Oldsmobile's Silhouette is a highly refined minivan. It handles well and is actually fun to hustle down a challenging road. With its long wheelbase, the Silhouette seats seven comfortably and comes with thoughtful interior touches that make trips with kids go easier. The Premieree edition features a state-of-the-art video entertainment system.
Oldsmobile Silhouette is available in three models: GL, GLS and Premieree. The GL retails for $24,990, while the loaded GLS goes for $28,640. (The short-wheelbase GS has been discontinued.) A firmer suspension with automatic leveling is a $270 option on the GLS, but is standard on the Premieree.
Silhouette Premieree, like the one we drove, retails for $31,550. It comes with a well-integrated video entertainment system for rear-seat passengers that is not available on the other models. Almost every option you can get on a Silhouette comes standard on the Premieree edition. Our test car, however, had the $195 heated front seats, a boon for chilly mornings or lower back pain. Other options are gold trim pieces for $150 and a $100 towing package that increases the pulling capability of the Silhouette from 2000 to 3500 pounds. Northerners will appreciate an engine heater that adds a mere $20.
Oldsmobile's minivan offers the same dimensions as the
Chevrolet Venture and
Pontiac Montana. All Silhouette models get two sliding passenger doors as standard equipment. Curbside doors on the GLS and Premieree Edition are power-operated, convenient for unloading the munchkins. (In the base GL, the motorized door is an option.)
Just one powertrain is available: a 185-horsepower 3.4-liter V6 attached to a four-speed automatic transmission that powers the front wheels. This type of layout is common to all the greatest-selling minivans. The engine sits in the usual sideways position, which allows maximum use of interior space.
