Chevrolet Venture
Encyclopedia
The Chevrolet
Venture is a minivan
produced by General Motors
from the 1997 to 2005 model years. It replaced the Chevrolet Lumina APV
. 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, including the Opel/Vauxhall Sintra) was built in Doraville, Georgia
.
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 (2000 in Canada
). The Venture came in three trim levels, the base, LS, and LT. The base models of the Venture were short wheelbase models which came equipped with cloth upholstery, front bucket seats with fixed head restraints, a 2nd-row 2-passenger bench seat, and steel wheels. The LS came in both short and long wheelbases, and offered aluminum wheels, a varied seating configuration, adjustable head restraints, side airbags, power windows (optional on the base models), and a remote keyless entry system. The LT model was an upscale of the LS and was exclusively a long wheelbase model and offered a power driver seat (optional on the base and LS models), optional leather seats, a roof rack (optional on the base and LS models), and a driver side sliding door (optional on the base and LS models from 1997–1999). The anti-lock brakes were standard on all Ventures from 1997–2002, but became optional on the base models later on. The Venture and its siblings were powered by GM's 3.4 L LA1 V6, rated at 180 hp. After 1999, the engine was slightly redesigned to produce an extra 5 hp, for a total of 185 hp, and the alarm system for seatbelts, door ajar, low fuel, etc. have been changed. All Ventures used a four-speed automatic transmission
. The Venture was one of the few minivans to have an 8-passenger seating configuration as an option when most minivans seated up to 7 passengers. In 2000, the driver side sliding door became standard on all trim levels, when the passenger side only sliding door models of minivans have rapidly fallen out of favor since the 1996 models of Chrysler minivans. The exterior was refreshed in 2001, a back-up alarm was added to indicate possible obstacles behind the vehicle, and all-wheel drive was introduced in 2002. Also for 2002 was a new steering wheel equivalent to the 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala
, replacing the steering wheel equivalent to the 1995-2001 Chevrolet Lumina
. The optional 2-3-2 seating configuration was dropped in favor of the more conventional 2-2-3 and 2-3-3 seating configurations. 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 (introduced for 2001 and available on LS and Warner Bros. models), 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-wheelbase was still offered in Canada. Production of the Chevy Venture ended on June 24, 2005.
LS, base, LT, and Warner Bros Edition trims used the Double-Siding grille (also called the Cube grille) until 2000. In 2001, the Digital Finger grille was introduced (until 2005).
edition, introduced in 2000, included leather and cloth seats, Warner Bros. badging with Bugs Bunny
leaning against the Warner Bros. logo, and a DVD
entertainment system, a novelty at the time (however, some editions included a VHS player instead). The Warner Bros. edition was a very rare model that was only produced for the 2000-2003 model years and the only model to come with a monochromatic exterior (like its Silhouette twin) as opposed to black accents that the other Ventures offered and this model only came in three colors: red, silver, and black. These models included VHS and DVD compilations of Looney Tunes
, boys pajamas, a cooler with can holders, a special keychain, and a beach blanket, as an amenity kit.
(NHTSA) gave the 1997 Chevy Venture a rating of four stars out of five in a head-on collision, and five stars in the side-impact 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 late 1996, and it received a "Poor" rating in the 40 MPH offset frontal crash test for poor structural performance, and was ranked as the "Worst Performing Vehicle" of all the vehicles tested, with test results indicating a high risk of serious injury or fatality. This result affected both the Venture's and the Silhouette's
safety reputations (as well as the latterly renamed Pontiac Montana). Its Europe
an twin, the Opel Sintra
, did badly in the EuroNCAP
's crash tests as well, with only two stars (out of five).
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Venture is a minivan
Minivan
Minivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....
produced by General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
from the 1997 to 2005 model years. It replaced the Chevrolet Lumina APV
Chevrolet Lumina APV
The Chevrolet Lumina APV was a minivan produced by General Motors for the 1990 to 1996 model years. In 1994 the APV was dropped from the name to make the name more consistent with the cars, and it was simply known as Lumina or Lumina Minivan. It is similar to the Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile...
. Identical minivans were also sold in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as the Opel Sintra
Opel Sintra
The Opel Sintra is a large MPV manufactured by General Motors for the European market between 1996 and 1999. The Sintra is one of the second-generation U-body MPVs...
, and in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, they were badged as a Vauxhall
Vauxhall Motors
Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for...
. Opel
Opel
Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...
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
Chevrolet Astro
The Chevrolet Astro was a rear-wheel drive mid-sized van introduced by Chevrolet in 1985 to rival domestic competitors the Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager twins and the Japanese Toyota Van. Also sharing the Astro's platform was its sibling, the GMC Safari...
) was replaced by the similar "new" 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
Chevrolet Uplander
The Chevrolet Uplander is a minivan produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. It replaced the Venture and Astro. Although introduced for the 2005 model year, it overlapped with the final model years of the Venture and Astro. It was built on the same platform as the Saturn Relay, Buick...
. The Venture (along with other GM minivans, including the Opel/Vauxhall Sintra) was built in Doraville, Georgia
Doraville, Georgia
Doraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 8,330.-History:Doraville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly, approved December 15, 1871...
.
History
Chevrolet Lumina APV
The Chevrolet Lumina APV was a minivan produced by General Motors for the 1990 to 1996 model years. In 1994 the APV was dropped from the name to make the name more consistent with the cars, and it was simply known as Lumina or Lumina Minivan. It is similar to the Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile...
. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it was also sold as the Oldsmobile Silhouette
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings, the Pontiac Trans Sport and Chevrolet Lumina APV , were a trio of minivans that débuted in late 1989 as 1990 models...
and the Pontiac Trans Sport
Pontiac Trans Sport
The Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette were a set of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models. There was also a Chevrolet Trans Sport sold in Europe until 2005 that was a version of the Chevrolet Venture that had...
, which was later renamed as the Pontiac Montana
Pontiac Montana
The Pontiac Montana is a minivan from the Pontiac division of General Motors. Prior to the 1997 model year, it was known as Pontiac Trans Sport. In 1997, the Trans Sport added the Montana moniker as part of an available trim package. The package proved so popular the line was renamed Montana in...
for 1999 (2000 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
). The Venture came in three trim levels, the base, LS, and LT. The base models of the Venture were short wheelbase models which came equipped with cloth upholstery, front bucket seats with fixed head restraints, a 2nd-row 2-passenger bench seat, and steel wheels. The LS came in both short and long wheelbases, and offered aluminum wheels, a varied seating configuration, adjustable head restraints, side airbags, power windows (optional on the base models), and a remote keyless entry system. The LT model was an upscale of the LS and was exclusively a long wheelbase model and offered a power driver seat (optional on the base and LS models), optional leather seats, a roof rack (optional on the base and LS models), and a driver side sliding door (optional on the base and LS models from 1997–1999). The anti-lock brakes were standard on all Ventures from 1997–2002, but became optional on the base models later on. The Venture and its siblings were powered by GM's 3.4 L LA1 V6, rated at 180 hp. After 1999, the engine was slightly redesigned to produce an extra 5 hp, for a total of 185 hp, and the alarm system for seatbelts, door ajar, low fuel, etc. have been changed. All Ventures used a four-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. The Venture was one of the few minivans to have an 8-passenger seating configuration as an option when most minivans seated up to 7 passengers. In 2000, the driver side sliding door became standard on all trim levels, when the passenger side only sliding door models of minivans have rapidly fallen out of favor since the 1996 models of Chrysler minivans. The exterior was refreshed in 2001, a back-up alarm was added to indicate possible obstacles behind the vehicle, and all-wheel drive was introduced in 2002. Also for 2002 was a new steering wheel equivalent to the 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
, replacing the steering wheel equivalent to the 1995-2001 Chevrolet Lumina
Chevrolet Lumina
The North American Chevrolet Lumina sedan , coupe and minivan were first introduced in 1989 for the 1990 model year as a new range of vehicles from the Chevrolet brand of General Motors to replace the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Celebrity sedan, and the Monte Carlo coupe. The Lumina was an answer...
. The optional 2-3-2 seating configuration was dropped in favor of the more conventional 2-2-3 and 2-3-3 seating configurations. 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 (introduced for 2001 and available on LS and Warner Bros. models), but forming a higher floor unlike the Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
, Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
and Nissan minivans that folded into a well behind the third row.
The Venture was replaced after 2005 by the Chevrolet Uplander
Chevrolet Uplander
The Chevrolet Uplander is a minivan produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. It replaced the Venture and Astro. Although introduced for the 2005 model year, it overlapped with the final model years of the Venture and Astro. It was built on the same platform as the Saturn Relay, Buick...
, 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-wheelbase was still offered in Canada. Production of the Chevy Venture ended on June 24, 2005.
LS, base, LT, and Warner Bros Edition trims used the Double-Siding grille (also called the Cube grille) until 2000. In 2001, the Digital Finger grille was introduced (until 2005).
Trim levels
- Base – 1997–1998–2004–2005 (U.S. And Canada)
- LS – 1997–2005
- LT – 1999–2004
- Warner Bros Edition – 2000–2003
Entertainment
A Warner Bros.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
edition, introduced in 2000, included leather and cloth seats, Warner Bros. badging with Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
leaning against the Warner Bros. logo, and a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
entertainment system, a novelty at the time (however, some editions included a VHS player instead). The Warner Bros. edition was a very rare model that was only produced for the 2000-2003 model years and the only model to come with a monochromatic exterior (like its Silhouette twin) as opposed to black accents that the other Ventures offered and this model only came in three colors: red, silver, and black. These models included VHS and DVD compilations of Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
, boys pajamas, a cooler with can holders, a special keychain, and a beach blanket, as an amenity kit.
Safety
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
(NHTSA) gave the 1997 Chevy Venture a rating of four stars out of five in a head-on collision, and five stars in the side-impact 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
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
tested the Pontiac Trans Sport
Pontiac Trans Sport
The Pontiac Trans Sport and its siblings, the Chevrolet Lumina APV and Oldsmobile Silhouette were a set of minivans that débuted with radical styling in fall 1989 as 1990 models. There was also a Chevrolet Trans Sport sold in Europe until 2005 that was a version of the Chevrolet Venture that had...
(a twin of the Venture) in late 1996, and it received a "Poor" rating in the 40 MPH offset frontal crash test for poor structural performance, and was ranked as the "Worst Performing Vehicle" of all the vehicles tested, with test results indicating a high risk of serious injury or fatality. This result affected both the Venture's and the Silhouette's
Oldsmobile Silhouette
The Oldsmobile Silhouette and its siblings, the Pontiac Trans Sport and Chevrolet Lumina APV , were a trio of minivans that débuted in late 1989 as 1990 models...
safety reputations (as well as the latterly renamed Pontiac Montana). Its Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an twin, the Opel Sintra
Opel Sintra
The Opel Sintra is a large MPV manufactured by General Motors for the European market between 1996 and 1999. The Sintra is one of the second-generation U-body MPVs...
, did badly in the EuroNCAP
EuroNCAP
The European New Car Assessment Programme is a European car safety performance assessment programme based in Brussels and founded in 1997 by the Transport Research Laboratory for the UK Department for Transport and backed by several European governments.-History and activities:Euro NCAP is a...
's crash tests as well, with only two stars (out of five).