2014 Chevrolet City Express Van: First Look
The latest entry into the growing commercial vehicle segment is from Chevrolet with its new City Express Van. It will be introduced during the 2014 Chicago Auto Show. Based off a shared platform with the Nissan NV200, the City Express will slot into the small-van market (think Ford Transit Connect) specifically designed for small businesses and companies in need of efficient, maneuverable cargo-haulers that will get strong fuel economy.
The City Express will be the smallest player in GM's fleet and commercial portfolio. It has a 115-inch wheelbase, yet offers almost 125 cubic feet of cargo capacity (that's more than a Suburban), and 1,500 pounds of payload (that's more than some half-ton pickups). Similar to its Nissan NV200 twin, the City Express cargo area will be very flexible, allowing owners to customize the interior walls with shelving, storage bins, hangers and just about any other industry-specific convenience you can imagine.
Mechanically the City Express has a naturally low center of gravity. It uses a MacPherson strut front suspension, a live tag axle and leaf springs in back, electric power assisted steering and front disc brakes (the rears are drums).
The City Express' powertrain uses a Nissan-sourced DOHC 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder that produces 131 horsepower and 139 pounds-feet of torque; it is mated to the most recent version of Nissan's continuously variable transmission. The little van also offers 60/40 swing-out doors (both of which open 180 degrees), a fold-down passenger seat for a flat workspace, standard floor mats, six floor tiedowns, power windows and door locks, and much more.
Pricing has not been announced but City Express will offer two trim levels, the LS and LT, and will have many premium packaging features that include navigation, satellite radio, a backup camera option and six standard airbags. The little Chevy van will have a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, five-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and Chevy's Complete Car two-year/24,000-mile free scheduled maintenance.
To download and read the 2015 Chevy City Express press release, click here.
Comments
It actually looks quite nice.
Even a 2.0 litre diesel variant with a few hundred foot pound of torque would come in nice as well.
It looks like the "Europeanization" of US vans has started in earnest. Although not the same Van the Renault Kangoo has some of the features of the Nissan.Renault-Nissan are now reporting as one company.
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/content/image/2/0/2013_renault_kangoo_australia_01_1-0308.jpg
TAXI !!!
looks better than the NV version.
I think Woody Allen's already ordered one!
You guys need to test this van. I would like to know how that CVT does loaded and unloaded.
This one looks better than the nissan version.
Its a Nissan with a Chevy nose! Now the small Euro/Asian van invasion is complete. Bye Bye big vans.
This van looks a lot better than the Nissan version, by far! now lets see Chevy do the same with the full size van! but the difference being the Express is already a very good van, just need some up-dates is all!
CVT.... they should have used their Cruze platform...
They should offer a diesel option. This would be a great van for businesses with a diesel especially repair and delivery services.
Don't you mean Nissan City Express Mark? Why does it say Chevrolet? Why does it have a Bowtie? Why do you call it a Chevrolet?
It's clearly not. Just buy a Nissan.
Ever driven a cvt transmission? Is great in my atv but in my moms sentra, no thanks, I'll pass.
prop it up on its rear doors.Start the count down to blast off. Is this nasa's new shuttle !lol lol
How sad that Chevrolet has to resort to modifying a Nissan van with their grill and emblems and then passing off a 99% Nissan as a Chevy. Maybe GM can modify new Camrys with Malibu grills and then finally have respectable sales to compete with Toyota. Can't GM design a mini cargo van by themselves like Ford? I guess not. This makes Chevrolet look cheap.
@Steve
The idea of product or vehicle sharing is the fact that costs are also shared.
The more Chev's that are sold also reduces the cost of the Nissan and the opposite can be stated for Nissan.
So, the best possible outcome is both brands selling good numbers of the similar/same product. This theoretically is supposed to reduce overall costs of the vehicle.
It's called rationalisation. This is the future and has been an ongoing process for decades in the automotive industry.
Another reality is does Chev have the money to invest into developing and manufacturing a van like this.
This style of vehicle is the future. In Europe I think Renault also has a variant of this van with a little diesel as well.
@ Big Al from Oz, I truly understand it has become a global economy but when supposedly vehicles from different manufacturers look almost identical, at what point is brand loyalty lost? I've never run a car company, but with the size of GM, I would think they could come up with their own Chevro-lized version somehow. I have always driven Chevys along with 1 Toyota, but this looks weird to me. This is nothing but a Nissan, but for the sake of conversation, I hope this "Chevy" van sells and keeps people working. BTW, I would love to see how much US content is built into this van just for giggles. But your point is taken.
Though this is not the Full Sized version of the Chevy Express, I really hope that GM will not have to mimic the Blue Print of a van from a different Auto Maker to update the current platform, the current Express is eveindence that Americans know how to Build and Engineer a reliable Full Sized Van without sharing a platform from a different Auto Maker, in due time, we'll know if they'll keep it that way just as they did for their Full-Sized Trucks and SUV's.
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