Chevrolet Astro Overview

At first glance, the 1994 Chevy Astro van looks a bit like a delivery vehicle with its squarish profile, short hood and old-fashioned rear double doors.

It's a traditional design that may not compare favorably with some of the slinky, aerodynamic minivans from Chrysler and Ford, but the '94 Extended-Body Astro CS we tested had its strong points. Bonus passenger and cargo space, heavy towing capabilities and surprisingly easy handling were a few pluses that helped us overlook the Astro's less-than-breathtaking styling.

Understand that the Astro CS, particularly the extended version we tested, falls somewhere between a minivan and a full-size passenger van. Our test vehicle stickered out at $19,593 and gave us options such as eight-passenger seating with reclining front buckets, an AM/FM stereo with a cassette player, air conditioning, locking differential rear axle, power locks and a tilt steering wheel. Standard equipment included a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, a 4.3-liter, 165-hp V6 and a driver-side air bag. It was well-equipped for a family van, but boaters and campers might choose the optional 200-hp V6 engine for more towing power.