2016 GMC Savana Cargo Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Distinctly retro, but decidedly capable, GMC’s 2016 Savana Cargo van offers business owners a full-size load hauler that can seat 2 (or 5...

Distinctly retro, but decidedly capable, GMC’s 2016 Savana Cargo van offers business owners a full-size load hauler that can seat 2 (or 5 in the debuting Crew Cargo Van), with a choice of V8 powerplants and relatively few added features.

Available once again in either the three-quarter-ton 2500 trim or the 1-ton 3500 version, the 2016 Savana Cargo lineup is further subdivided into EXT sub-trims that offer an additional 20 inches to both the wheelbase and the overall length (155 inches and 244.1 inches, respectively). Both trims are also available with a turbodiesel engine. Cargo area is unchanged at 270.4 cubic feet behind the seats in the standard-length versions and 284.4 cubic feet in the EXT trims.

Additional changes to the 2016 Savana Cargo aside from the introduction of the Crew Cargo Van include an optional IntelliLink infotainment and navigation interface that allows access to smartphone apps and internet radio, as well as available 4G LTE WiFi capability. Also new are an available 220-amp alternator, a dual isolated battery system, and 6 D-ring cargo tie-downs.

The standard powerplant on the Savana Cargo lineup is a 4.8-liter Flex-Fuel V8 mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission for 285 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Look for an EPA-estimated 11 mpg city/17 highway/13 combined from this base engine.

An optional 342-hp 6.0-liter Flex-Fuel V8 is also available with the 6-speed automatic, producing 373 lb-ft of torque and fuel estimates of 11/16/13. GMC offers a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) variant of the 6.0-liter V8 that runs cleaner but lowers power output to 282 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, again with the 6-speed automatic. For even more power, check out the available 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 with the 6-speed automatic that puts out 260 hp and a whopping 525 lb-ft of torque. No EPA figures are available for it because of its weight, but it’ll tow up to 10,000 pounds with the optional heavy-duty trailer package. Note that all 2016 Savana Cargo trims come with rear-wheel-drive (RWD) only.

Appearance and comfort are not, as ought to be apparent, this van’s strongpoints. All trims are expected to include 16-inch steel wheels and a swing-out passenger-side loading door on the outside, standard vinyl upholstery, power windows and door locks, a trip computer, and manual air conditioning on the inside. The brand new 2016 Savana Crew Cargo Van is slated to offer rear bench seating, rear air conditioning and heating, full-body window glass, and front and rear side-curtain airbags.

Options expected back for the 2016 Savana Cargo lineup include remote engine start, cloth upholstery, cruise control, a tilt-only steering wheel, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, Bluetooth hands-free calling, satellite radio (with the new IntelliLink upgrade), and a locking rear differential.

Standard safety equipment aboard the upcoming year’s Savana Cargo variations includes 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), traction and stability control, head-protection airbags, new seat-mounted thorax airbags, dual-pane outside mirrors, and daytime running lights. Neither the government nor the insurance industry conduct crash tests on full-size vans because of their exceptional size.

The 2016 Savana Cargo is expected to challenge such traditional rivals as Ford’s Transit, Ram’s ProMaster, and Nissan's NV, each of which have two roof-height options, as well as Mercedes-Benz’s Sprinter.