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Walkaround
It's obvious that the Bravada is an Oldsmobile. It says so in any number of places around the exterior. Division stylists have done a fine job of distancing the handsome Bravada from the Blazer and Jimmy without resorting to expensive sheet-metal surgery. Trim details reinforce the Oldsmobile brand identity. Up front, the Bravada receives the modern Oldsmobile family identification in the form of larger headlight assemblies and dual grilles separated by a body-color panel carrying the Oldsmobile division logo.The basic design of all three General Motors compact sport-utilities is clean and attractive; all feature an aerodynamic front end, semi-formal roofline and muscular stance with minimal overhang. The major difference between Bravada and its GM siblings is in packaging. Blazers and Jimmys are available with two- or four-door bodies, two- or four-wheel-drive systems, suspensions designed for off-road driving or highway cruising, manual or automatic transmissions and a choice of interiors from plush to Spartan. The Bravada comes one way -- with everything. That includes four doors, an automatic transmission, a V6 engine, and every luxury feature imaginable. The driveline consists of electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system with a locking center differential. If everything isn't enough, a few options can be added. Best of the bunch on the value scale is a $57 package of popular add-ons that adds a two-position driver's seat memory, power adjustments for the front passenger seat, auto-dim electrochromic outside rearview mirrors, a trailer-towing package and white-letter tires. Purchased separately, Oldsmobile says these handy additions would total $757. Other available extras are a power moonroof, $250 heated seats, a $495 Bose audio system, a 6-disc CD changer and a gold trim package. The wide array of features are reflected in the $31,560 base price, which sits at the top of the GM compact-SUV heap. But that price is quite reasonable when compared to stickers on similarly equipped competitors.
Interior Features
If the Bravada's interior looks to have been pulled intact out of a luxury sedan, that's what the stylists intended. Much effort has been expended to that end, with mixed results. The dashboard is big and blocky and reflects its truck origins. Everything is placed for good access, with easy-to-use rotary knobs for headlights and climate control functions. A new, smaller airbag reduces the size of the steering wheel hub, though the space taken up by the passenger-side airbag remains the same.Comfort was a top priority as well. The result of considerable design effort is a space that is friendly to passengers and cargo alike. The well-padded seats are excellent, providing better than average support and adjustability. The driver's seat offers a six-way power adjustment. Stretch-out room is ample. Leather is of the same soft grade applied to the Aurora and comes standard; cloth is offered as a no-cost option for people who prefer it. Wood adorns the door panels and center console, while attractive deep-pile carpet covers the floor. Overall, the Bravada interior looks handsome and has an appropriate high-dollar air about it, though the quality of both the various switches and the plastic panels that surround them is a notch below that of a Ford Explorer. Triple door seals keep wind noise and dust at bay, insulation masks most tire noise, and the engine makes only a soft hum at highway speeds, though induction and fan noise are noticeable during hard acceleration. Bravada's rear step bumper is deep enough to ease the effort of loading mountain bikes and other cargo onto the roof rack.
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