The 2022 GMC Savana passenger van is a highly versatile and capable workhorse available with a choice of three engines, two lengths of wheelbase, and two trim levels: LS and LT.
While competitors like the Ford Transit and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter have been modernized to be more fuel-efficient and nimble, the Savana rolls into the 2022 model year nearly unchanged.
This GMC is an old-school van riding on a ladder-frame chassis like traditional full-size pickup trucks. In addition to being a passenger van with room for either 12 or 15 people, depending on the chosen wheelbase, the Savana is offered as a no-frills cargo van and even a “cutaway” model suitable for duty as everything from an ambulance to a small school bus to a delivery vehicle.
We’ll focus primarily on the 2022 GMC Savana in 2500 and 3500 passenger van configuration, though with a passing nod to the hard-working Savana Work Van variant, too.
In either LS or LT trim, there is a choice of three engines. These include the base 276-horsepower 4.3-liter V6; a 401-hp 6.6-liter V8 introduced last year; and a 181-hp turbo-diesel 4-cylinder. The 6.6-liter V8 with an optional trailering package unlocks the passenger van’s max towing capacity of 9,600 pounds. The base V6 and optional turbo-diesel have towing capacities of 6,700 and 6,300 pounds, respectively.
Let’s take a look at the Savana in greater detail to see what each trim and powertrain has to offer car shoppers looking for a no-nonsense cargo or work van.
2022 GMC Savana 2500 and 3500 LS (starting at $44,190)
Unlike many modern vehicles, the 2022 GMC Savana 2500 and 3500 LS don’t offer much in the way of fancy trim and options. The driver faces a wide expanse of hard-wearing plastic trim from behind the wheel, and the touch-screen displays found in nearly every current car and truck are notably absent.
On the other hand, with its choices of wheelbase, powertrain, and even the option to purchase it as a bare ladder frame with a cabin attached (called the Savana Cutaway), this GMC van is built to get a wide range of jobs done.
How many other vehicles do you know that offer Ambulance or Hotel Shuttle option packages?
The standard-wheelbase Savana passenger van has room for 12 onboard, though the extended wheelbase version pushes capacity to 15 in total.
Standard features include power door locks, front and rear air conditioning, hill start assist, vinyl seating surfaces, tire pressure monitor, AM/FM stereo with MP3 capability, Wi-Fi hot spot, manually-adjusted exterior mirrors, and a rearview camera. Cloth seats are optional for around $250, and further cabin upgrades include 6-way power-operated driver and front passenger seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, and USB port.
There are a handful of option packages that group together desirable features. This includes the Enhanced Convenience Package, which comes with cruise control, tilt steering wheel, remote start, keyless entry, 12 months of Onstar, and heavy-duty trailering equipment. It also brings along the optional 6.6-liter V8.
Also available is the Safety Package, which adds blind-spot monitoring and rear parking assist to items like cruise control, manual tilt steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and, once again, the 6.6-liter V8.
If kept at its base price, a Savana LS buyer financing for 60 months at 3% interest with no money down can expect to pay $668 each month. See 2022 GMC Savana 2500 LS models for sale and See 2022 GMC Savana 3500 LS models for sale
2022 GMC Savana LS includes:
- Space – The Savana offers space for 12 to 15 people, depending on the chosen wheelbase.
- Towing – With the 6.6-liter V6 and optional trailering package, the Savana can tow 9,600 pounds.
- Wi-Fi – While it offers nowhere near the tech features found in most cars and trucks, the Savana does come standard with a Wi-Fi hot spot.
2022 GMC Savana 2500 and 3500 LT (starting at $40,595)
Stepping up to the Savana passenger van in LT trim still affords GMC shoppers the same choice of two wheelbases and three engines.
The LT is notable for adding standard features like a tilt steering wheel, forward collision alert, lane departure warning, and remote keyless entry. Blind-spot monitoring is offered as a stand-alone feature and, considering the size of the Savana, it seems a steal at roughly $400 extra.
Other notable options on the Savana LT passenger van are the trailering package, a passenger-side sliding door, power-operated driver and front passenger seat, multi-function steering wheel, and engine block heater.
Even with everything thrown onto it, the 2022 Savana remains a fairly basic means of getting people, or things (more on this in a moment), from Point A to Point B.
With its starting price of $40,595, a Savana LT financed for 60 months at 3% interest with nothing paid at signing will cost around $729 per month. See 2022 GMC Savana 2500 LT models for sale and See 2022 GMC Savana 3500 LS models for sale
2022 GMC Savana LT includes:
- Safety items – Forward collision alert and lane departure warning are standard.
- Easier passenger access – Buyers can substitute a sliding side door for a traditional swing-out aperture.
- Utility – While it’s not fancy, the ladder-frame chassis of the Savana in LS or LT trim is meant to withstand lots of hard work and many miles.
2022 GMC Savana 2500 and 3500 Work Van (starting at $33,000)
If you’re looking for a basic means of hauling all sorts of cargo or work gear, the GMC Savana 2500 and 3500 in Work Van trim could be worth checking out. While it’s true that many rival work vans make this GMC (and its Chevy sibling, the Express) feel outdated, there’s something to be said for the Savana’s available horsepower and truck-like construction.
With this in mind, the Savana Work Van has options you won’t find many other places. For example, the Hotel Shuttle Package adds swing-out rear cargo doors, black vinyl front floor coverings, tilt steering wheel, front and rear chrome bumpers, 150-amp alternation, and the 6.6-liter V8. The Ambulance Package also comes with rubberized front floor coverings, along with fixed rear door windows and a wiring junction block.
If you need more passenger space, the Savana Work Van can be optioned with a second row of seating. Thankfully, adding it means this now five-passenger cargo van comes with a swing-out rear side door, rear side windows, rear air conditioning, and a rear auxiliary heater.
Starting at $33,000, a GMC Savana Work Van shopper financing for 60 months at 3% interest with zero down at signing would pay approximately $593 per month. See 2022 GMC Savana 2500 Work Van models for sale and See 2022 GMC Savana 3500 Work Van models for sale
2022 GMC Savana Work Van includes:
- Cargo room – Extended wheelbase versions offer more than 280 cubic feet of cargo room.
- Added seating – A second row of seating is optional and adds more interior comfort touches.
- Hotel and Ambulance packages – If you needed proof the Savana is meant for work, here it is.
