USED & NEW CARS AUTO PARTS INFORMATION 2007 2008 ONLINE - FIND CHEAP AUTO PARTS

The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a luxurious minivan loaded with features. It comes standard with a powerful V6 engine. The Silhouette is so refined and handles so well that it is actually fun to hustle down a challenging road. Yet with its long wheelbase, it seats seven comfortably and comes with thoughtful and entertaining interior features that make trips with kids go easier.

Safety has been improved with new dual-stage air bags for the driver and front-seat passenger designed to detect the acceleration and severity of a crash and inflate the air bag appropriately to minimize risk of injure to those of smaller stature. Front side-impact air bags are standard.

All-wheel drive is available this year for the Silhouette, improving vehicle stability and driver control on slippery surfaces. The optional Versatrak all-wheel-drive system is packaged with four-wheel disc brakes and an independent rear suspension, all of which adds increases stability in all driving situations and weather conditions.

Also new for 2002 is a third-generation entertainment system, which features a DVD player with wireless remote. And more seating options this year let buyers choose the interior layout that best suits their needs.

Three trim levels are available: GL, GLS and Premiere.

All models come with a powerful V6 engine: a 185-horsepower 3.4-liter V6 attached to a four-speed automatic transmission. The engine sits in the usual sideways position, which allows maximum use of interior space. The firmer-riding Touring suspension with automatic load-leveling, once exclusive to the Premiere, is now standard on all Silhouettes.

This year, buyers can choose between front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions. Versatrak all-wheel drive adds $2570 to the prices of GLS and Premiere models, but it also adds greatly to safety and stability on slippery surfaces (see description below).

The base GL model ($27,560) packs a long list of luxury equipment that most other minivans offer as options or not at all. It comes with cloth upholstery, reclining front bucket seats with a six-way power driver's seat with memory control, second-row captain's chairs and a 50/50 split fold-down third row. OnStar is standard. Anti-lock brakes are standard. Cruise control, power programmable door locks, cargo nets, power windows, and a rear window wiper/washer are just a few of the key features that are standard.

The GLS ($31,635) would be the top of the line if it wasn't for the Premiere Edition and its fancy entertainment system. For starters, it comes with leather seating surfaces and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with touch controls. Front dual-zone air conditioning and separate rear heating and air conditioning allow passengers to tailor their temperature; an air-filtration system cuts pollen and odors. GLS also gets an extended overhead console with a driver information center, a premium stereo system, wider tires, aluminum wheels, and traction control.

Oldsmobile revised the Silhouette styling for 2001. Underneath, it offers the same dimensions as the extended-wheelbase versions of the Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Montana. All Silhouette models get two sliding passenger doors as standard equipment. Curbside doors on the GLS and Premiere Edition are power-operated, convenient for unloading the munchkins. The motorized curbside door is a $450 option on the base GL. GLS and Premiere offer dual power sliding doors for $350.

The Silhouette is a great vehicle for big families, extended families, and multi-generation family units. It rides on a long wheelbase, just a smidge longer than the Chrysler Town & Country, and it compares favorably to that vehicle.

The Silhouette coddles and comforts its occupants. It comes with bucket seats in front and two captain's chairs in the middle row that fold flat. For the third row, GLS and Premiere models offer a choice of three types of seating: a 50/50 split bench that will hold three adults, captain's chairs, or stowable seats. It's a good idea for buyers to spend some time thinking about the best seating arrangement for their needs. Bins and cubbies and cup holders are available at every seating position.

Head and elbow room are generous in all seats. The third-row seats are perched a bit taller than the middle row, so the view forward is clear. Moms tell us that smaller children mounted at such heights are entertained by what they can see out the windows, and that this keeps them quieter.

The seats fold and remove easily. Handy little pictograms on the frames underneath the seats instruct you how to unlatch them from the floor. They are the lightest seats in the business, so removing them is worthwhile when you need greater cargo capacity. However, they are heavy enough that an adult or strong adolescent is best entrusted with moving them across the minivan's floor and into your garage. The available stowable third-row seat eliminates the need to remove the third-row seats.