2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette: Overview

Vehicle Highlights

This variation of the Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Montana is available with all-wheel drive and a DVD player for '02. Silhouette's body length is equivalent to extended-length versions of the Chevy and Pontiac. GL, GLS, and top-line Premiere Edition models are offered. Premiere comes with a rear-seat video-entertainment system, now with a DVD player instead of a VCR. All Silhouettes have dual sliding side doors with power operation available on one or both sides, depending on model. Front bucket seats and two 2nd-row captain chairs are standard. The 3rd row can be fitted with two captain chairs or a 3-passenger bench. In GLS and Premiere, the 3rd-row bench folds flush with a floor-level storage tray. Silhouette is available with front-wheel drive or GM's Versatrak all-wheel drive that includes independent rear suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. Traction control for front-drive models is optional on GL, standard on the others. All have a V6, automatic transmission, ABS, front side airbags, load-leveling suspension, and GM's OnStar assistance system. Rear-obstacle detection is standard on GLS and Premiere, optional on GL. Silhouette is slated to go out of production, though GM has not said when within the phaseout of Oldsmobile it will be terminated. GM confirms 2004 as the final model year for the brand. Silhouette's performance and accommodations mirror those of similarly equipped Ventures.

COMPETITION

Though the competition has heated up, we feel that the new Dodge Caravan is still one of the best minivans you can buy. It offers all of the creature comforts in a pleasing package at a fair price. Our other Best Buy is the Honda Odyssey. It's a little bit smaller than the Dodge, but more sporty to drive, and it has a super-convenient flip-and-fold-away rear seat.

Trailing at a close second are the Recommended Chevy Venture and Toyota Sienna. Though these vans are comparably priced and offer loads of neat features, we feel they can't match the road manners of our two Best Buys. Also garnering Recommended ratings are the Chrysler Town & Country and Chrysler Voyager. Though they are mechanically similar to the class-leading Caravan, they don't offer the breadth of model choices.