Aurora debuted to the public in 1994, a sensually shaped replacement for the Toronado coupe and a sign of things to come from Oldsmobile. At the time one of the stoutest sedans in the world, the car's delicious styling, smooth-revving overhead-cam V8, and emphasis on composed performance impressed critics.

Now Oldsmobile introduces a completely redesigned 2001 Aurora flagship, in 3.5 and 4.0 versions. Like its predecessor, the new Aurora is quite rigid, providing a solid sense of quality. Unlike the old version, the new model is rather svelte, shedding weight due to a more compact body and the use of aluminum in key parts of the design.

Improved performance should be the translation, especially since the DOHC 4.0-liter V8 engine makes more power while still delivering 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. It sends 250 horsepower to the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. The 3.5-liter twin-cam V6, which first appeared in the lower-priced Intrigue and gets a few additional miles per gallon, makes 215 horses, but is charged with moving 120 fewer pounds.

Four-wheel disc ABS brakes and speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering that provides better feel and feedback are standard, and so are fat tires and attractive spoked aluminum wheels. The 3.5 is shod with 16-inch Goodyears while 4.0 models receive 17-inch Michelins. A precision control system (read: traction and stability control) keeps the 4.0 traveling the straight and narrow when it senses that a loss of control may be imminent.

Since the Aurora is a luxury car, you should know about a few of the goodies. All Auroras are equipped with leather seats and real walnut trim in a two-tone interior. Driver-oriented with a beautifully swept arc of a control panel, the cabin includes a 27-function Driver Information Center. Chrome accents around the gated shifter and gauges lend a touch of class.

Head, shoulder, and hip room have all been increased, but legroom is down slightly. Though the trunk is smaller, it's more accessible thanks to a larger opening and lower liftover height. Side airbags are mounted to the front seats, and two drivers can personalize the remote keyless entry system to their individual tastes.

With a lower price point for the 3.5, Oldsmobile expects to double sales of the Aurora. The car's combination of style, luxury and value should ensure success.

2001 Highlights

Oldsmobile has redesigned the Aurora, plopping its flagship sedan onto a more rigid but still front-drive platform. Remaining stylish and contemporary, Aurora is more conventional in appearance but overall, remains an enticing package. Both 3.5 V6 and 4.0 V8 versions are available, each equipped with a full load of luxury accoutrements.

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora.

Overall Consumer Rating

4.593 reviews

Write a review See all 93 reviews

5(61%)

4(32%)

3(7%)

2(0%)

1(0%)

Most helpful consumer reviews

Worth a lot more than you will pay!

Michael C,04/01/2016

I was an auto broker for many years and I recommended this car to numerous people. Is there a car made that doesn't have problems, of course not, there will never be a "one and done" but if you are looking at one of these get it checked out by a mechanic first and then be glad you bought it. The gas mileage for a car of this size is wonderful, the ride is really good. It's roomy front

There ain't nah-thing ordinary about this car.

Karen Troxell,07/15/2016

Perhaps I should say that everything about this car is ordinary. That is if you're comparing it to a BRAND NEW Japanese Luxury Sport Sedan! It seems like every new Maxima, Accura, Camry, Infinity, and even BMW is trying to BE this car! This does have the negative effect of driving a classic while looking like everything else out there. That's how far ahead of it's time it was. It's BIG. Not as wide as most full-size luxury sedans, but that's actually an advantage. It has a big car ride, but doesn't give a big car driving experience. You know... boring. With it's speed-sensitive steering, it feels more like a Firebird on the open road. You know... exciting! It's a real solid build. Simply stated, check out Wikipedia, who says that it broke GM's frame-crush tester. Then go online and look at some pix. See how much rust, and how many dents you see on these classics. And with that solid build, you're nearly guaranteed a quiet interior. Let's talk about that quiet interior. The first time I got into mine, if I had gone in blindfolded, when it was removed, I would have thought I was in a European exotic. Most comfortable driver's seat I've ever parked my butt in. High-backed leather bucket. Look at the pix again. See how many cracked seats, dashboards, and door panels you see. Mine doesn't have any. The instrumentation has an understated elegance. The cockpit is completely driver oriented, with a split dashboard that cries out, "Hands off my controls!" As a matter of fact, the ashtray is actually quite inconvenient for the front passenger, who actually needs to do a 'reach-around'. CONSIDERING it's size, the gas mileage is GREAT! Out on the highway at 65, I get THIRTY-TWO miles to a gallon. A/C or not. With the unspeakably comfortable climate control off, I get around 23 in ordinary conditions. And, (groan) about 15 if I do run the EIGHT speed blower fan. But it is absolutely the best A/C I've ever seen in a car. Those are deadly accurate readings. It has a Driver Information Center that tells you virtually EVERY stat you would want to know about fuel. You know... just like a new car. But it does have it's limits! Once it reads that you have a fuel range of 45 miles, it says 'low fuel', and it won't let you reset it. It's like it's saying, "Look, a-hole, I said you're REAL low! You ain't holding me to a critical prediction!" All this, while cranking 215 hp out of a 3.5 V6. Now the bad. I'm a member of the Aurora Club of North America, which is a good thing, for a BAD reason. Some mechanics refuse to work on these. There are no Chilton's or Haynes manual available. There are very few in the junk yards, some small parts are non-existent, (in my case, window retaining clips), and they don't generally match up with other GM cars. You-Tube videos showing guys doing repairs on them are non-existent as well. The trunk tends to leak, and the window switches are not switches at all, they are 'triggers', and every time you touch one, you're playing Russian Roulette. You WILL spend some time messing with windows. My driver's window goes about 3/4 of the way down IF you help guide it both up and down. It operates on zip-ties, despite the fact that we did everything we could to get a better fix. I've owned 20 cars in my life, and I've only truly loved three of them. This one, is my all-time favorite. Let's wrap it all up like this. If you asked me to trade my Aurora, for ANY other car, and I couldn't sell it, I could only drive it.... I'd tell you to shove your Jaguar! Well, they asked me to update my review. A 1995 Chevy Suburban plowed into my rear at 40 MPH, with their foot on the gas instead of the brake, while I was stopped at a stop sign. It pushed the trunk in, and destroyed the bumper cowling and fog-lights. Not a BIT of damage to the frame or quarter panels. It didn't even move the car, or give me a jolt. The only reason I knew I had been tagged was because I heard the crash. This is important, because a smaller car would have been pushed into the intersection, where it would have been T-boned by the right of way traffic. Drove it like that for 10 months with a bungee holding down the trunk lid. So their insurance gave me double what I paid for it, 1/1/2 months after I bought it. Bought a $400 parts car, paid $750 to a frame shop to pull the trunk, and switched out the doors, because all the windows in my parts car were working. I guess I should add that I drove that parts car 175 miles back home, with a slipping transmission that wouldn't hold any fluid. Even that was a more enjoyable ride than most cars. I have now owned the car for 14 months, and have kicked out for a crank sensor, and a brake line. Had to drop the starter to change the sensor, but was still a relatively cheap and easy repair. When the sensor went, it didn't leave me sitting. The 'check engine' light came on, and I had to pump the gas to get it going. For a 15 year old car with over 100K, that is GREAT reliability and value.

Olds

ameschen,11/25/2012

I bought my aurora in 2007 used with 138k miles on it, I'm around 202k now. I could not be happier with my first car. I've had little issues like changing a handful of sensors, and a fuel pump but spending a few hundred every once in a while is better than a car payment. It is pretty good on gas for being a V8 too, I live in the city and my average is 23 mpg. On the express way I get

'01 Aurora

Tom,12/23/2006

I bought the car used. Its resale is suffering so badly that I got a terrific deal. After getting this kind of deal, I could care less about resale as I plan to keep the car for a very long time. It is very comfortable, looks great, and handles fine. I have had no problems with it other than normal maintenance.

Write a review

See all 93 reviews

Write a consumer review of your vehicle for a chance to WIN $100!

Write a review

See Official Rules for eligibility and other requirements.

Write a review

Features & Specs

MPG

17 city / 25 hwy

Seats 5

4-speed automatic

Gas

215 hp @ 5600 rpm

MPG

15 city / 23 hwy

Seats 5

4-speed automatic

Gas

250 hp @ 5600 rpm

See all Used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedan features & specs

Safety

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver3 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
RolloverNot Rated
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Side Impact Test
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Not Tested
IIHS Small Overlap Front Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test
Good

More about the 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora

Used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedan Overview

What's a good price on a Used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedan?

Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, VA. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.

Which used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedans are available in my area?

Used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedan Listings and Inventory

Simply research the type of used car you're interested in and then select a prew-owned vehicle from our massive database to find cheap used cars for sale near you. Once you have identified a used or CPO vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the Used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedan.

Shop Edmunds' car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million vehicles to find a cheap used, or certified pre-owned (CPO) 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedan for sale near you.

Can't find a used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Aurora Sedan you want in your area? Consider a broader search.

Find a used Oldsmobile Aurora for sale - 7 great deals out of 19 listings starting at $13,108.

Find a used Oldsmobile for sale - 12 great deals out of 13 listings starting at $12,412.

Find a used certified pre-owned Oldsmobile Aurora for sale - 2 great deals out of 21 listings starting at $9,897.

Find a used certified pre-owned Oldsmobile for sale - 1 great deals out of 6 listings starting at $14,788.

Compare prices on the Used Oldsmobile Aurora for sale in Ashburn, VA to other major cities

City
Great Deals
Cars for Sale
Starting Price

Los Angeles, CA
Great Deals29
Cars for Sale2991
Starting Price$11,079
Phoenix, AZ
Great Deals35
Cars for Sale6961
Starting Price$15,399
San Francisco, CA
Great Deals36
Cars for Sale614
Starting Price$18,393
Indianapolis, IN
Great Deals45
Cars for Sale2980
Starting Price$7,841
Austin, TX
Great Deals43
Cars for Sale5416
Starting Price$14,686
Baltimore, MD
Great Deals91
Cars for Sale3568
Starting Price$11,689
El Paso, TX
Great Deals29
Cars for Sale5822
Starting Price$14,453
Washington, DC
Great Deals71
Cars for Sale5684
Starting Price$16,409
Las Vegas, NV
Great Deals55
Cars for Sale3146
Starting Price$9,434
Fresno, CA
Great Deals50
Cars for Sale2133
Starting Price$17,502
Sacramento, CA
Great Deals59
Cars for Sale613
Starting Price$12,372
Kansas City, MO
Great Deals93
Cars for Sale7017
Starting Price$18,485
Cleveland, OH
Great Deals4
Cars for Sale5811
Starting Price$17,267
Oakland, CA
Great Deals63
Cars for Sale8093
Starting Price$15,914
Tulsa, OK
Great Deals23
Cars for Sale5527
Starting Price$9,526
Arlington, TX
Great Deals20
Cars for Sale4277
Starting Price$15,157

Should I lease or buy a 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora?

Is it better to lease or buy a car? Ask most people and they'll probably tell you that car buying is the way to go. And from a financial perspective, it's true, provided you're willing to make higher monthly payments, pay off the loan in full and keep the car for a few years. Leasing, on the other hand, can be a less expensive option on a month-to-month basis. It's also good if you're someone who likes to drive a new car every three years or so.

Used 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora Sedan

Oldsmobile Aurora years