Overview & Reviews

Following a string of truly forgettable small-car efforts in the 1980s and '90s, Oldsmobile celebrated its centennial anniversary by introducing the all-new Alero to compete with the popular and well-established import competition of the day. While it failed to truly capture the hearts and minds of consumers or chalk up many conquest sales, Olds' small car story ended on an upbeat note with a stylish and decently designed effort.

Available as a sedan or coupe, the Oldsmobile Alero was considered by most to be a sporty-looking car thanks to its bulging wheelwells, sleek greenhouse, fluted side panels and large jewellike taillights. The front-drive Alero was also relatively entertaining to drive. Buyers could choose four-cylinder or V6 power. Initially, the Alero came with an automatic transmission only, but a five-speed manual eventually made an appearance.

Handling was nicely balanced and braking was strong. Inside, an artfully designed two-tone dash faced comfortable front seats that were firm and supportive. All controls were easy to see and use, with large knobs and buttons. Unfortunately, all-around refinement didn't match that of the leading imports.

The phase-out of the Oldsmobile brand spelled the end for the Alero. For a shopper interested in an affordable used coupe or sedan from the early 2000s, the Oldsmobile Alero should do nicely as long as one is aware of the car's faults and lame-duck heritage. Service can be handled at select GM dealerships -- you might want to focus on Pontiac, as the Alero was mechanically similar to the Grand Am.

Most Recent Oldsmobile Alero

The Oldsmobile Alero debuted in 1999 as a replacement for the slow-selling Achieva. Coupe and sedan body styles were offered, as were three main trim levels: entry-level GX, midgrade GL and top-line GLS. GX and GL models came standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that made 150 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. Optional on GL and standard on GLS was a 3.4-liter V6 that made 170 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque. The only transmission choice at the time was a four-speed automatic.

Incremental improvements saw it through the next several years. A year after the car's debut, Olds offered a sport-tuned suspension package for the GL. For 2001, an optional five-speed manual transmission became available on four-cylinder models, and the car's antilock braking system was updated. If you're looking at four-cylinder Aleros, take note that for 2002 Oldsmobile replaced the 2.4-liter engine with a quieter and more fuel-efficient 2.2-liter engine. It made 140 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque.

Inside, we found the Oldsmobile Alero offered a user-friendly control layout and seats that were generally comfortable -- though materials quality throughout was a step or two behind that of competing imports; even the leather in the GLS looked and felt too much like vinyl. For those with lots to carry, though, both the coupe and sedan offered a generous 14.6 cubic feet of trunk capacity.

Although neither engine was particularly quiet, the four-cylinder provided adequate power in most situations while the V6 delivered spirited performance. The Alero's suspension tuning was firm and allowed some fun around twists and turns, yet ride quality remained smooth enough to make the Olds suitable for weekday commuting. The steering offered little in the way of road feel, however, and the brakes were strong but could be difficult to modulate due to an overly stiff pedal.

User Reviews:

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  junk - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By teresa - December 24 - 4:56 pm

  I have had nothing but problems with my alero.I have had it for 3 years and now it is nothing but a big problem. I have replaced brakes constantly. Had the fuel pump replaced and the timing chain broke which cost me to end up having the motor replaced.These cars to me are junk but needless to say I still have this junk car because I still owe on it.

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  RUN THE OTHER WAY!!!!!! - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By chocokitty - December 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 99 gl3 9/29/2002. 1st in shop 10/02/2002. In 3 mon. Ive had it theyve replaced: fuel pump&filter,#2coils,battery,+ cable,plug wires,reprogrammed pcm,replaced all window trim,cowl&door vapor shield,dome light,seat belt retractor,window reg.,rear door handle,driver mirror.Car still has problems! Sometimes wont start. Been in shop at least 10 times for that alone. They say theyre in Dark about it. Warranty runs out TODAY! Found out today that before I bought car previous owner had problems too. Car not starting, battery no good,engine leaking oil from front of it,lower intake gasket leaking,rotor problem,etc.Too much to list!

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  GM fooled me once but never again! - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By ihateGM! - November 26 - 10:00 am

  This was my first new car buy ever. Peeling dashboard at 36K miles, rack & pinion and tie rods needed replaced at 38K miles. And Ill spare you all the other repairs under $500. Yes, Im still driving it after 10 years, but when your car has $0 trade-in value at year 4, what choice does one have? (The dealer says to replace the dashboard is over $2000 to repair). My father was UAW and I never thought Id say this but my next car wont be an American brand. GM, shame on you! The government bailout money will be the last penny of mine youll ever get from me.

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  Junk - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By sharon - October 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car used to save gas driving to work in Feb 10. The car had 135,000 miles on it when I got, I have nothing but problems with it. The car started overheating after I bought it and the intake gasket had to be replaced, passenger window gets stuck down, the dash material is rolling up, replaced water pump, replaced catalyst converter, replaced over fill tank and now I have to put another $300.00 in it because there is a gas leak around the intake because a valve is broke off. I would not recommend anyone to buy this car.

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  .....at least its pretty inexpensive! - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By JennO. - August 21 - 10:00 am

  Going from always having driven Hondas...this was a rude awakening! The only GM product I would consider in the future would be a truck/suv. The Alero is zippy and pretty fun to drive, but not the highest performing vehicle by any means....I like the V6 and would have been very unhappy I feel with the 4-cyl. I just hope I can sell it after hearing the crash test results!!!

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  Worst ever - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By MaineOwner - July 3 - 4:20 pm

  This is seriously the worst car Ive ever driven. I have owned my car for a few years now and i cant stand it. I have problems with EVERYTHING! The security is a pain because it always thinks Im stealing my own car and blinks security lights all the time. Every time i get in the car to drive it a new light on the dash board comes on. The only thing i like is the gas mileage and the way it handles on the road. The back seats are the most uncomfortable seats youll ever sit on, and i have had problems every winter with the anti-lock break system. Oh and i run out of gas all the time because it says i have 1/4 a tank of gas, but it is really empty. So i end up running out of gas completely.

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  Bucket of Bolts - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Dave - April 7 - 4:56 pm

  Whoever designed this car never drove it. It has poor quality, features that were poorly designed, and poor fuel economy for a 4-cylinder, manual transmission car. The engine has a fair amount of power, but the cockpit layout is not convenient. There is a sensor in the stereo that increases volume with speed, but there are no pockets in the doors for maps. It gets the exact same gas mileage that my 92 Grand Am with the 3.3L V6 and 3 speed auto transmission got. The interior feels cheap and pasticy (a hallmark of GM cars over the last 20 years). When the car was 40 months old (and the warranty expired) the emergency brake lever stopped working and the intermittent wipers went on the fritz.

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  Do Not Buy This Car - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By hatethiscar - February 8 - 2:03 pm

  I bought my Alero in 2002. The drivetrain has been fairly reliable except for some suspension problems. The real problem for me has been with the interior bits. Among other things, Ive run into: 1. Two speakers inexplicably stopped working. The worked just fined once I replaced them (with original wiring even). 2. The A/C controls are messed up. The fan will only work on the two highest settings. 3. It has a peeling dash. 4. I have four (count em!) non-working power windows. Ive had both front windows repaired multiple times, but they never seem to work longer than 6-8 months before failing again. This is, far and away, the most annoying problem Ive had with the car.

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  1999 Alero - lemons - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By TDJ - September 27 - 10:00 am

  If you like to fix cars this is the car for you. I owned this car for 2.5 years and replaced the radiator, water pump, tie rod ends, battery, & rotors. On occasion the transmission didnt engage right away, this always made me nervous. The final straw was when the valves started to go. It made a loud tapping sound in the engine so I traded it in. Dont buy one of these lemons!

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  Do not buy this as a primary vehicle!! - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Alero buyer beware - September 15 - 2:00 am

  within 5k miles from 48k, the serpentine belt squeals, still does- new one-($40), water pump went out ($110), alternator out ($210), wheel bearing ($320), intake manifold- distributor shaft oring, front main seal, leak oil,($1100) oem goodyear tires noisy($600+), aux power outlet broken ($110), rear defrost doesnt work ($105), driver seat wont flip foward for rear seat access($200) and more minor. changed the trans fluid - no dipstick. how are you supposed to check fluid?? Resale is also horrible = still paying payments (3 1/2 years left) as well as having to pay for major repairs. thats $2700 in repairs for a 3 1/2 yr old car.