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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  More Than the Camry - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By Art - September 23 - 12:26 am

  I have had my Alero for five years with no problems. I prefer the handling and safety features over my sister-in-laws newer Camry. The only small problem has been brake rotor warping, which is common on all cars with ABS brakes in our hilly area. It is also a wonderful towed vehicle, behind the motor home. The automatic lights are great.

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  I LOVE THIS CAR - 2000 Oldsmobile Alero
  By bmatheis - September 22 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new and it has 70,000K on it now, the only things i have had to do on it is regular maintance and i am not babying it!

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  Beats a run of the mill honda or Toyota - 2004 Oldsmobile Alero
  By 04aleroGLS - September 14 - 12:40 am

  Is it just me or does everyone and their brother either have a Honda or a Toyota. It gets kind of sickening to me they are everywhere. I took a trip From Richmond VA to S.C., i was getting 35 miles per gallon with the V-6! Who ever had it before me did not do any preventative care to the car, I had to put a lot of work into it but it was worth it, I have asked all of my friends to keep an eye out for any GLS coupes in the Tri-cities area, and we still have not found one. That is what is the best thing about them, they are few and far between. IF you like everyone looking at your car and wondering what it is buy it. I get double and triple takes all the time.

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  2 Year Review - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By donutman - September 11 - 10:00 am

  This car has been very reliable over the two years I have owned it. I have not incured any breakdowns...yet. The car has had two problems, one of which the dealer resolved. The outside mirrors would vibrate while driving. This was solved by replacing both mirrors with parts of a newer design. The dealer has been unsuccesful in finding and removing any of the rattles and buzzes in the interior of the car. They were also not able to get rid of a strange sizzling type of noise from the back seat area caused by driving on wet surfaces.

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  Fun Car, but Buyer Beware - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By T - September 7 - 2:30 pm

  I bought my 1999 Oldsmobile Alero new in 2000 and only put on about 5,000 - 5,500 miles a year on it. The car has had no major problems other than the brakes which I have had to replace three times. Specifically, I replaced the brake pads three times and rotars once on all four wheels ($500.00 total). This is not too bad considering the car has been driven for six years. UNTIL.... the car hit 36,000 miles (funny right after the warranty ran out). The transmission went and it cost $1,900.00 to fix. There has been problems with the seals and gaskets to the tune of $400.00 and now it is in the shop for the alternator. This is all within the last 400 miles after turning 36,000. So, buyer beware. The car handles great, has awesome speed, and I love the ride - it is fun, but it only has so much life in it!!

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  Head Gasket - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By zig - September 5 - 8:53 pm

  This has been a good vehicle overall, but have had some problems with brakes. I just had to put a head gasket in this motor with 50,000 miles on it, GM warranty did cover the repair cost.

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  Alerio - 2002 Oldsmobile Alero
  By david angelo - September 3 - 10:00 am

  Great Car

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  Best Car I Have Owned - 1999 Oldsmobile Alero
  By td121402 - August 16 - 2:00 am

  The Alero is a great car. Without a doubt I am off the chart when it comes to miles driven/year. I bought my Alero with 23000 miles and within 12.5 months have 60000 miles on the odometer. If anyone can give an evaluation of a cars durability I can. When I bought the car the rotors were slightly warped. The dealer fixed the problem before I picked the car up. I only mention this because others on this site have mentioned rotor problems with this car. The problem has not returned in 36000 miles. No other problems

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  Owner - 2001 Oldsmobile Alero
  By dubldn42 - August 6 - 10:00 am

  This is the best car I have ever owned

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  My Alero Experience - 2003 Oldsmobile Alero
  By lisa - August 6 - 10:00 am

  This car is stylish and fun to drive - when it works. My brakes have been replaced 5 times, last time they put a special GM "kit" on so that it wont happen again. I have replaced the drive belt twice, the power steering pump twice, my radio antenna and air conditioning recently stopped working and Im tired of throwing money into it. I had one minor bumper scrape, it was expensive to fix, but it held up very well in the accident. Id say it was a lemon, but I am not the only person with these problems.