But for everyday driving, most people would be more at ease in a conventional minivan.The WeatherTech All-Weather Floor Mats have deeply sculpted channels designed to trap water, road salt, mud and sand. Despite refinements and a healthy helping of comfort and convenience features, their rear-wheel- or all-wheel-drive layout inevitably produces more of a trucklike sensation than youd experience in a front-drive minivan.įor burly hauling capacity and a spacious cargo hold, the Safari serves as a useful compromise. Evaluated by size and the overall driving feel, the Safari and Astro seem closer to being scaled-down Savana or Express vans than to front-drive minivans. GMs Astro/Safari duo occupies a distinctive niche in the minivan market. In case of wheel slippage, the system automatically begins to deliver power to the front wheels until the Safari is able to regain traction.Īntilock brakes and daytime running lights are standard. Optional all-wheel drive ordinarily sends full engine power to the back wheels. Safaris have a payload rating between 1,507 and 1,685 pounds, depending on the model. A Tow/Haul mode in the transmission promises the best shift points when hauling heavy goods or towing a trailer or boat. SLT Safaris add aluminum wheels, as well as such convenience features as rear air conditioning and a six-way power drivers seat.Īll Safaris use the same 190-horsepower, 4.3-liter Vortec V-6 engine with a four-speed-automatic transmission. Remote keyless entry is a new addition on all 2001 models that come with automatic power door locks. Standard equipment includes a tilt steering wheel and cruise control, along with power windows, door locks and mirrors. With second- and third-row seats removed, the Safari offers 170 cubic feet of cargo space. An optional seven-passenger configuration for the SLT puts two second-row buckets in place of the bench seat, with a bench at the rear. In the step-up SLT, rear passengers have split-back bench seats with folding armrests and a center console. The SLE has a pair of three-passenger benches for rear occupants. A rear defogger is included only with the Dutch setup.Įight-passenger seating is standard in both models. ∽utch rear doors, which are standard on the passenger-carrying SLT and optional on the SLE, consist of a swing-up rear window on top and twin swing-out half-height doors below. But at just under 75 inches high, the Safari is 6 inches taller than the Caravan.Ī sliding door is installed only on the passenger side, with standard side-hinged, swing-open cargo doors at the rear. Todays regular-length Caravan is nearly as long as the Safari, while the Grand Caravan measures 11 inches longer. The Safari and Astro used to fit between the top-selling Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan in size, but things have changed since the 2001 redesigns from Dodge were made. Marketed in a single size, the Safari rides a 111.2-inch wheelbase and measures 189.8 inches long overall. Cargo vans also are available for commercial use. GMC dropped its base-model passenger van this year, leaving the SLE and upscale SLT editions. A new powertrain control module and detonation sensor are supposed to boost engine efficiency. Chevrolet also offers the front-drive Venture minivan, but GMC has nothing smaller than the Safari, which comes with rear-drive or all-wheel drive.Ĭhanges are few for 2001, as they have been in most years, except for a new high-output, 105-amp alternator that can handle laptop computers, cell phones and even a TV at the cargo area for tailgate parties. Both vans arrived on the scene way back in 1985 as GMs response to the debut of Chryslers front-drive minivans a year earlier. GMC sells only about one-third as many Safaris as Chevrolet does with its Astro, but GMC fans tend to be loyal to the brand. Like many General Motors products, the midsize, truck-based GMC Safari is a near-twin to the Chevrolet Astro.
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