Oldsmobile Alero ModelsOldsmobile Alero is available as two-door coupe and four-door sedan. Each is available in three trim levels, GX, GL, and GLS. A 150-horsepower, 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine is standard on GX and GL. A 170-horsepower 3.4-liter V6 is optional on the GL and standard on the top-of-the-line GLS. The 5-speed manual transmission is standard on the base-model GX and available on GL trim. GLS comes standard with an automatic transmission, which is also available on the other models. All Aleros come with four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, traction control, a four-wheel independent suspension, and hydraulic engine mounts. Our GLS sedan test car came with the performance suspension package, which includes a sports suspension, high-performance tires, and 16-inch alloy wheels. The Alero sedan competes with the Mazda 626, Toyota Camry, Ford Taurus, Chrysler Sebring, Honda Accord, Volkswagen Jetta, and Nissan Altima. The Alero coupe competes with the Dodge Stratus, Honda Accord Coupe and Toyota Solara. Driving the Oldsmobile AleroThe Oldsmobile Alero actually makes everyday commuting much less of a chore. Our GLS offered more grip than we would have expected from such a high-volume family car. It's easy to credit the GLS model's larger P225/50R-16 Goodyear Eagle LS Touring tires mounted on wider alloy wheels. However, Oldsmobile's engineers have optimized the suspension system to deliver the ride and handling demanded by import-oriented customers. The front and rear suspension struts attach to the car through intermediate subframes, which allow the springs to keep the tires in firm contact with the road without transmitting a lot of harshness to occupants. An ultra-stiff floor pan allows for more compliant suspension travel in the interest of smoothness. The large tires on the GLS impart a somewhat heavy feel to the steering, which, like most cars from GM, has a slight dead spot at straight-ahead. But overall the steering feels quick and precise. This steering response makes the driver feel connected to the road. The Alero is taut, yet remarkably free of rattles over potholes. A bit of road noise and vibration dampened our enthusiasm slightly. The 3.4-liter V6 that is standard on GLS delivers good mid-range torque. That means you've got good power for making passes on two-lane roads. This V6 is also clean enough to qualify for California's stringent Low Emissions Vehicle rating, but with 170-horsepower on tap still makes for an entertaining driver. The four-speed automatic transmission works well with the engine and offers smooth, positive shifts. We haven't tried out the Alero's new five-speed manual transmission, but we expect it to be a good one. Getrag, a German manufacturer renowned for superb manual gearboxes, builds it, and a new plant in Italy produces the transaxle. This new 5-speed manual gearbox should make the standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine an attractive alternative to the more expensive V6. All Aleros come standard with anti-lock brakes and electronic traction control. ABS allows the driver to maintain steering control of the car during emergency braking maneuvers. Traction control reduces wheelspin under hard acceleration. The traction control system uses ABS wheel-speed sensors that detect when the front wheels are spinning; torque is then reduced by upshifting the transmission, retarding ignition timing and, if necessary, cutting fuel to the injectors. Oldsmobile says this system has proven to be more effective than other traction control systems that use both power reduction and brake application to maintain control. A switch allows the driver to turn the system off if necessary, such as if the car is stuck in a snow bank. |