Vans have a lot going for them: they’re roomy, cheaper than an SUV, and they can be pretty badass in the right hands. Look no further than the guys at Haggard Garage if you need proof of this.

Perhaps because they’re falling by the wayside, or perhaps because GM really, really wants to grab the market’s attention, or both, the automaker will be offering its full-size vans equipped with a 2.8-liter Duramax inline-four motor by late next year for the 2017 model year. We think it’s just the sort of shot in the arm these vehicles need, after 20 years in production with next to no major updates.

The Duramax will pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission used in its full-size trucks, which should provide some better fuel economy than in previous models with a 6.0-liter V8 and four-speed automatic gearbox. Available models will be the 2500 and 3500 only, since the 1500 class had its production terminated in June of 2014.

Whether the Duramax vans win or fail will depend a lot on fleet sales, as a good number of full-size vans are devoted solely to business purposes. Mobile pet groomers, electricians, contractors, and other service industry professionals have a lot of use for a vehicle with large, spacious interiors, yet these GM models fall behind the competition (Ford’s Transit, Chrysler’s ProMaster, etc.) due to their lack of updates. In any case, it should be easy for GM to accommodate building these vans with the Duramax since the plant that builds the midsize Colorado and Canyon (which are also receiving the 2.8-liter Duramax) is one and the same, and it’s in St. Louis, Missouri.

What would you do with a full-size, Duramax-powered van? Let us know in the comments below.