2018 GMC Savana 2500

GMC Savana comes with 4 configurations and 3 engine choices to suit the needs of the people. There is 2500 regular wheelbase, 2500 extended wheelbase, 3500 regular wheelbases and 3500 with an extended wheelbase. There are 3 engine options, a 4.3L V6 gasoline engine producing 276 horses and 298-pound-feet of torque, Heavy duty Vortec 6.0L gasoline V8 developing 341 horsepower and 373 pound-feet of torque and a 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel with 181 horses and 369 pound-feet of torque.

2018 GMC Cargo Van has 4 configuration style and 4 engine options. You get 2 regular wheelbases and 2 extend wheelbase configuration each in 2500 and 3500 models respectively. The 4 engine options include a 4.3L V6 gasoline engine that makes 276 horses and 298-pound-feet of torque, heavy duty Vortec 6.0L V8 gasoline engine produces 341 horses and 373-pound-feet of torque, Vortec 6.0L V8 that is capable of operating on both gasoline and CNG/LPG and a 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel engine developing 181 horses and 369-pound-feet of torque.

Trim	2500 Regular wheelbase	3500 Regular Wheelbase
MSRP	$32,490	$35,810
MSRP (Extended)	$34,350	$36,695
Key Features	16-inch steel wheels 60/40-split opening doors on the right side Rearview camera Driver information display Air conditioning Power windows and locks Vinyl upholstery and floor covering LED cargo lighting Six D-ring cargo tie-downs  4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot GM's OnStar emergency communications 120-volt outlet Two-speaker audio system with AM/FM radio and an auxiliary jack	16-inch steel wheels 60/40-split opening doors on the right side Rearview camera Driver information display Air conditioning Power windows and locks Vinyl upholstery and floor covering LED cargo lighting Six D-ring cargo tie-downs  4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot GM's OnStar emergency communications 120-volt outlet Two-speaker audio system with AM/FM radio and an auxiliary jack

2018 GMC Savana cargo van comes with good features such as Dual-halogen composite headlamps, AM/FM stereo with MP3 player, air conditioning, tire pressure, and oil life monitoring system, built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot etc.

There are 6 optional packages that are available with Savana Cargo van which is Cargo package which includes spray-in cargo liner and GM commercial link; communications package includes cruise control, Bluetooth, steering mounted controls, SiriusXM satellite radio; Safety package gets rear park assist, side blind zone alert, heated and power-adjustable black folding mirrors; Convenience package includes remote start, remote keyless entry, cruise control etc.

We Recommend

If we have to give the best recommendation, you can look at 2500 extended wheelbase which will give an immense amount of space for tools and machines at the back and generous driving cycle. Also, do check the optional packages to make Savana cargo van suit to your work.

"Even the standard-wheelbase van is a large vehicle, and it drives like one. Tidy handling and accurate steering are not among the big GMC's marching orders. The upgraded V8 engine is responsive, though, and easily gets the van up to highway speeds, even with a full load of cargo"- Edmunds

Engine and Performance

GMC Savana cargo van starts from $32,490 and is powered by 4 different engines but in the review, we have taken the 4.3L V6 gasoline engine with 276 horses and 298-pound-feet of torque. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission which gives smooth gear changes.

Models	GMC Savana cargo 2500	Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500	Ford Transit Cargo Van T-150	Nissan NV Cargo 1500 S
MSRP	$32,490	$32,490	$32,380	$28,850
Engine	4.3L l6	4.3L l6	3.7L l6	4.0L l6
Transmission	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic	6-speed automatic	5-speed automatic
Horsepower	276 hp @ 5200 rpm	276 hp @ 5200 rpm	275 hp @ 6000 rpm	261 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque	298 lb-ft @ 3900 rpm	298 lb-ft @ 3900 rpm	260 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm	281 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm

In comparison, GMC and Chevrolet are identical in terms of every aspect, be it price, power etc and are also the most powerful in the class. Ford Transit cargo van is almost equal in terms of price and power but has a torque difference of 38-pound-feet and has a 6-speed transmission. Nissan NV cargo 1500 is the cheapest cargo van at $28,850 but has less power and 5-speed transmission that doesn' t match the likes of GMC, Chevrolet, and Ford.

Braking

2018 GMC Savana cargo has 12.8 inches ventilated disc in the front and 13 inches ventilated discs at the back. It weighs in at 5,225 pounds which is pretty good considering the size of the van.

Model	GMC Savana cargo 2500	Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500	Ford Transit Cargo Van T-150	Nissan NV Cargo 1500 S
Brake Front (in.)	12.8	12.8	12.1	14.2
Brake Rear (in.)	13.0	13.0	12.1	14.4
Curb Weight (lbs.)	5,225	5,225	4,866	5,817
60-0 MPH (ft.)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

In comparison, Nissan NV cargo has the biggest brakes at 14.2 inches in the front and 14.4 inches at the rear. It is also the heaviest at 5,817 pounds almost 1,000 pounds heavier than Ford Transit cargo van and 600 pounds heavier than Chevrolet and GMC. Ford Transit has the least amount of beef in the brakes at 12.1 inches both in front and back and is the lightest among the competition at 4,866 pounds.

Towing Capacity

With 10,000 pounds of towing capacity, it can easily tow large masses with ease. The engine is an absolute gem which really gives this van such towing power.

Model	GMC Savana cargo 2500	Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500	Ford Transit Cargo Van T-150	Nissan NV Cargo 1500 S
Maximum Towing Capacity	10000 lbs	10000 lbs	N/A	6900 lbs

In comparison, Identical twin Chevrolet Express Cargo has the same 10,000 pounds towing capacity. Nissan NV Cargo has a very low towing capacity of 6,900 pounds. Ford Transit Cargo van towing figures are unavailable.

"As in other cargo vans, the Savana's interior makes liberal use of hard plastics. The engine protrudes into the front footwells, a characteristic of old-school vans that rivals have long since abandoned"- Edmunds 

Seating and comfort

Cargo vans generally have seating capacity for two people and GMC Savana cargo is no different. It has 39.8 inches of headroom, 68.8 inches of shoulder room and 41.3 inches of legroom.

Model	GMC Savana cargo 2500	Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500	Ford Transit Cargo Van T-150	Nissan NV Cargo 1500 S
Passenger capacity	2	2	2	2
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.8/68.8/41.3	39.8/68.8/41.3	40.8/67.9/39.7	42.8/65.7/42.0

In comparison, Nissan NV Cargo has the best headroom and legroom of 42.8 inches and 42 inches respectively. GMC Savana Cargo and Chevrolet Express have the best shoulder room of 68.8 inches.

Infotainment

2018 GMC Savana cargo gets GMC infotainment which is high-definition command center and has an of optional navigation with radio. You also get AM/FM stereo with an MP3 player with built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. It also has voice control and smartphone integration for hands-free calling and accesses your phone book.

Cargo Space

2018 GMC Savanna cargo van has 239.7 cu. Ft of space which gives ample space for tools and heavy equipment for the workforce.

Model	GMC Savana cargo 2500	Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500	Ford Transit Cargo Van T-150	Nissan NV Cargo 1500 S
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	239.7	239.7	246.0	234.1

In comparison, Ford Transit cargo van has the biggest cargo space of 246 cu. Ft. GMC Savana cargo and Chevrolet Express cargo have identical cargo space of 239.7 inches. Nissan NV cargo has the least cargo space of 234.1 inches.

"If you have a bunch of things to carry, you put them in a box, right? That's the philosophy behind the GMC Savana's design. The shape hasn't evolved much in 30 years, but you could argue that it hasn't needed to"- KBB

The exterior is very simple and comes with big black bumpers up front. Headlights are twin halogen housings with one for high beam and one for low beam. Moving onto the side, you have a sliding door that gives you access to the cargo back of the vehicle. At the back, you have a black strip that runs along the roof and finishes off on the taillights. Third brake light is mounted on top of the roof. The exhaust pipe is bent towards the driver side.

Dimensions and Weight

2018 GMC Savana Cargo van is 224.1 inches in length and width of 79.2 inches. Ground clearance is 11 inches in the front and 7.1 inches in the rear. It is well suited for city drive and occasional highway runs. Height is 84.6 inches and wheelbase of 135 inches gives you ample space to put your tools and other work equipment.

Model	GMC Savana cargo 2500	Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500	Ford Transit Cargo Van T-150 130	Nissan NV Cargo 1500 S
Curb weight (lbs.)	5,225	5,225	4,866	5,817
Length(in)	224.1	224.1	219.9	240.6
Width(in)	79.2	79.2	81.3	79.9
Height(in)	84.6	84.6	83.6	83.6
Ground clearance (in) F/R	11.0/7.1	11.0/7.1		8.1/8.1
Wheelbase (in)	135.0	135.0	129.9	146.1
Track width (in) F/R			68.2/68.6	68.7/68.9

In comparison, Nissan NV cargo is the longest at 240.6 inches and also has the best wheelbase of 146.1 inches. In terms of width, Ford transit cargo van has 81.3 inches which is the best among competition. GMC Savana cargo and Chevrolet Express, being identical twins, have best height and ground clearance at 84.6 inches and 11 inches in front and 7.1 inches in the rear.

Exterior Features

• Sliding Door Cargo
• Swing out Passenger-Side Door
• Excellent Ground Clearance

Safety Features

2018 GMC Savana Cargo offers some really good safety tech such as: -

 

• Airbag system
• StabiliTrak electronic stability control system
• Daytime Running Lamps
• Brake/transmission shift interlock, for automatic transmissions
• 2 airbags
• Rear Vision Camera

NHTSA and IIHS have not yet rated GMC Savana Cargo Van.

Chevrolet Express Cargo 2500 vs GMC Savana

Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana are identical to each other from exterior to interior. It gets the same kit, the engine, and specs, interior space. Both offer a good number of features which really give them an edge among the competition. But they haven' t been updated for a very long time and are in need of a facelift which occurred in 2003.

Ford Transit Cargo Van T-150 vs GMC Savana

Ford transit is a really good competition to GMC Savana Cargo. Mechanically saying it has enough grunt to match GMC. It has better cargo space in comparison and is also smaller in length which gives it better maneuverability around the city. Price is almost similar, but it has better service and after sales than GMC and Chevrolet.

Nissan NV Cargo 1500 vs GMC Savana

Nissan NV cargo is cheaper than GMC Savana cargo by almost $4,000. The engine is not powerful but has a lot of torque. It has a low towing capacity and also not dimensionally superior to GMC, but it offers the best commercial van warranty at 5 years / 100,000 miles. It might be a good selling proposition, but competitors are way more superior and technologically advanced than Nissan NV cargo.

GMC Savana Cargo is a really good commercial vehicle that is a really good value for money. It has a really good towing capacity with supreme cargo space in the back. Mechanically, it has a really good engine and provides good grunt for a vehicle its size. It does look old in terms of exterior and interior but regular updates every year give it an edge among competition.