Used 2020 Chevrolet Express

The 2020 Chevrolet Express full-size van is not the most modern of work vehicles. But it’s a no-frills appliance available in cargo and passenger versions. So it works for a plumber who needs to haul a dozen kitchen sinks or for someone taking the swim team to its next competition.

While newer rivals have migrated from Europe — like the Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — the Chevy Express is old-school American, even to the point of offering a 6.0-liter V8. It means that locating replacement parts to keep the Express show on the road is simple enough. And this van has a long history of delivering the goods metaphorically as well as literally.

However, business owners should consider those rivals mentioned above, as well as the Nissan NV. Especially if their line of work requires a van that needs to be equipped with specialized features and in a certain way — what’s known in the trade as “upfitting” — because the Express doesn’t offer a high-roof version.

It should come as no surprise that the 2020 Chevy Express, with its roots in 1996, doesn’t have the same modern driving feel as the competition. It’s more like an old pickup, unable to smooth out rough road surfaces and with vague steering.

The turning circle isn’t as tight as, say, a Transit or ProMaster. And corners are best approached cautiously.

The Express Passenger can accommodate up to 15, but the newer rivals have extra safety features like head restraints and armrests.

On the plus side are the strong V8 and diesel options, easily configurable cargo bay and a standard-height roof that takes the worry out of accessing areas with low clearance.

Think of an Express interior as a blank canvas. The cargo model can be upfitted to suit a range of diverse professions and offers a second seating row. The maximum payload in the 3500 version is 4,250 pounds.

The passenger variant comes standard with seating for 12, which leaves some space in the back for luggage. A rear air-conditioning system helps to keep people comfortable, but a higher-roof option would have made it much easier to move around inside. Another oversight on Chevy’s part is providing head-curtain airbag protection for the first three rows only.

This might come as a shock, but the 2020 Express isn’t only available in white. There’s also the choice of silver, black or (gasp) red. A rectangular box with rounded-off corners probably isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing shape, but it works just fine in the context of commercial vehicles.

Buyers have a choice of split swing-out rear doors with or without windows, while a passenger-side-sliding door is available for both versions. Naturally, passenger models have windows along both sides.

6.0-LITER V8
Although the standard V6 does a decent job with middleweight tasks, when 15 people are on board or the full-size cargo van is carrying its maximum payload, the extra muscle from this gutsy V8 is a must-have.

DRIVER-ASSISTANCE FEATURES
Driving all day makes things like blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning and forward-collision alert more than welcome — especially in the Express Cargo version that has panels instead of windows.

In any other vehicle review, it wouldn’t be worth mentioning that it had air conditioning, an audio setup with AM/FM radio and an auxiliary input, plus power-operated windows and locks. But the 2020 Express is so bare-bones that these amenities become notable.

The really smart standard inclusion, though, is 4G LTE and Wi-Fi. Operators can receive and respond to emails while out in the field, do Google searches, and all the other stuff for which the internet is actually useful.

All 2020 Express models have stability control, 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and dual front airbags. Passenger vans feature side-curtain airbags covering the first three rows.

Welcome to the 2020 Express Emporium. For everything beyond the basic, the options list is the place to go. Let’s start with engines.

A 6.0-liter V8 is one alternative, fueled by either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG). Or there’s a turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel engine that makes almost as much torque as the V8.

As mentioned before, passenger versions offer seating for 15. There are also extended-wheelbase and heavier-duty options (the 3500 Express variants).

Once these choices are made, buyers can then focus on things like navigation, 6-way power-adjustable front seats, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, forward-collision warning, lane-departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, and OnStar Commercial Link fleet tracking.

The standard engine in the 2020 Chevrolet Express is a 4.3-liter V6 making 276 horsepower and 298 lb-ft of torque. Torque is the ability to get things moving, an aspect that has greater impact where heavy vehicles are concerned and top speed is a minor consideration at best.

With this is mind, Chevy offers a muscular 6.0-liter V8 developing an impressive 373 lb-ft of torque along with 341 horsepower. This is the one that enables maximum towing capacity. A further choice is a CNG version with the same power output.

Alternatively, the turbocharged 2.8-liter 4-cylinder diesel option generates a respectable 369 lb-ft of torque and 181 horsepower. This could be the ideal compromise between energy and fuel economy.

In all cases, the Express deploys rear-wheel drive. The V6 engine is linked to an 8-speed automatic transmission; the diesel has a drivetrain-specific 8-speed automatic. And the V8 connects to a heavy-duty 6-speed automatic.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) doesn’t have any fuel-consumption figures for the 2020 Chevy Express.

2.8-liter turbocharged diesel inline-4
181 horsepower @ 3,400 rpm
369 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: N/A

4.3-liter V6
276 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
298 lb-ft of torque @ 3,900 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: N/A

6.0-liter V8
341 horsepower @ 5,400 rpm
373 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: N/A