I recently rented a 4-door 2003 Oldsmobile Alero GL2 for a couple weeks. I was very impressed with the car but I had many concerns with the car which would steer me away from purchasing this car. I expected a sporty-looking but relatively slow car and was surprised to find that a quick-accelerating and smooth ride went along with the sporty look. I immediately felt that the Alero was smooth and quite quiet. During the 7.8 seconds of acceleration from 0-60, there is a comfortable low grumble from the engine which gives the car character and makes the driver feel in control.
The GL2 version on the Alero has some very nice added exterior features in addition to the stock features. The rear spoiler and the upgraded alloy wheels make the Alero a very attractive 4-door sedan. The 4-wheel disc brakes stop the car effectively and with confidence. The interior was well layed out and I felt that the trunk space was surprisingly large for a sport sedan. I had some problems with the stereo preset buttons though. I felt that the stereo was located a little too low and the buttons on the stereo were difficult to select, an important need for on-the-fly station changing.
On the last day I had the car, with about 800 miles for the life of the vehicle, I experienced an overheat on a 60 degree day. I was extremely disappointed with this, since my experience with the car was positive up to that point. I am not sure if this is a problem with 2003 Aleros in particular or if I was the victim of bad luck, but I was very concerned with this problem and thus would not and cannot recommend this car to purchase.
Without this overheating problem, the car exceeded my expectations. The ride was quiet, smooth and powerful. The interior was well layed-out and the exterior was sporty and sleek. Unfortunately, the car that I had was mechanically faulty and being a person of reliability, I was simply turned off. A car for those who want a sporty, nimble sedan with smaller kids who won't mind the small back seat area. Reliability may be an issue.
Amount Paid (US$): 29.99/day
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: GL2 Automatic