What year did the Chevy Lumina come out?
The Chevy Lumina first came out as the 1990 model year, with sales beginning in late 1989.
The Lumina name covered both a sedan and a minivan variant. The sedan appeared in two main generations during the 1990s (1990–1994 and 1995–1999), while the Lumina APV minivan carried the Lumina name for its own market niche starting with the 1990 model year.
Release timeline and generations
Here is the concise timeline for the Lumina sedan’s two generations.
- First generation (1990–1994): The Lumina sedan was introduced as Chevrolet’s mid-size replacement for the Celebrity, built on GM’s front-wheel-drive W-body platform.
- Second generation (1995–1999): A redesigned Lumina with updated styling and features, continuing in the mid-size segment.
These two generations define the primary production span for the Lumina sedan in the United States during the 1990s. After 1999, Chevrolet gradually shifted emphasis toward newer models, with the Lumina name fading from the mainstream lineup.
Lumina variants and related models
Beyond the sedan, the Lumina name was also used for the Lumina APV minivan, which entered the market for the 1990 model year as a separate variant. The APV family continued alongside the Lumina sedan for much of the 1990s, offering a different body style while sharing branding and platform lineage.
Summary
The Chevy Lumina first appeared in the 1990 model year, with sales starting in late 1989. It was produced in two primary sedan generations through 1999, and the Lumina name gradually gave way to newer Chevrolet models as the lineup evolved. The Lumina APV minivan carried the Lumina branding in a distinct vehicle type during much of the same period.
