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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  I love my Alero! - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By tldore - July 12 - 10:00 am

  I really like my 99 Alero..but i am a bit worried aobut what i have read regarding the brakes..cause i noticed the brakes in mine didnt seem to be very good when i first tried it out, but I just fell in love with the outside design of car. I have the gold edition, 4 cylinder and i think its beautiful and fun to drive. I think Oldsmobile means good quality too.

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  Typical GM Quality - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By GMCustomerNoMore - July 10 - 11:33 am

  The one thing I can count on with the Alero is that Ill have to spend $600 every year to replace a wheel speed sensor. The brake rotors warp, it has hard starting, it needed a head gasket replacement, it has shaky side mirrors, it has a terrible front cup holder design, and now it has an intermittent power window problem with the drivers door. These problems have all piled up to ensure that my next car will not be from GM. At least my car is stylish (okay, for 2001 maybe), fun to drive, peppy, and has never left me stranded at the side of the road (knock on wood). I dont know why GM insists on using replacement wheel speed sensors with the same defect as the original, and why they cant make the 3.4L start like every other car -- only 2-3 seconds of cranking!

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  A good first car, does have some known issues. - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By n8ech - July 9 - 5:50 am

  We have two Aleros in our family. Our daughter drives an 01, and I just pickes up an 02 for our son. The Alero is a decent sized comfortable car with quite a few amenties for the money. We paid $4800 for the 01 with 74k 1 owner, and $3700 for the 02 with 55k one owner as well I should add the 02 has some hail damage and needed the lower intake gasket replaced. Both have leather and a power driver seat. Given a choice, the 3.4L V6 is the better engine even considering the gasket issue. I am getting 30 mpg highway

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  2001 Alero - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Cornholeo - May 29 - 2:00 am

  Excellent vehicle. 160K miles and less than $1500.00 maintenance expenses. Highly recommend for anyone responsible enough to own a vehicle....

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  Great car at the price - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Dan Adamski - May 24 - 10:00 am

  First Olds I have had in many years. have been driving and audi and volvo. car handels very well and cannot beat preformance and economy. I drive car very hard and have had no problems .

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  Good Alero! - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By eldo - April 25 - 10:00 am

  This is a great small car. I traded a compact SUV in on this and I do miss the added room in the SUV compared to this car. The room is adequate with the rear seats folded down. It has very good performance and seems tight and quiet. The ride is solid and handling is great with the 50 series, 16" GoodYear Eagles that came on it! I had two small problems; the outside, drivers side mirror and the inside rear view mirror came off. Both problems were taken care of on the spot and the dealer people were very courteous. No complaint with service! I feel this car is just as good as imports from Japan in the same price range!

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  Alero GLS - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By CAR CRITIC - April 17 - 2:00 am

  I HAVE A 2000 ALERO GLS THAT HAS V6. EXCELLENT POWER WITH EXCEPTIONAL GAS MILEAGE (30 MPG HIGHWAY). THE BAD PART IS TORQUE STEER. THE CAR DOES NOT STEER WELL UNDER FULL THROTTLE. MY GLS MODEL HAS THE INTERIOR OF A MUCH MORE EXPENISVE CAR. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS WITH BRAKES. THE NEW PADS EAT ROTORS LIKE CRAZY. THE CAR HAS TONS OF LIGHTS ON THE DASH TO TELL EVERY LITTLE PROBLEM IT HAS WHICH COME ON TOO FREQUENTLY. THE DECK LID ALSO LEAKS INTO THE TRUNK WHEN IT IS OPENED AFTER A GOOD RAIN. THE CAR IS VERY FLASHY FOR ITS PRICE RANGE, AND HAS GREAT POWER WITH THE V6, BUT THE CAR COULD USE SOME REFINEMENT ESPECIALLY THE BRAKES.

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  Absolute Base Model Review - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Johnny - April 8 - 11:58 pm

  2.2L EcoTec engine is decently powered for being in a bigger sedan. The instrument panels are very basic like just the bare essentials. Radio is different from the other models. its actually different from the one shown in the owners manual. The window clips that hold the window on a non-power window do become very fragile in advanced age. Only 2 major issues that have happened was transmission lines busting and brake lines busted all in spots which were difficult to repair by myself. There is one nagging issue but is very common and that is the security lock out upon start. The other slight issue is simply the road, between noise and comfort of ride. As the driver i have never had an issue with comfort in the front seat. My passengers tell me the front passenger seat is fine but the back feels like you are dragging the road. I would say this could be suspension. However, i replaced the whole nine yards of it, making it brand new parts. One major recommendation with an Alero (and any car for that matter), is to always do the regular maintenance because as it wears out, the way the car runs and rides becomes rough in this car. I know this due to the Condition of it when I purchased the vehicle in 2012.

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  What a deal..... - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By vodie - March 28 - 10:00 am

  I needed to replace a mini-van that was worn out and I was plain tired of minivans. Honda Element... too wierd, Honda Civic..too small, Accord...too $$. I have owned a couple Hondas and they have the occasional quality issue anemic heaters etc. A used car lot had a Buick Rendez. and noticed a dozen 2004 Alero program cars. They were clean, comfortable, and CHEAP. I got an 6cyl, with ABS, power seat, CD and wing. Hey this is comfy and I was out the door for $11000 and they took my Chevy APV with a bad tranny on trade. The Alero is nice, ABS is good compared to the unrefined ABS Chevy put in the APV in 1995. There is a fit problem with the center dash vent. I am HAPPY and NOT car poor.

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  60000 and Counting - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By wkinkaid - March 15 - 5:16 pm

  After renting an Alero, we decided to move away from Ford for a while and bought a 2002 GL1. This car was solid until 40K. I feel things like the steering rack, gaskets, struts, brakes and fuel pumps shouldnt fail until 100K or more. Just glad we bought the extended warranty this time. Too bad for us the value has went down and we are forced to keep it. GM shows that being the biggest doesnt mean being the best.