2026 Chevy Express

Most vehicles live in a five- to seven-year cycle of renewal. New generations launch regularly, reengineered with improved architectures, new powertrains, and the latest infotainment and safety technologies. But most vehicles aren't the Chevrolet Express. Chevy's full-size commercial van, the Express, has now gone 30 years without a full redesign. Sure, there have been a lot of updates over the years, but underneath it's fundamentally the same van as the one from the 1990s. That could be a good thing if you're of the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset, but there are shortcomings too. The 2026 Express does not offer differing roof heights like most of its competitors do. It also doesn't have much in the way of new technology features.

If you're shopping for vans because you need the most capable workhorse, which one best suits your needs depends on your definition of "capable." Are your heaviest loads going inside the van, or on the trailer hitch? The Express dominates in the latter measure, its maximum towing capacity of 9,600 pounds besting the closest competitor — the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter — by more than a ton. But if you need max payload, the Express comes in dead last in the class, with just 4,280 pounds of payload capacity.

Your choices in this segment are few. Besides the Sprinter and ProMaster mentioned above, there's the Ford Transit and the GMC Savanna, which is the mechanical twin to the Express. All are fairly bare bones, but the Express is particularly so. Even basic safety features like forward collision warning cost extra. The Chevy, however, costs thousands less than the alternatives, and its optional V8 engine is impressively powerful.