Chevrolet Venture
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The Chevrolet Venture is a
minivan Minivan (sometimes called simply a van) is a car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows . The equivalent classification in Europe is MPV (multi-p ...
produced by
General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
for the 1997 to 2005 model years. The Chevrolet Venture, along with most of its General Motors minivan siblings, was built at GM's Doraville, Georgia, assembly plant.


Use of name

The Venture name was first used on a 1988 Chevrolet concept car, which was a full-size four-door sedan more aerodynamic than the 1991–1996
Chevrolet Caprice The Chevrolet Caprice is a full-size car produced by Chevrolet in North America for the 1965 through 1996 model years. Full-size Chevrolet sales peaked in 1965, with over a million units sold. It was the most popular car in the U.S. in the 19 ...
. It was exhibited in January 1988 at the Teamwork & Technology: For Today and Tomorrow show at the
Waldorf-Astoria The Waldorf Astoria New York is a luxury hotel and condominium residence in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York. The structure, at 301 Park Avenue between 49th and 50th Street (Manhattan), 50th Streets, is a 47-story ...
hotel in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.


History

The Venture was introduced 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 The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan manufactured by General Motors for model years 1990–2004 over two generations. Production ended when General Motors discontinued its Oldsmobile brand in 2004. GM continued to market badge-engineered vari ...
and the
Pontiac Trans Sport The Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan that was marketed by Pontiac from the 1990 to 1999 model years. The first minivan marketed by the division, the Trans Sport marked the beginning of a wider transition of moving away from sedans and station wag ...
, which was later renamed as the
Pontiac Montana The Pontiac Montana (also Pontiac Montana SV6) is a minivan that was sold by Pontiac from the 1997 to 2009 model years. The successor to the Pontiac Trans Sport, the nameplate was introduced in 1997 as a trim package for its predecessor. For 199 ...
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 second-row two-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 a step above the ''LS''; exclusively offered as a long-wheelbase model, it 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 to 1999). The anti-lock brakes were standard on all Ventures from 1996 to 2002, but became optional on the base models later on. The Venture and its siblings were powered by GM's 3.4 L
LA1 La 1, LA 1 or LA-1 may refer to: * Louisiana Highway 1, a state highway in Louisiana * Louisiana State Route 1, a former state highway in Louisiana, also known as the Jefferson Highway * Louisiana's 1st congressional district, an American congressio ...
V6, rated at . After 1999, the engine was slightly redesigned to produce an extra , for a total of , and the instrument panel alarm system has been changed. All Ventures used a four-speed
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions. The 1904 ...
. The Venture was one of the few minivans to have an eight-passenger seating configuration as an option when most minivans seated up to seven passengers. In 2000, the driver-side sliding door became standard on all trim levels, as the passenger-side-only sliding-door models of minivans had rapidly fallen out of favor since Chrysler introduced minivans with the driver-side sliding door for 1996. The exterior was refreshed in 2001, a back-up alarm was added to indicate possible obstacles behind the vehicle, and an
all-wheel drive An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand. Types The most common forms of all-wheel drive are: ;1x1 : All unicycles Reflects one axle with ...
system dubbed Versatrak was introduced in 2002. Also for 2002 was a new steering wheel equivalent to the 2000–2005
Chevrolet Impala The Chevrolet Impala () is a full-size car that was built by Chevrolet for model years 1958 to 1985, 1994 to 1996, and 2000 to 2020. The Impala was Chevrolet's popular flagship passenger car and was among the better-selling American-made auto ...
, replacing the one that was used in the 1995–2001
Chevrolet Lumina The Chevrolet Lumina is a mid-size car that was produced and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1989 until 2001. Background The first generation of the Lumina replaced the Chevrolet Celebrity and Chevrolet Monte Carlo ...
. New for this generation,
cabin air filter A particulate air filter is a device composed of fibrous, or porous materials which removes particulates such as smoke, dust, pollen, mold, viruses and bacteria from the air. Filters containing an adsorbent or catalyst such as charcoal (carbon) ...
s were installed, and the filters can be accessed from behind an access panel easily accessed from inside the glove compartment. The optional 2-3-2 seating configuration was dropped in favor of the more conventional 2-2-3 and 2-3-3 seating configurations. The 2-3-3 was the standard for the Chinese-made
Buick GL8 The Buick GL8 is a minivan that is produced by SAIC-GM, a joint-venture between Chinese automaker SAIC Motor and American automaker General Motors. It is only sold in China. Introduced in 1999, the first generation Buick GL8 is similar to the GM ...
, and a ten-seat model arranged in a 3-4-3 configuration was used in a Chinese-made version of the Chevrolet Venture for export to the Philippines and Latin America (where it sold alongside the U.S. Venture) where ten-seaters are favored with lower taxes. Reviews and sales were generally lukewarm, especially about the relatively narrow cabin since it had been designed for European roads. Models came in both short and long wheelbases, and long-wheelbase models were available with all-wheel drive. 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 commonly known as just Honda, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate automotive manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Founded in October 1946 by Soichiro Honda, Honda has bee ...
,
Mazda is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima (town), Fuchū, Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima, Japan. The company was founded on January 30, 1920, as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd. ...
, and
Nissan is a Japanese multinational Automotive industry, automobile manufacturer headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. The company sells its vehicles under the ''Nissan'' and ''Infiniti'' brands, and formerly the ''Datsun'' brand, with in-house ...
minivans that folded into a well behind the third row. The Venture was replaced after 2005 by the
Chevrolet Uplander The Chevrolet Uplander is a minivan manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for model years of 2005–2009, replacing the Venture and the Astro. Marketed over a single generation, the Uplander was offered in short and ...
, 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. Production of the Chevrolet Venture ended on June 24, 2005.


Model year changes

* 1997: Introduced with completely redesigned exterior and interior. Offered in two wheelbases, with three- or four-door options (four-door available only on long-wheelbase). Introduced coolant loss engine protection and expanded storage capacity. * 1998: Added driver and front passenger side airbags. Dual sliding doors and a power sliding door option became available on short-wheelbase models. * 1999: The long-wheelbase three-door model was discontinued. Standard heated outside power mirrors introduced. Engine output increased to 185 horsepower and 210 lb-ft of torque. * 2000: The Value Van (a decontented regular-wheelbase model) and the high-end "Warner Bros. Edition" models were introduced. Three-door configurations were discontinued. The radios were updated and top tether anchors for child seats were added. Eight-passenger models became available. * 2001: The front fascia and steering wheel were redesigned. HVAC air filtration and rear parking assist systems were introduced. The second-generation video system now featured a larger screen, second-row speakers dedicated to the video system, and four wireless headphones. A
LATCH A latch or catch (called sneck in Northern England and Scotland) is a type of mechanical fastener that joins two or more objects or surfaces while allowing for their regular separation. A latch typically engages another piece of hardware on the ...
system for child seat safety was added. The cargo model was discontinued. * 2002: GM's Versatrak all-wheel-drive system (on long-wheelbase models only) was introduced. New Mobility, Touring, and Convenience packages were. The VCR was replaced with a DVD player in the Entertainment package. Dual-stage airbags were added for increased safety. * 2003: A new "Value Plus" model was introduced. The "Sport Package" became available on short-wheelbase models, featuring seven-passenger seating, a roof rack, and aluminum wheels. Added options for DVD entertainment and heated leather seats. * 2004: A CD/MP3 radio became available. * 2005: All-wheel-drive and short-wheelbase models were discontinued.


Warner Bros. Edition

A
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
edition, introduced in 1999 as part of an overall deal between GM and Warner Bros., included leather and cloth seats, standard built-in child restraints, Warner Bros. badging with
Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is a cartoon character created in the late 1930s at Warner Bros. Cartoons (originally Leon Schlesinger, Leon Schlesinger Productions) and Voice acting, voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his featured roles in the ' ...
leaning on the Warner Bros. Shield logo, and a
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
entertainment system, a novelty at the time (VHS players were offered at first; DVD capability was added for the 2002 model year, with the VHS option dropped). The Warner Bros. edition 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 four colors: Blue, red, silver, and black. These models included a complementary membership in ''VentureTainment'', which sent free gifts to owners of the van, including VHS and DVD compilations of ''
Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American media franchise produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The franchise began as a series of animated short films that originally ran from 1930 to 1969, alongside its spin-off series ''Merrie Melodies'', during t ...
'' (as well as other
Warner Bros. Family Entertainment Warner Bros. Family Entertainment was the family division label of Warner Bros. Entertainment. It released numerous theatrical and direct-to-video family-oriented films and television shows. History The division was founded in 1993 to produ ...
titles), a cooler with can holders, a special keychain and other perks (including discounts at the
Warner Bros. Studio Store The Warner Bros. Studio Store was a chain of retail stores selling Looney Tunes, DC Comics, and other merchandise based on Warner Bros. films, similar in style to the Disney Store. They first opened in 1991. In 1996, Warner Bros. owner Time Warn ...
s and
Six Flags Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is an American amusement park company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It was formed on July 2, 2024, following a merger between longtime rivals Cedar Fair and the former Six Flags ...
theme parks).


Safety

In late 1996, the
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Highway Loss Data Institute (IIHS-HLDI) is an American nonprofit organization. It was established in 1959, and it is noted for its safety reviews of vehicles in various simulated traffic situations, ...
(IIHS) crash-tested the 1997
Pontiac Trans Sport The Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan that was marketed by Pontiac from the 1990 to 1999 model years. The first minivan marketed by the division, the Trans Sport marked the beginning of a wider transition of moving away from sedans and station wag ...
(a twin of the Venture). Due to the poor structural performance resulting in extreme damage to the front of the vehicle, it received a "Poor" rating in the moderate overlap crash test and was ranked the "Worst Performing Vehicle" of all the vehicles tested by the institute, 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 its test subject, the Pontiac Trans Sport/Montana). Additionally, its European twin, the Opel/Vauxhall Sintra, also did badly in the
Euro NCAP The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a European voluntary car safety performance assessment programme (i.e. a New Car Assessment Program) based in Leuven, Belgium. Formed in 1996, the first results were released in February ...
's crash test from 1998 with near-similar results (despite performing well in the side-impact test), with a rating of 2.5 stars (out of 5). On the other hand, the U.S.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation, focused on automobile safety regulations. NHTSA is charged with writing and enforcing Feder ...
(NHTSA) gave the 1997 Chevrolet Venture a rating of 4 stars out of 5 in the frontal-impact test, and 5 stars in the side-impact test. Tests on subsequent model years yielded results of 4 stars in most categories, and 3 or 5 stars in others. This applies to all other U-body minivans of the time. Unlike the IIHS, however, the NHTSA does not conduct moderate overlap crash tests. The safety issues of the Venture and its U-body siblings would later be addressed with the Uplander in 2005, in which it earned the highest rating of "Good" given by the IIHS institute in the moderate overlap crash test.


References


External links

{{Chevrolet vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles
Venture Venture may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music *The Ventures, an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 *"A Venture", 1971 song by the band Yes *''Venture'', a 2010 EP by AJR Games * ''Venture'' (video game), a 1981 arcade gam ...
Front-wheel-drive vehicles Minivans 2000s cars Cars introduced in 1996 Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States