Chevrolet continues to bet on its heavy-duty Express line of commercial vehicles for 2017. The General favours the continued evolution of this tried and true vehicle over a complete ground-up overhaul; nonetheless, GM still finds many takers for the Express which offers low operating costs and a sense of familiarity for purchasers.
The Express is offered in three configurations: passenger van, cargo van, and cutaway. The last configuration has exposed frame rails that can be upfitted with school bus, paratransit, ambulance, and cube van bodies. Passenger vans come in 2500 and 3500 forms; 2500 is available exclusively in regular wheelbase, while the 3500 can be had in standard and extended wheelbase. The cargo van can be had in 2500 and 3500 form, with both offered in regular and extended wheelbase. Cutaway models can be had in 139-inch, 159-inch, and 177-inch wheelbase forms, with a heavy-duty 4500 series configuration offered with 159-inch or 177-inch wheelbases. All cargo vans and passenger vans have a single rear wheel design and a single roof height.
What's new for the Express lies under the hood. First and foremost, the engine lineup has shrunk dramatically. The 6.6-litre Duramax diesel - the largest and most powerful engine in the segment - is no longer being offered. Likewise, the CNG option has been discontinued. That leaves the Express available with either a 4.8-litre Vortec V8, which develops 285 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, or a 6.0-litre Vortec V8 that produces 342 hp and 373 lb-ft of torque. Both use a six-speed automatic.
Diesel buyers fret not, a replacement is in store. Although production will not begin until the first quarter of 2017, the 2.8-litre Duramax four-cylinder from the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon will be offered on the Express. The smaller engine is less than half the size of the outgoing model and produces 181 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. That's down from the 260 hp and 525 lb-ft of last year’s diesel V8 option. However, the smaller, lighter engine also gets an eight-speed automatic, which should help compensate and deliver vastly improved fuel economy. Towing, payload, and mileage figures have yet to be announced.
Other 2017 changes include the availability of a new Graphite Metallic paint (grey) colour, plus an enhanced trailer wiring harness that offers a dual 4-pin/7-pin sealed connector. A beefier 150-amp alternator (up from 145 amps) is also included. A routing grommet allows wires to be passed through the dash with greater ease, plus a new power steering reservoir for checking fluid levels.
The cargo van adds the above features plus an available spray-in floor, and a new interior door panel package with upgraded trim.
Popular with hotel and airport shuttles, education boards, and sports teams, the Express passenger offers standard seating for 12 with an option to add an additional rear bench to seat 15. Trims include LS and LT; the 2LS and 2LT trims have been discontinued. The cargo van is available exclusively in 1WT trim.
Another area in which the Express leads the way is in vehicle connectivity. OnStar and 4G-LTE wi-fi are available and are segment exclusives.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
