All engines have enough torque to move a fully loaded van
Towing and payload capabilities are at or near the top of this class
Cons
No high-roof cargo option
Harsher ride than most rivals
Dated touchscreen interface and interior styling
What’s new
Last year's base 4.8-liter V8 has been replaced by a 4.3-liter V6 with similar horsepower and torque ratings. The 6.0-liter V8 again supports compressed natural gas (CNG) conversion. A rearview camera, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and hill start assist are now standard, and a blind-spot monitor has been added to the options list. Several new packages, including the Safety, Communications and Enhanced Convenience packages, are now available. Eight- and 10-passenger seating configurations are no longer available.
Vehicle overview
While minivans are perfect for transporting most families, they simply aren't suitable for those who need to seat a large number of people or have substantial cargo requirements. A full-size passenger van such as the 2018 GMC Savana is the only answer. While typical minivans can only seat eight, the Savana has room for 12, or even 15 if you opt for the long-wheelbase version. The large, flexible seating solutions make a vehicle such as the Savana ideal for large families or shuttle operators.
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AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Issue reported
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
Listing Information:
VIN: 1GJZ7PFG4J1240284 Stock: 240284 Certified Pre-Owned: No Listed since: 07-30-2025
Like passenger vans of yore, the Savana utilizes an old-school body-on-frame construction similar to a pickup truck. Its heavy-duty bones give it the ability to tow and carry more than most competitors, which rely on a unibody structure that gives them lower payload capabilities. Unfortunately, the Savana's truck frame gives it a rougher ride than its rivals, and its advanced age means modern advanced safety aids are practically nonexistent. Its touchscreen interface is relatively ancient for the same reason. Even in a class built for function over form, the cabin looks much older and is filled with lower-quality materials than those of its rivals. You also can't order the Savana in a high-roof variant. Though the 2018 Savana enjoys excellent towing and payload ratings, there aren't enough benefits to recommend this aging workhorse.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
The 2018 GMC Savana is a full-size van that can seat up to 15 people. Though its towing and payload capabilities are top-notch, rival vans are simply more livable. The Savana's aging architecture, disappointing interior and lack of roof height options make it uncompetitive.
Trim tested
The ratings in this review are based on our cumulative experience with the current-generation GMC Savana.
Driving
Even the standard-wheelbase Savana is a large vehicle, and it drives like one. Tidy handling and accurate steering are not among the big GMC's marching orders. The upgraded V8 engine is responsive, though, and easily gets the van up to highway speeds, even with a full load of passengers.
Comfort
The driver and front passenger are divided by an enormous center bulge covering some of the engine and transmission, the width of which causes the driver to feel squeezed even in this large vehicle. The basic controls are easy to find and simple to use, but comforts are few.
Interior
Unlike many in this segment, the GMC Savana offers seating for up to 15 passengers. (Most others max out at 12.) Unfortunately, a high roof is not on the options list. Compared to rival vans, passengers will have to duck more as they enter and exit the vehicle.
Utility
The cargo area behind the rear seat measures 92.1 cubic feet, good enough to store everyone's carry-on luggage. You can also turn the Savana into a makeshift cargo van by removing all the seats. This increases cargo volume to 252.8 cubic feet in the extended-wheelbase model.
Technology
The Savana isn't the most technologically advanced van on the market, with just a two-speaker sound system, AM/FM radio and an auxiliary port as standard. A USB port, a CD player and navigation can be added, but the optional touchscreen's user interface is dated compared to those of other GMC models.
Which Savana does Edmunds recommend?
The search for the perfect GMC Savana begins with evaluating your needs. The 3500, with its higher gross vehicle weight rating, is perfect for drivers who will frequently load the Savana with lots of passengers. The extended-wheelbase version is even better, allowing for extra storage space or an additional row of seating. Upgrading to the LT costs very little, and its added features are beneficial to driver and passengers alike.
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
2018 GMC Savana models
The 2018 GMC Savana is a large van with numerous seating configurations and room for 12 people. (Its Savana Cargo sibling retains the front two seats and uses the rest of the interior as an expansive cargo area.) It's available in two load ratings, 2500 and 3500, and in two trims, the base LS and the LT. Additionally, the 3500 can be ordered in a long wheelbase, which increases the length of the floor by 20 inches. You can keep the extra space for additional cargo room or add another row, good for seating up to 15 passengers (a 2-3-3-3-4 configuration).
By default, the rear-wheel-drive Savana is powered by a 4.3-liter V6 (276 horsepower, 298 pound-feet of torque) paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Alternate powertrains are available if the standard V6 doesn't meet your requirements, including a 6.0-liter V8 (341 hp, 373 lb-ft) matched to a six-speed automatic and a 2.8-liter diesel four-cylinder engine (181 hp, 369 lb-ft) with an eight-speed automatic.
Standard features on the LS model include 16-inch steel wheels, a 60/40-split opening passenger door, 12-passenger seating (2-3-3-4 with a 50/50-split back row), air conditioning, power windows and locks, a rearview camera, a driver information display, vinyl upholstery and floor covering, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, GM's OnStar emergency communications, a 120-volt household-style power outlet, and a two-speaker audio system with an AM/FM stereo and an auxiliary port.
A tilt-only steering wheel and cruise control are standard on 3500 models and optional on the 2500 via the Driver Convenience package. Opting for the extended-wheelbase 3500 adds rear air conditioning, which is available as a separate option for the other LS models.
Stepping up to the LT adds front and rear chrome bumpers, remote locking and unlocking, cloth upholstery, carpeted flooring, rear air conditioning, and the tilt-only steering wheel and cruise control for the 2500.
Many of the features added by the LT are available on LS models as well. A bundle containing a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a CD player, a USB port and a navigation system is available for any Savana model. Other stand-alone options include power-adjustable and heated mirrors, rear parking sensors, a blind-spot monitor, a heavy-duty locking rear differential, remote engine start, a sliding rear door, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power-adjustable front seats and satellite radio. A number of these features are available as part of packages for the 2500 model in LS trim; these include the Communications, Safety and Enhanced Convenience packages.
Some features and packages are available only when the appropriate body type is selected. The Paratransit package for extended-wheelbase 3500 models removes the rear seat and reverts to vinyl floor coverings.
The 2018 GMC Savana has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 7 recalls. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 3 out of 5, ranks it #1 out of 24 among Commercial Vans. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Reliability Rating by RepairPal
3 out of 5 stars3/5Above Average
#1 out of 24 among Commercial Vans
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$695/yr
vs. $851/yr for Average Commercial Van
Frequency
1.15x/yr
vs. 1.96x/yr for Average Commercial Van
Severity
17.3%
vs. 17.8% for Average Commercial Van
powered by RepairPal
Recalls
7 recalls found
Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
Recall Number:
23V247000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N222386050
Number of vehicles affected:
150830
Defect Description:
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2003-2023 Chevrolet Express Cutaway and GMC Savana Cutaway incomplete vehicles equipped with wiring for an optional rear heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. When the HVAC blower motor circuit is left unused with exposed connectors and wiring, the circuit can corrode and overheat.
Defect Consequence:
An overheated electrical circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Corrective Action:
Dealers will properly seal the rear HVAC blower motor circuits at the left side B-pillar, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GMC's number for this recall is N222386050.
Recall Number:
21V115000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N212329050
Number of vehicles affected:
33838
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Defect Consequence:
Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 12, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
Recall Number:
19V428000
Manufactured from:
2017-10-20 to 2018-11-13
Number of vehicles affected:
325
Defect Description:
Unicell Body Company Inc. (Unicell) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, 2018-2019 Hino 155, Ford Econoline and Transit and Isuzu NPR, and 2018 Ram ProMaster-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed.
Defect Consequence:
The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
Unicell will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners and offer a remedy, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service 1-800-384-4400 or Unicell at 1-716-853-8628.
Recall Number:
19V387000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
N192218960
Manufactured from:
2015-07-31 to 2019-03-29
Number of vehicles affected:
1159
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. One or both of the rear-quarter windows may be tempered glass instead of laminated glass. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Defect Consequence:
Tempered glass increases the risk of injury in the event of a side impact or rollover crash.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the tempered glass windows with laminated glass windows, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192218960.
Recall Number:
18V655000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
18299
Manufactured from:
2016-02-05 to 2018-09-18
Number of vehicles affected:
30289
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a single, manual, rear climate control module (CCM). If the temperature is set to maximum heat or the mode knob is set to maximum floor vent and an electrical short occurs, components within the CCM may overheat.
Defect Consequence:
If the CCM overheats, there is an increased risk of a fire in the vehicle's headliner.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the electrical insulation from a wiring connector within the CCM to remove the fire risk, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18299.
Recall Number:
18V509000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
18255
Manufactured from:
2017-08-14 to 2017-11-01
Number of vehicles affected:
94
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles with certain combinations of front-tire and gross-vehicle-weight option codes. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) may be incorrectly calibrated, causing the TPMS warning lamp to illuminate when tire pressure reaches 37 PSI, not 41 PSI. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Defect Consequence:
If the low tire pressure telltale is not illuminated at the correct tire pressure, the driver may have less time to react to a low-tire-pressure situation, which could affect the driver's ability to control the vehicle in certain situations and could increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will check the PSI information on the remote control door lock receiver (RCDLR) and tire placard match, and if the information is different the RCDLR will be reprogrammed. This repair will be done free of charge. The recall began August 27, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18255.
Recall Number:
18V267000
Manufacturer Recall Number:
18146
Manufactured from:
2008-10-13 to 2013-11-06
Number of vehicles affected:
6154
Defect Description:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD, 2009 GMC Topkick 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 Series and Isuzu F Series, and 2009-2018 Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana vehicles, equipped with certain Plastic-Handle Fire Extinguishers or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
Defect Consequence:
In the event of a fire, if the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury.
Corrective Action:
GM will notify owners, instructing them to contact Kidde to get a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began June 11, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Isuzu customer service at 1-866-441-9638. GM's number for this recall is 18146.
My Savanna is a conversion that looks
and performs up to expectations and
turns heads. I would not have
purchased one of these vans based on
standard features/factory trim. The
dashboard and interiors are too flat
and plasticky and the bumpers/mirrors
are black plastic. Both of these
detractions were remedied by the
conversion - wood dash trim and
painted … bumpers/mirrors. The ride is
very stable and makes the van much
more akin to daily driving. My old
Astro AWD had a best of 20 mpg, while
the Savanna gets 18-19 mpg top end.
The braking is very good and the
engine performance is excellent.
1999 Savanna Cargo Van
5 out of 5 stars
Kevin, 12/02/2017
1999 GMC Savana G1500 SLE 3dr Van
Gets 16 Mpg with or w/o load. Handles balanced on Highway. Brakes well but get overheated easily in traffic lights. Stay away from Los Angeles commuting in rush hour. Very safe driver visibility like an aircraft. 400,000 on my chassis with one time ball joint and center link replacements. Second engine has a hundred thousand miles on it and purrs like a kitten. It has 450,000 miles on … the chassis. I have replaced the shock absorbers, bushing, p/s gear box, control arms and more. Truck runs perfect when I maintain it.
2500 PRO PACKAGE
4 out of 5 stars
Don Schwartz, 02/22/2016
2003 GMC Savana 1500 AWD 3dr Van (5.3L 8cyl 4A)
I'm very surprised doing the value, comparison there is NO 2500 3/4TON AWD model to choose from. Only a 1500 series. Also the Pro Package has 2 double long air assisted opening panels, one on each side where the windows would normally be. Custom 12 volt interior lighting. Electronic transmission towing switch on instrument panel. The 5.3L Vortex engine is to die for. As with all … GMC/CHEVY exterior primer and paint SUCK! My van may be 13 years old but has less than 78,000 miles. On the 10th year after the RUST warranty disappeared so did the paint from the primer. Primer installed oh so thin and never properly adhered to the cheap paint used. Had an 1985 CHEVY 3/4 TRUCK that did the same thing with the paint. Thought somehow GMC would be better quality, top of the line. NO WAY! If you plan on getting a Chevy or GMC and keep it for any extended period, then PLEASE take my word for it, YOU WILL BE REPAINTING the vehicle. Rain water works behind the paint dislodging huge sections at a time. Vortex engine is fantastic. Could have enhanced performance and economy with electric fans on the radiator (push/pull setup) and an electric water pump. This setup would have reduced unneeded drag on the 5.3L topped off with a cold air intake. But we are all aware of each and every penny that's saved in construction, goes in someone's back pocket. As a great woman once said, if you want it done right, do it yourself.
The Family Cruiser
4.75 out of 5 stars
Carl Mundell, 11/30/2004
2000 GMC Savana G3500 SLE 3dr Ext Van
We have owned our GMC Savana for almost five
years now. The van is always a
pleasure to drive. I have a large
family and we designed the van to meet
our needs. The van was the first
extended van the conversion company
created. It sets nine, six captain
chairs and a fold down bench in the
back. The van glides down the highway
and has had only one recent mechanical …
problem. The sending unit in the gas
tank went bad. My only interior
problem has been the interior panels on
the back door staying in place when
they are closed. My everyday MPG is
about 12.5 and trips are between 14.5
to 16. I believe thats very good for a
1 ton extended van fully loaded with a
large cargo carrier on top.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 GMC Savana, so we've included reviews for other years of the Savana since its last redesign.
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