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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  2002 Alero Sedan GLS - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By John62 - May 30 - 10:00 am

  I have rented the Alero 5 times while on business. I needed a second family car. I like the features for the price. I compared this car to the Grand AM and other similar foreign cars. I purchased the GLS will all the options and the 6 cyl motor. The performance and suspension options make this car perform better than most of the cars in the price category.

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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 for the price, few problems - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Chelle - May 26 - 7:53 pm

  I got this vehicle after totaling my Dodge Dakota. I am definitely more pleased with it than I was the truck. I read after we had the car for about a year that there were many complaints about it, especially the dash and inside door material peeling up. I have put quite a few miles, a lot of them aggressive-driving miles, and have only had the air go out (turned out that a cap was missing-less than a couple dollars to fix) and the ignition was not recognizing my key, so the car shut down. That cost me about 300. Also, sometimes blinkers quit working, then suddenly come back on. But so far, so good with anything Major.

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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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  This Car is a Piece of Junk - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By MikenStephIndy - May 2 - 10:00 am

  All of the windows have fallen out of their power window track at least once. The battery leaked at 30K miles. The Low Trac light always comes on when backing up. The hazard light switch disappeared into the dashboard. The doors sometimes fail to unlock with the key fob. The plastic interor pieces are multi-colored and snapping or breaking off. Im praying that it will hold together long enough for me to trade it in on a Nissan Altima (V6). In the past year it has began to consume oil and anti-freeze. And, the power steering pump is slowly leaking which means, just like all the other GM cars Ive had, the rack will go out at 80K.

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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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  Love my Alero GLS - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Josh - April 25 - 12:53 am

  Other than oil changes, brake pads and one warranty head gasket this car has run like a champ. It has been dependable with no problems. I will probably put another 85,000 miles on it before I replace it.

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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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  Fun to drive - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By alero1 - April 17 - 2:00 am

  This car is really fun to drive. Ive owned it for 11 months, 11,000 miles. No problems except for a slow leak in one tire. Quiet, great stereo, comfortable, even for a larger person.

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  Major repairs required every 10,000 miles - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By debducttape - April 14 - 8:04 am

  I have had this car longer than any other vehicle I have owned, not because it is quality, but because it is so frequently broken down, sitting at the shop or waiting for my husband to repair it. Things that have broken: Transmission (over $1400 with 4 mechanics still not fixed) Security like comes on, blinks for exactly 10 minutes during which time, the car will not start ($400 to repair) Breaks repaired 3-4 times including replacing all the break line ($400 - work done mostly by my husband) Gas gauge says empty (have not repaired yet) AC dead ($325- still not fixed) Lots more, but I am running out of space. Overall, I could have bought 2 more of these crap cars for repair $$