GMC Savana — Specifications & VIN Lookup

About the GMC Savana

The Chevrolet Express is a series of full-size vans produced by General Motors since 1996. The successor to the Chevrolet G-series van, the Express is produced in passenger and cargo variants. Alongside the standard van body, the line is offered as a cutaway van chassis, which is a chassis cab variant developed for commercial-grade applications, including ambulances, buses, motorhomes, and small trucks.

The Chevrolet Express (also known as the GMC Savana) is a series of full-size vans produced by General Motors since 1996. The successor to the Chevrolet G-series van, the Express is produced in passenger and cargo variants. Alongside the standard van body, the line is offered as a cutaway van chassis, which is a chassis cab variant developed for commercial-grade applications, including ambulances, buses, motorhomes, and small trucks. In production for a single generation since 1996, over three million examples of the Express and the Savana have been produced. One of the longest-produced designs in American automotive history, the Express/Savana are rivaled only by the Jeep Wagoneer, Ford Econoline, and Dodge Ram Van for longevity. Since 1995, General Motors has assembled the Express and Savana at its Wentzville Assembly facility (Wentzville, Missouri). Also, since 2017, GM has sourced commercial cutaway-chassis production from Navistar through its Springfield Assembly Plant (Springfield, Ohio).

Model history

Pre-facelift (1996–2002)

For the 1996 model year, Chevrolet replaced the G-series Chevrolet Van with the Chevrolet Express (retaining Chevrolet Van for cargo vans). The first all-new design for the General Motors full-size van line since 1971, the model line was offered in passenger-van and cargo-van variants (the latter initially retained the Chevrolet Van name), with GMC replacing the Vandura/Rally with the Savana. Alongside the first substantial redesign of the model line in 25 years, GM predicted substantial growth in the full-size segment through the end of the 1990s. In a major functional change, the front axle was moved forward 10 inches, effectively moving the front wheels out of the passenger compartment; along with improving front legroom, the design allowed a reduction in step-in height (improving access). While sharing the same engine sizes as the previous model line, the size of the engine cover was reduced, further increasing front passenger space. On all vehicles below 8,500 lbs GVWR (1500 and 2500 series), the Express was introduced with standard dual airbags; for 1997, dual airbags were standardized for all versions of the model line. Cargo and base models were equipped with a single sealed beam halogen headlamp on each side. The LS trim changed this to a composite headlamp assembly. For 1999, a few minor functional changes were made to the model line. In a more noticeable update, Chevrolet retired the Chevrolet Van nameplate entirely, with the cargo van renamed the Express Cargo Van.