1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Review
1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
What’s new
Royale designation dropped, and the Eighty-Eight gets fresh Aurora-inspired styling front and rear. Standard equipment levels go up, and daytime running lights are added.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight LS 4dr Sedan and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for regular unleaded in West Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in West Virginia
$205/mo for Eighty-Eight LS
Eighty-Eight LS
vs
$217/mo
Avg. Large Car
Vehicle overview
The Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight is one of the best full-size family cars you can buy. It sports contemporary styling, an ergonomically correct interior, and a powerful V6 engine driving the front wheels. There is room inside for six adults, and the Eight-Eight has proven to be reliable. Oldsmobile's value-pricing strategy has paid off with the Eighty-Eight; it comes well equipped right out of the box, with few options available. So why aren't these cars selling as well as, say, the Ford Crown Victoria?
We think it must be the uncomfortable seats, because the seats are really this big Olds' only apparent flaw. The rest of the car is admittedly designed to appeal to middle Americans who just want to get from Point A to Point B in relative safety and comfort, but with these mushy, unsupportive seats, the Eighty-Eight doesn't fulfill the comfort portion of the equation.
This year, Oldsmobile has restyled the front fascia, grille, fenders and headlights of the Eighty-Eight to "align this mainstream sedan more consistently with themes initiated in the Aurora," according to the 1996 press kit. Rear moldings, taillights and fascia have been tweaked as well. New wheel covers and alloy wheels top off the fresh, but dull styling exercise. True, the new look is sleek, but last year's car was more distinctive. Gone is the Royale nomenclature, leaving the Eight-Eight and the Eighty-Eight LS. The LSS becomes a stand-alone model for 1996.
Also new are programmable door locks, standard Twilight Sentinel and daytime running lights. The remote keyless accessory control package features a new panic button on the fob, which creates a symphony of honking horns and flashing lights for two minutes after the button is depressed. Perfect for creepy underground garages.
Sadly, new seats are not part of the improvement list for the Eighty-Eight this year. That's too bad. We think the Olds is certainly one of the better values available, but it's awfully difficult to sell a car to consumers who place comfort as a top priority if the car isn't comfortable.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight.
5 star(56%)
4 star(44%)
3 star(0%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
9 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4.13 out of 5 stars
Awesome first Car
mancheskia, 11/29/2011
1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight LSS 4dr Sedan
This was my first car that I owned when I got my license. Gas mileage was great 28 mpg hwy with a V6 and about 16 city for a 1996 I would consider that very good especially since car these day aren't getting much better mileage if they are at all better in the same class. Car was very comfortable and reliability wasn't much of an issue until I had about 200,000 miles on the car.
4.13 out of 5 stars
Love this car
brminder, 03/31/2002
1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight LS 4dr Sedan
Bought it with 112000 miles on it, doesn't burn any oil, gets about 30 on the highway, 22-25 in town, lots of power, quiet, smooth ride. It's just a great car.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Fun to drive.
Dave, 04/11/2006
1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight LSS 4dr Sedan
The Olds Eighty-eight is a great highway car! It is very stable at high speeds, has good acceleration, is comfortable, and has acceptable gas mileage considering the horsepower. Like all sporty cars, this is not the most maintenance-free I've owned. That is not to say it left me stranded on the side of the road, it just needed attention periodically; lots of little things quit working … properly. Overall a good second car, and a great family vacation car.
4.63 out of 5 stars
Long live the 88
jks, 06/08/2006
1996 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight LSS 4dr Sedan
I bought this car with 160,000 miles on it, it now has 190,000 and is still going strong. It leaks a little oil but burns none. I have never have to add any between oil changes (3,000mi.). It is very quick for a big car with a V6 engnie. It has a very comfortable ride. Its body roll is a bit much in a hard corner but then it's not a sports car. It has been very reliable.
1996 Eighty-Eight Highlights
LSS
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 21 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $205/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 17.5 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger3 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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