The Chevrolet Venture was a minivan produced by General Motors from the 1997 to 2005 model years. It replaced the Chevrolet Lumina APV. Visually identical minivans were also sold in Europe as the Opel Sintra, and in the UK, they were badged as a Vauxhall. Opel assisted in the development of the minivan as well. Up until 2005, Chevrolet Europe sold a few models, mostly United States domestic market (USDM) models modified to suit European regulations. Among them were the Chevrolet Trans Sport (which was a Chevrolet Venture with the front end of the Pontiac Trans Sport). During the 2005 model year, the Venture (along with the Astro) was replaced by the similar "new" 2005 Chevrolet Uplander. The Venture (along with other GM minivans) was built in Doraville, Georgia.

History

The Venture was introduced to the market in 1996 for the 1997 model year as a replacement for the radically styled Lumina APV. In the United States, it was also sold as the Oldsmobile Silhouette and the Pontiac Trans Sport, which was later renamed as the Pontiac Montana for 1999. The Venture and its siblings were powered by GM's 3.4 L LA1 V6, rated at 180 hp (134 kW). After 1999, the engine was slightly redesigned to produce an extra 5 hp (4 kW), for a total of 185 hp (138 kW). All Ventures used a four-speed automatic transmission. A Warner Brothers edition, introduced in 2000, included leather seats, Warner Brothers badging with Bugs Bunny leaning against the Warner Brothers logo, and a DVD entertainment system, a novelty at the time.

2001-2005 Chevrolet Venture LWB

The exterior was refreshed in 2001, and all-wheel drive was introduced in 2002. Reviews and sales were generally lukewarm, especially about the relatively narrow cabin due to being designed for European roads. The vans came in both short and long wheelbases, and all-wheel drive versions like the Chrysler minivans. The third row bench seat was designed to fold flat, but forming a higher floor unlike the Honda, Mazda and Nissan minivans that folded into a well behind the third row.

The Venture was replaced after 2005 by the Chevrolet Uplander, which was essentially a facelift with one long wheelbase configuration, and a longer nose which served chiefly to improve crush distance and styling more like an SUV. Only the long-wheelbase Venture was sold for 2005 in the US but the short-wheel base was still offered in Canada.

Safety

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 1997 Chevy Venture a rating of four stars out of five in a head-on collision. Tests on subsequent model years yielded results of four stars in most categories, and three or five stars in others. The NHTSA does not conduct offset frontal crash tests.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tested the Pontiac Trans Sport (a twin of the Venture) in 1997, and it got a "Poor" rating in the offset frontal crash test. This result affected the Venture's and Silhouette's safety reputations, and this slowed down sales. Its European twin, the Opel Sintra, did badly in the EuroNCAP's crash tests as well, with only two stars (out of five).[1]

References

  1. ^ "IIHS-HLDI: Pontiac Trans Sport/Montana". Iihs.org. 2005-09-19. http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=67. Retrieved 2009-05-07.
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Type 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
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Compact crossover HHR
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Full-size crossover Traverse
Compact SUV Tracker Tracker
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Suburban Suburban Suburban Suburban
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Coupe utility El Camino
Sports pickup SSR
Compact pickup LUV S-10 S-10
Mid-size pickup Colorado
Full-size pickup C/K C/K Silverado Silverado
Minivan Lumina APV Venture Uplander
Van Astro Astro
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Categories: All wheel drive vehicles | Chevrolet vehicles | Front wheel drive vehicles | Minivans | 1990s automobiles | 2000s automobiles | Vehicles introduced in 1997 | Goods manufactured in the United States

 

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