Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais 3.3 V6 (162 Hp)


Overall Rating

7.1 / 10
Safety N/A / 5
Not Rated
Engine 4.2 / 5
Value 3.0 / 5
Performance 3.5 / 5
Comfort 3.8 / 5
People\'s Opinion 4.5 / 5

Oldsmobile Cutlass:

The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a series of automobiles produced by the General Motors' Oldsmobile division between 1961 and 1999. At its introduction, the Cutlass was Oldsmobile's entry-level model; it began as a unibody compact car, but saw its greatest success as a body-on-frame intermediate. The Cutlass was named after Vought F7U Cutlass, as well as the type of sword, which was common during the Age of Sail.
Introduced as the top trim level in Oldsmobile's compact F-85 Series, the Cutlass evolved into a distinct series of its own, spawning numerous variants. These included the 4-4-2 muscle car in 1964, the upscale Cutlass Supreme in 1966, the high-performance Hurst/Olds in 1968, and the Vista Cruiser station wagon....(Read more on Wikipedia)

Calais Overview:

Oldsmobile Cutlass (Calais). With 251 Nm of torque, it offers ample pulling power. Weighing only 1200 kg, it’s quite light. Front‑wheel drive delivers efficiency and easy handling. The top speed reaches 200 km/h. A four-door car with a separate trunk, ideal for families and daily commuting. Seating for 5 makes it ideal for daily use.

Safety Rating
Not rated
Euro NCAP Year N/A
Adult Occupant N/A
Stars N/A
Expert Note:
The 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais was produced before the establishment of Euro NCAP (1997) and therefore was not tested under its protocols. Safety standards of the era were significantly different from modern vehicles.

3.3 V6 (162 Hp) Verdict:

Rating 4 stars

Performance Verdict

Provides smooth, strong acceleration, making it well-suited for highway cruising and offering a more refined power delivery than the 4-cylinder options.

Fuel Economy

The least fuel-efficient option in the lineup, especially in urban driving, but acceptable for a V6 of its size and era.

Best Use Case: Comfortable highway cruising, long-distance travel, or for drivers seeking a smoother, more powerful experience.

reddit Community Verdict

This rating is based on comments found on Reddit, scanned using artificial intelligence, and may not accurately reflect reality.

Allowed: 76% Neutral: 24% Issues: 0%
rating
4.5 / 5

Based on AI analysis of 21 discussions

Read What Owners Say
👍 POSITIVE
Incredibly reliable and anvil simple to work on. When you eventually spin a bearing at 250k miles you can drop in a dirt cheap 350 and keep rolling.
👍 POSITIVE
Reliable because they are simple technology that had been built for many years, so most of the bugs were worked out. Be aware that American police cars get tremendous abuse during their service. However, the police suspension on these were known for good handling ( if not worn out from said abuse). (I put a lot of miles on a 1978 Caprice, basically the same as the later cars except mine was not f
👍 POSITIVE
I had one of these… spun out on an icy bridge, then I got crushed by an oncoming car and the car that hit me was all f*cked up… so grateful, the car was a tank, saved my life!
👍 POSITIVE
By far one of the most reliable, comfortable, and capable cars ever built. There's a reason police used them all over North America. I had a 1985 Caprice Classic, and got over 300K miles on it,then gave it to my brother. He put another 80k on it, then the timing chain slipped. Cam gear was worn smooth. He replaced the timing gear set the side of the road in the middle of winter, and it started r
😐 NEUTRAL
You might be able to get 250k + out of the bottom end of a SBC but you will not get 250k without a valve job. The guides were usually worn pretty heavily on the pre 86 heads by 125-150k, the later ones are better, but they still wear badly.
👍 POSITIVE
Very reliable, I drove one every day at work . It even got beat on from time to time, lol , and it still ran smoothly.
👍 POSITIVE
We had an 84 Pontiac Parisienne that was super reliable from new. >>likes cars. Does not know anything about how they work
👍 POSITIVE
I actually miss these old crates. If you maintain them, they will last. And easy to work on and you don't have to worry about some electronic fuckery throwing on the Check Wallet light when the weather changes.
👍 POSITIVE
One of the best Chevy”s ever made.
👍 POSITIVE
If you find one with the LT1 engine you will enjoy driving it


Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • • Distinctive styling for its era
  • • Available high-performance Quad 4 engine option
  • • Comfortable ride quality, typical of American sedans
  • • Relatively spacious interior for its class
  • • Good highway cruiser with the V6 option

Cons:

  • • Outdated safety features by modern standards
  • • Interior quality could be inconsistent and prone to wear
  • • Some engines lacked refinement (e.g., Iron Duke)
  • • Front-wheel drive platform limited ultimate sporty potential
  • • Fuel economy could be poor on performance and V6 models

Specifications:

Specifications are compared to those of the previous generation(Ciera Coupe: 1989 - 1991).

General:
Brand:Oldsmobile
Model:Cutlass
Generation:Calais
Modification (Engine):3.3 V6 (162 Hp)
Start of production:1990
End of production:1995
Powertrain Architecture:Internal Combustion engine
Body type:Sedan
Seats:5
Doors:4
Engine:
Power:162 Hp @ 5200 rpm.
Power per litre:48.5 Hp/l
Torque:251 Nm @ 2000 rpm.
Engine displacement:3340
Number of cylinders:6
Engine configuration:V-engine
Number of valves per cylinder:2
Fuel injection system:Multi-port manifold injection
Engine aspiration:Naturally aspirated engine
Engine oil capacity:4.3 l
Coolant:10.5 l
Engine layout:Front, Transverse
Cylinder Bore:93.98 mm mm
Piston Stroke:80.26 mm mm
Compression ratio:9:1
Performance:
Fuel Type:Petrol (Gasoline)
Fuel consumption (economy) - urban:15 l/100 km
Fuel consumption (economy) - extra urban:9 l/100 km
Maximum speed:200 km/h
Weight-to-power ratio:7.4 kg/Hp, 135 Hp/tonne
Weight-to-torque ratio:4.8 kg/Nm, 209.2 Nm/tonne
Space:
Kerb Weight:1200
Trunk (boot) space - minimum:375 l
Fuel tank capacity:51 l
Size:
Length:4555 mm mm
Width:1700 mm mm
Height:1330 mm mm
Wheelbase:2625 mm mm
Front track:1420 mm
Rear (Back) track:1410 mm
Powertrain:
Drivetrain ArchitectureThe Internal combustion engine (ICE) drives the front wheels of the vehicle.
Drive wheelFront wheel drive
Front brakesVentilated discs [Best for performance and cooling.]
Rear brakesDrum [bad for performance and cooling.]
Assisting systemsABS (Anti-lock braking system)
Steering typeSteering rack and pinion
Power steeringHydraulic Steering
Tires size185/75 R14
Front suspensionCoil spring
Rear suspensionLeaf spring

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