Which Oldsmobile Bravada to buy: generations, engines, and specs compared
The buying question for the Oldsmobile Bravada is which of the four catalogue versions to take. Production covers 1990–2004 in 3 generations, all SUV 5-doors, all AWD, all Automatic with 4 gears, all Gasoline with No boost. The spread is not trim fluff: power runs 162 hp to 273 hp, kerb weight 1815 kg to 2100 kg, and only the last generation has a measured 0–100 km/h time and fuel figures.
The buying question for the Oldsmobile Bravada is which of the four catalogue versions to take. Production covers 1990–2004 in 3 generations, all SUV 5-doors, all AWD, all Automatic with 4 gears, all Gasoline with No boost. The spread is not trim fluff: power runs 162 hp to 273 hp, kerb weight 1815 kg to 2100 kg, and only the last generation has a measured 0–100 km/h time and fuel figures. Version names below are exactly as in the catalogue: two first-generation 4.3 AT rows must be told apart by horsepower.
Generations: what actually changed between 1990, 1995, and 2001
1 generation (1990–1994) is a SUV 5-doors with 2 versions, both named 4.3 AT. Both use a 4300 cm³ Gasoline engine, 6 cylinders in V-shaped layout, 2 valves per cylinder, No boost, Front, longitudinal placement, Central injection (single-point or single- point), compression 9.3, bore × stroke 101.6 × 88.4, fuel 92, Automatic 4, AWD. They share kerb 1815 kg, gross 2315 kg, tank 76 l, ground clearance 205 mm, independent spring suspension front and rear, ventilated disc front brakes and Disc rear. Wheels are not measured. Top speed is 180 km/h on both; 0–100 km/h is not measured on both. The split is output only: 162 hp (119 kW) at 4500 rpm and 312 Nm at 3600 rpm versus 203 hp (149 kW) at 4500 rpm and 353 Nm at 3600 rpm. Same name, 41 hp and 41 Nm apart.
2 generation (1995–2001) is a SUV 5-doors with 1 version: 4.3 AT. Displacement stays 4300 cm³, layout stays V-shaped 6 with 2 valves per cylinder, No boost, Front, longitudinal. Injection changes to Distributed injection (multi-point). Compression is 9.2. Bore × stroke stays 101.6 × 88.4. Output is 193 hp (142 kW) at 4400 rpm and 339 Nm at 2800 rpm. Versus the weaker first-generation 4.3 AT that is +31 hp and +27 Nm; versus the stronger first-generation 4.3 AT that is −10 hp and −14 Nm. Peak torque arrives 800 rpm earlier than either first-generation row. 0–100 km/h is 10 s; top speed remains 180 km/h. Kerb weight is 1835 kg (+20 kg vs 1815 kg). Gross weight is not measured. Tank shrinks to 68 l (−8 l). Clearance is 190 mm (−15 mm vs 205 mm). Rear suspension becomes Dependent, leaf spring. City, highway, and mixed consumption are not measured. Wheels are not measured.
3 generation (2001–2004) is a SUV 5-doors with 1 version: 4.2 AT. This is the only generation that leaves the 4300 cm³ V-shaped engine. The 4.2 AT is 4157 cm³ (−143 cm³), Inline 6, 4 valves per cylinder, No boost, Front, longitudinal, Distributed injection (multi-point), compression 10, bore × stroke 93 × 102, fuel 92. Output is 273 hp (201 kW) at 6000 rpm and 373 Nm at 3600 rpm. Versus the second-generation 4.3 AT that is +80 hp and +34 Nm. Versus the stronger first-generation 4.3 AT that is +70 hp and +20 Nm. Versus the weaker first-generation 4.3 AT that is +111 hp and +61 Nm. 0–100 km/h is 9.2 s (0.8 s quicker than the second generation’s 10 s). Top speed is 190 km/h (+10 km/h). Kerb weight jumps to 2100 kg (+265 kg vs 1835 kg, +285 kg vs 1815 kg). Gross is 2610 kg. Tank is 71 l. Clearance is 200 mm. Rear suspension returns to Independent, spring. Fuel use is measured only here: city 14.7, highway 11.2, mixed 13.1 (units as in the source data). CO2 and eco class are not measured. Wheels are not measured.
Search years map as follows from these date windows: 1994 sits in 1 generation; 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 sit in 2 generation; 2001 is the overlap year of 2 generation (to 2001-12-31) and 3 generation (from 2001-01-01); 2002, 2003, 2004 sit in 3 generation. Specs for those years are the version rows of the generation that covers them — there are no extra engines in the data.
Oldsmobile Bravada engine options and specs
| Version | Generation | Years | hp (kW @ rpm) | Nm @ rpm | cm³ | Fuel | Cyl. / layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.3 AT (162 hp) | 1 | 1990–1994 | 162 (119 @ 4500) | 312 @ 3600 | 4300 | 92 | 6 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | AWD |
| 4.3 AT (203 hp) | 1 | 1990–1994 | 203 (149 @ 4500) | 353 @ 3600 | 4300 | 92 | 6 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | AWD |
| 4.3 AT (193 hp) | 2 | 1995–2001 | 193 (142 @ 4400) | 339 @ 2800 | 4300 | 92 | 6 / V-shaped | No | Automatic 4 | AWD |
| 4.2 AT (273 hp) | 3 | 2001–2004 | 273 (201 @ 6000) | 373 @ 3600 | 4157 | 92 | 6 / Inline | No | Automatic 4 | AWD |
Specific output (hp per litre, from catalogue displacement):
- 4.2 AT 3 generation: 273 / 4.157 ≈ 65.7 hp/l
- 4.3 AT 203 hp, 1 generation: 203 / 4.300 ≈ 47.2 hp/l
- 4.3 AT 193 hp, 2 generation: 193 / 4.300 ≈ 44.9 hp/l
- 4.3 AT 162 hp, 1 generation: 162 / 4.300 ≈ 37.7 hp/l
The third-generation 4.2 AT makes about 1.39× the specific output of the strongest first-generation 4.3 AT, and about 1.74× the weakest 4.3 AT, despite a smaller displacement. Peak power rpm rises from 4500 / 4400 on the 4.3 AT rows to 6000 on the 4.2 AT. Peak torque rpm is 3600 on three of four versions and 2800 only on the second-generation 4.3 AT.
Performance, mpg, and weight-to-power
0–100 km/h: 4.2 AT 3 generation 9.2 s; 4.3 AT 2 generation 10 s; both first-generation 4.3 AT versions not measured. The only measured gap is 0.8 s in favour of the 4.2 AT.
Top speed: 4.2 AT 190 km/h; all three 4.3 AT versions 180 km/h.
Fuel consumption: only the 4.2 AT is measured — city 14.7, highway 11.2, mixed 13.1. For every 4.3 AT (162 hp, 193 hp, and 203 hp) city, highway, and mixed figures are not measured. CO2 is not measured on all four. Eco class is not measured on all four. You cannot rank mpg across generations from this catalogue; you can only state that the latest version is the one with numbers.
Kerb weight per horsepower:
- 4.2 AT 273 hp: 2100 / 273 ≈ 7.69 kg/hp
- 4.3 AT 203 hp: 1815 / 203 ≈ 8.94 kg/hp
- 4.3 AT 193 hp: 1835 / 193 ≈ 9.51 kg/hp
- 4.3 AT 162 hp: 1815 / 162 ≈ 11.20 kg/hp
The 4.2 AT is the heaviest Bravada and still the lightest per horsepower. The 162 hp 4.3 AT is the lightest car and the worst kg/hp. The 203 hp 4.3 AT beats the second-generation 4.3 AT on kg/hp (8.94 vs 9.51) because it is 20 kg lighter and 10 hp stronger.
Dimensions, weight, tank, clearance
Wheels are not measured on every version.
Kerb weight: 1 generation 4.3 AT (both) 1815 kg; 2 generation 4.3 AT 1835 kg; 3 generation 4.2 AT 2100 kg.
Gross weight: 1 generation 2315 kg; 2 generation not measured; 3 generation 2610 kg. Payload where both figures exist: 1 generation 2315 − 1815 = 500 kg; 3 generation 2610 − 2100 = 510 kg. The extra 285 kg of kerb on the 4.2 AT is almost matched by extra gross, so payload is within 10 kg of the first generation.
Ground clearance: 1 generation 205 mm (highest); 3 generation 200 mm; 2 generation 190 mm (lowest). Difference first to second: −15 mm. Second to third: +10 mm. First to third: −5 mm.
Tank: 1 generation 76 l (largest); 3 generation 71 l; 2 generation 68 l (smallest). Mixed consumption is not measured for the 76 l and 68 l tanks, so range cannot be calculated for those versions. For the 4.2 AT only, mixed 13.1 and tank 71 give a catalogue arithmetic range of 71 / 13.1 ≈ 5.4 tankfuls per 100 units of mixed use — not a claimed touring figure, just the two measured numbers together.
Brakes are the same pattern on all four: ventilated disc front, Disc rear. Front suspension is Independent, spring on all four. Rear is Independent, spring on both first-generation 4.3 AT versions and on the 4.2 AT, and Dependent, leaf spring only on the second-generation 4.3 AT.
Which version to choose
Choose the 3 generation 4.2 AT (2001–2004) if the decision is power, measured acceleration, and specific output. It is the only Inline 6, the only 4-valve engine, the only 4157 cm³ unit, and the only version with 0–100 9.2 s, top speed 190 km/h, and measured fuel (14.7 / 11.2 / 13.1). You pay for that with 2100 kg kerb — 265 kg more than the second-generation 4.3 AT. You gain 80 hp and 34 Nm over that 4.3 AT, and you drop kg/hp from 9.51 to 7.69. Clearance 200 mm is 10 mm more than generation 2 and 5 mm less than generation 1. Tank 71 l sits between the other two. Injection is already Distributed injection (multi-point), same family as generation 2, not the first generation’s Central injection (single-point or single- point). Compression 10 is the highest in the set.
Choose the 1 generation 4.3 AT (203 hp, 1990–1994) if you want the strongest of the 4300 cm³ V-shaped engines without the third generation’s mass. 203 hp and 353 Nm beat the second-generation 4.3 AT by 10 hp and 14 Nm, at 1815 kg versus 1835 kg. Kg/hp 8.94 is second-best after the 4.2 AT. You also get the largest tank (76 l), the highest clearance (205 mm), independent spring rear (not the generation-2 leaf rear), and a measured payload of 500 kg. What you do not get: 0–100 (not measured), any mpg figure (not measured), and you stay at 180 km/h. Versus the other first-generation 4.3 AT, the extra 41 hp and 41 Nm cost nothing in listed weight, tank, or clearance — those fields are identical.
Choose the 2 generation 4.3 AT (193 hp, 1995–2001) if the year you want is 1997–2000 (and 1995–1996, 2001 in this generation’s window) and you want Distributed injection (multi-point) on the 4300 engine plus the only 2800 rpm torque peak. 193 hp sits 31 hp above the 162 hp 4.3 AT and 10 hp below the 203 hp 4.3 AT. Torque 339 Nm is 27 Nm above 312 Nm and 14 Nm below 353 Nm. This is the only generation with a measured 0–100 among the 4.3 AT rows: 10 s, 0.8 s slower than the 4.2 AT. It is the lightest of the later two generations (1835 kg) but the heaviest of the 4.3 AT set. You give up 15 mm of clearance versus generation 1, 8 l of tank, independent rear suspension, and you have no gross weight, no mpg, no wheel size in the data.
Choose the 1 generation 4.3 AT (162 hp, 1990–1994) only if that is the row you are matching. Same body, same 1815 kg, same 76 l, same 205 mm, same 2315 kg gross as the 203 hp 4.3 AT, with 41 hp and 41 Nm less. Kg/hp 11.20 is the worst of the four. Specific output 37.7 hp/l is the worst of the four. 0–100 is not measured. There is no catalogue advantage over the 203 hp 4.3 AT except the lower listed output itself.
Year-to-version map for specs searches: a 1994 Oldsmobile Bravada is one of the two first-generation 4.3 AT rows (162 hp or 203 hp). A 1998 / 1999 / 2000 Oldsmobile Bravada is the second-generation 4.3 AT at 193 hp, 1835 kg. A 2002 / 2003 / 2004 Oldsmobile Bravada is the 4.2 AT at 273 hp, 2100 kg, 9.2 s, 190 km/h. 2001 can be either the 4.3 AT 193 hp or the 4.2 AT 273 hp — distinguish them by displacement 4300 vs 4157 and by V-shaped vs Inline. There are no other engine options in the data.
What the later generations buy, in arithmetic only: generation 2 versus the weaker generation-1 4.3 AT buys +31 hp, +27 Nm, multi-point injection, and a measured 10 s 0–100, for +20 kg, −15 mm clearance, −8 l tank, and a leaf-spring rear. Generation 2 versus the stronger generation-1 4.3 AT does not buy more power or torque; it buys injection type, a measured sprint, and a lower torque peak rpm, while losing 10 hp, 14 Nm, 15 mm clearance, 8 l tank, and independent rear suspension. Generation 3 versus generation 2 buys +80 hp, +34 Nm, +0.8 s (9.2 vs 10), +10 km/h, Inline instead of V-shaped, 4 valves instead of 2, +10 mm clearance, +3 l tank, independent rear again, and the only mpg set — for +265 kg and a 143 cm³ smaller engine.
This catalogue has no sale prices and no used-market values. The comparison is specs: 4.2 AT if you want the numbers that exist only in 2001–2004; 4.3 AT 203 hp if you want the strongest light 4300 AWD SUV 5-doors; 4.3 AT 193 hp if the year is a second-generation year; 4.3 AT 162 hp if that is the engine on the car in front of you.