Chevrolet Express

For more than 25 years, the Chevrolet Express has maintained the same basic design, providing lots of seating and impressive towing capability. Unfortunately, when you compare it to passenger van rivals, it's clear that the Express has fallen desperately behind the times. The Express (also known as the Express Passenger) uses body-on-frame construction, much like a modern pickup truck, which helps it provide tow ratings as high as 9,600 pounds. Unfortunately, this body-on-frame design also means that the Express has an uncomfortable ride, both on the highway and in the city.

Rivals such as the Ford Transit are much more likable and much more comfortable. The Transit, along with vans including the Nissan NV and the Ram ProMaster, are considerably more modern than the Express. They offer updated interiors, a wider variety of configurations, and high-roof options that will give your passengers the room to walk around between the seats without having to crouch. With the Express, there's no medium or high roof to speak of. An Express might be appealing if you want a highly utilitarian vehicle with room for up to 15 passengers, but we recommend looking at some of the competition first.

Which Express does MatoCar recommend?

If you go with the Chevy Express, go with the top trim level: the LT. The LT comes with a number of driver aids such as forward collision alert and lane departure warning, as well as some convenience features including keyless entry and interior carpeting. And if you're looking for maximum towing capability or gross vehicle weight rating, go with the 3500.

The 2021 Chevrolet Express comes in both the standard cargo van and the Express Passenger. This review covers the passenger van. In terms of capability, there's the standard 2500 and the heavy-duty 3500, which offers a higher GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating, or the weight of your vehicle plus any passengers and cargo). A longer 3500 extended-wheelbase version offers more space for seats or cargo. The longer wheelbase also means that the 3500 increases seating capacity from 12 to 15 passengers.

The Express' engine lineup includes three offerings:

A standard 4.3-liter V6 (276 hp, 298 lb-ft) paired to an eight-speed automatic
An available 6.6-liter V8 (401 hp, 464 lb-ft) matched to a six-speed automatic
An available turbocharged 2.8-liter diesel four-cylinder engine (181 hp, 369 lb-ft) with an eight-speed automatic

Chevy offers the Express in two trim levels. Standard feature highlights include:

16-inch steel wheels
Front and rear air conditioning
Power windows and locks
Vinyl upholstery
Swing-out door with a 60/40 split on the passenger side
Technology such as a rearview camera and GM's OnStar communications
Two-speaker audio system with an auxiliary jack

Optional features for the LS include:

Choosing the 3500 or 3500 Extended adds a tilting steering wheel and cruise control

LT This trim adds:

Front and rear chrome bumpers
Remote door locks
Full-floor carpeting
Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
Forward collision warning (alerts you of a possible collision with the car in front)
Tilting steering wheel

Notable optional features include:

Heavy-duty trailering package
Upgraded audio system
Blind-spot monitoring (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)
Heavy-duty locking rear differential (can enhance traction in slippery conditions)
Sliding passenger-side rear door (instead of swing-out)
Power-adjustable front seats and power-adjustable mirrors