2002 Oldsmobile Bravada Review (continued)
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Walkaround

The styling is clearly Oldsmobile, with thin horizontal headlamps and dual air intake apertures in the nose, separated by the swoopy logo in chrome. Wide sleek headlights are attached to the apertures, two halogen beams integrated with an amber turn signal that wraps around the fender. Below this grille are two long horizontal slots incorporated into the bumper, and at the very bottom are two more slots with small round foglamps.

Side cladding is body-colored, side glass is tinted, and the wheels are six-spoke cast aluminum with polished aluminum optional. Corner marker lights, which shine at right angles with the turn signals, are prominent. The rear end and tailgate are quite clean, with the entire width of the rear bumper being a step, which is convenient because the cargo floor is a bit high.

Attention to detail is evident throughout the vehicle, from a box that helps air-cool the battery, to remarkably sanitary wiring under the hood, to a seven-pin receptacle for towing trailers with brakes, to rear-seat headrests that conveniently flip down for better rearward driver visibility.

Overall, the 2002 Bravada is eight inches longer and more than five inches wider than the previous model. The track is 63.1 inches front and 62.1 inches rear, exceeded in its class only by the super-wide Acura MDX. (The track is the distance between the left and right tires.) A wide track means a lower center of gravity and thus better stability. With any SUV's tendency to roll more than a sedan, this is an important feature. In addition, the Michelin all-season touring tires were specially developed for the AWD Bravada, measuring P255/60R17. These are a slightly lower profile than available on the GMC Envoy SLT with optional air-bladder suspension, which is mechanically very similar to the Bravada.

Interior Features

All five Bravada passengers get three-point seatbelts. (Many SUVs, including the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer, use a lap belt for the rear center seat.) It's a roomy vehicle with 44.6 inches of front legroom. Rear-seat passengers get 37.1 inches of legroom and a roomy 58.1 inches of hip room.

The front bucket seats are soft and full, eight-way power adjustable with four-way lumbar support and four-way adjustable head restraint. Memory (including mirrors) and heating are optional.

The instrumentation layout is very organized and high-rent feeling. A big tachometer is on the left, speedometer in center, and on the right are smaller gauges for water, battery, gas, and oil. The wood is ample. Four big round registers for heating and air conditioning look stylish and purposeful with polished nickel trim. The four-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel includes controls for climate, sound, cruise control, and driver information center (in eight languages).

The console includes an open storage bin, an enclosed compartment and two cupholders forward of the gear lever, with two more for the rear passengers. The emergency brake lever is also located there. There are pockets in the front doors and behind the front seats, though none in the rear doors. Standard behind the rear seat is a small hidden compartment under the floor and a power outlet, with a cargo net and scrolling tonneau cover optional.

The overhead console includes a sunglasses holder, with optional Travelnote digital recorder that allows the driver to orally take phone numbers while on a cellphone. The heating and air conditioning can be controlled separately by the driver and front and rear passengers.

Interior lights abound, including reading lights. GM calls the interior lighting world class," developed by the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Lighting Research Center in Indiana.

The standard sound system is a radio/CD, but optional are a radio/CD/cassette, radio with six-disc in-dash CD, or six-speaker 275-watt Bose system. Our test model was equipped with the Bose, offering outstanding sound quality and adjustment versatility. All the systems include RDS (Radio Data Systems) technology, allowing the listener to search for stations by type, display song and artist information, and provide traffic and weather updates.

The OnStar communications system is standard. It includes GPS navigation, hands-free cellphone communication including free first year safety and security service-automatic crash and theft reporting, as well as remote unlocking if you lock yourself out. Mind-boggling possibilities include everything from having your email read to you by a computerized voice ("Virtual Advisor") to getting directions to the nearest ATM."