Alero, smallest car from Oldsmobile, conforms as either a two-door coupe or four-door sedan in the compact class with four trim grades supporting either four-cylinder or V6 engine. The EcoTec 2.2-liter four-pack engine, which appeared in 2002, musters a hardy 140 hp and drops into Alero's base GX and GL1 models with a four-speed automatic transaxle or a manual five-speed. The General's workhorse 3.4-liter V6, primed to 170 hp, becomes a low-cost option for Alero GL1, although it's standard for GL2 and deluxe GLS with the four-speed automatic. Alero's 2003 models gain the option of XM satellite radio service.
