2002 Oldsmobile Alero Midsize Car Reviews & Ratings

Aurora's influence on the Alero carries through to the expensive-looking interior. All the individual pieces fit together in a way that is natural without being ordinary, scientific without being flashy. The instruments, located under a deep, curved hood that keeps the sun off the faces, are large and legible. Audio controls are positioned in the center of the dash above the less-often-used rotary switches for the climate controls. Alero's interior colors, textures, and shapes are tastefully done and fit and finish appeared excellent in our car.

Alero's front bucket seats are supportive and hold you in place well when cornering. Interior space is comparable to other cars in this class, and the Alero accommodates large drivers with ease. We especially liked the seat-mounted three-point seat belts, which move fore and aft with the seat. They seem more comfortable around the shoulder than traditional belts mounted to the door frames.

For 2002, the console area was redesigned with a bigger cupholder, and storage capacity was increased for CDs.

Rear seats are surprisingly roomy, offering lots of headroom for taller passengers. All models now get child seat anchors in the package shelf. The trunk is big; at 14.6 cubic feet, it is significantly larger than the Honda Accord's 13.6 cubic feet of cargo space. The rear seats fold down for more space and are split for carrying one rear passenger and longer items at the same time. A low liftover height makes it easier to lift groceries and other cargo over the rear bumper.

This is an enjoyable car, whether on a long trip or running around doing chores.

When driven hard, our GLS delivered good grip, more than we expected from such a high-volume family car. The P225/50R-16 Goodyear Eagle LS Touring tires that came on our car are part of it. The other part is that 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 comes on the 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 nor the new four-cylinder Ecotec engine, but we expect it to be a good combination. Getrag, a German manufacturer renowned for superb manual gearboxes, builds the gearbox, while Lotus and GM designed the new engine.

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.

Oldsmobile Alero comes in two-door coupe and four-door sedan body styles. Each is available in three trim levels, GX, GL, and GLS. Sedan prices: GX ($17,210); GL ($18,620); GLS ($21,965). Coupe prices are nearly identical.

For 2002, a new four-cylinder engine comes standard on GX and GL models. Designed by GM and Lotus, the all-aluminum 2.2-liter dual overhead-cam engine delivers significantly improved fuel economy (3 mpg) over the previous four-cylinder engine. A 170-horsepower 3.4-liter V6 is optional on the GL ($655) and standard on the top-of-the-line GLS.

All Aleros come standard with a four-speed automatic transmission. However, a five-speed manual transmission is an option for GX and GL2 trim levels, giving the buyer a $785 credit by opting out of the automatic.

Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS comes standard along with traction control.

A Performance Suspension Package ($250) is available for GLS models that includes a sports suspension, high-performance tires. GLS models come standard with 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.