speed difference between them. When slip occurs, that slip causes the viscous coupling to spin (aka slip) internally which heats the viscous fluid and causes it to resists the speed difference. The system doesn't counter the slip. The system uses the slip to transfer power more evenly to both axles.

What's the point if having two versions with the one barely being any longer than the other?

"With a hauling capacity of up to 10,000 lbs" Does he mean Gross Combined Weight Rating or Tow rating? If he means towing, then that's seriously impressive!

I can't imagine towing 10k lbs with an Astro. They're unstable when they aren't towing anything. I guess the idea was that it didn't have enough power to get that kind of weight up to a speed that would make it dangerous.

I still drive an 04, I took it from Hollywood FL to Key West Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Arizona, and New Mexico. What a great Chevy. I'll probably take mine to the grave with me 😂

Fun Fact: A Ford EcoBoost V6 sounds just like an old Chevy Astro Van. 😂

uhhh, was john sure about that 10,000 lb towing capacity? Even the beefiest k2500 of the time maxed out at 10k. With a 454...

Their test vehicle is very strangely optioned. Power seats with CRANK windows! Any generation of Astro van is getting pretty hard to find in my neck of the woods. They've all been taken by rust and hard wear. The closest vehicle GM makes to the Astro now is the Express van, and I actually like how those vans drive, so I assume the Astro drove similar.