“America’s best-selling Oldsmobile is looking better than ever.”
For 1989, Oldsmobile’s Cutlass Ciera received its second facelift, with the upright hood ornament removed and revised body side moldings. Inside, the most notable change was the addition of rear seat shoulder belts. The most significant mechanical change was the replacement of 1988’s LG2 3.8 liter V6 with the LG7 3.3 liter V6, adding 10 bhp and yielding an improved city fuel economy rating. The Brougham was gone, replaced by a new upmarket SL trim.
The Ciera’s standard powertrain remained the Iron Duke LR8 110 bhp 2.5-liter/151 ci inline four with electronic fuel injection paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. The LB6 125 bhp 2.8 liter/181 ci V6 with multi-port fuel injection added $610, while the LG7 160 bhp 3.3 liter/204 ci V6 with multi-port fuel injection cost $710. A four-speed automatic was $200 and was required with both V6 engines.
The owner of a Ciera with the base Iron Duke/three-speed automatic powertrain could expect a 0-60 time of a little over 12 seconds. Fuel economy ratings were 23 city/30 highway by 1989 standards (21/28 by 2026 measures). With a 15.7-gallon gas tank, the owner of that Ciera could expect a 350 to 370 mile range.
The combination of the 3.3 liter V6 and the four-speed automatic yielded by far the quickest 1989 Ciera, with a 0-60 time of a little under 10 seconds. Fuel economy ratings for the same combination were 20 city/29 highway by the day’s standards (18/27 by today’s measures). The owner of this quickest Ciera could expect a range of 320 to 355 miles, with the four-speed automatic almost making up for the 35% increase in displacement and 45% additional horsepower.
Three Different Models
The 1989 Cutlass Ciera base coupe was $11,695—about $32,800 in today’s dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included a fixed mast fender antenna, Soft-Ray tinted windows, power rack-and-pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/75R14 steel-belted radial-ply all-season blackwall tires (a size still available thanks to Hankook) on 14 x 5.5 inch wheels with Deluxe wheel discs. Inside, a Custom front bench seat with a fold-down armrest, a Deluxe steering wheel with a vinyl rim, an inside day/night mirror, a side window defogger, and a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio with seek-scan, a digital display clock, and dual rear speakers were included.
Moving up to the $12,695 SL added under-hood and trunk lamps, a 55/45 divided front bench seat with individual controls, an armrest, and front seat storage, an inside day/night mirror with dual reading lamps, a rear window storage compartment, a power trunk-lid lock release, and a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio with seek-scan, auto-reverse cassette player, a digital display clock, and dual extended range rear speakers.
The top-of-the-line $15,995 International Series (about $44,800 in 2026 dollars) included the 3.3 liter LG7 V6 paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Other exterior and mechanical features included two-tone paint, a front air dam, fog lamps, a lay-down front-end panel ornament, front amber turn/park and side marker lamps, a rear fascia with aero extensions, high capacity cooling equipment, and a dual-outlet exhaust. The International Series also came standard with the FE3 Level III Touring Car Ride and Handling Suspension System, which included special suspension components, special steering gear, and P215/60R14 performance steel-belted radial-ply all-season blackwall tires (a size still available thanks to BFGoodrich) on 14 x 6 inch styled aluminum wheels with spokes.
Inside, the long list of International Series equipment included Contour reclining front bucket seats, a fully operating console, a Tilt-Away leather-wrapped Sport steering wheel, front and rear floor mats, a Rallye instrument panel cluster, a driver information system, a pulse wiper system, and Four-Seasons air conditioning.
Option Packages, Individual Options, & Production Numbers
By 1989, Oldsmobile had moved largely to option packages, which varied by sub-model. The base coupe’s packages were four:
- 1SA was the standard equipment package
- 1SB added a Four-Seasons air conditioner, a Tilt-Away steering wheel, a pulse wiper system, and Convenience Group
- 1SC included everything in 1SB and added bright door-edge guard moldings, a power front fender antenna, power door locks, power side windows, and front and rear floor mats
- 1SD included everything in 1SC and added color-coordinated remote side mirrors and two front seat adjustment options—either manual recliners and a 6-way power adjuster for the driver’s side of the standard bench seat or a 6-way power adjuster for the driver’s side of the optional bucket seats
The SL had three option packages:
- 1SA was the standard equipment package
- 1SB added bright door-edge guard moldings, a power front fender antenna, a Four-Seasons air conditioner, a Tilt-Away steering wheel, a pulse wiper system, electronic cruise control, and front and rear floor mats
- 1SC included everything in 1SB and added color-coordinated remote side mirrors, power door locks, power side windows, and a 6-way power seat adjuster for the driver’s side of the standard split bench seat
The well-equipped International Series had only two option packages. 1SA was the standard equipment package, while 1SB added a power front fender antenna, color-coordinated remote control side mirrors, power door locks, power side windows, and a 6-way power adjuster for the driver’s side bucket seat.
Ordering individual options remained complex, and varied substantially by sub-model. Individual options available for every Ciera coupe included power side windows, power door locks, and an electric rear window defogger. Big-ticket items such as the electric sliding glass panel tinted Astroroof, Custom leather trim in seating areas, and the UX1 Delco AM stereo/FM stereo with seek/scan, auto-reverse cassette with music search, graphic equalizer, and digital display clock were available only with the SL and International Series.
Because the International Series was so well and specifically equipped, some individual options were available only on the base and SL Cieras. They included a body accent stripe, high-capacity cooling equipment, the FE2 Level II Load-Carrying Suspension System, the FE3 Level III Touring Car Ride and Handling Suspension System ($505), simulated wire wheels paired with white-stripe tires, and a Rallye instrument panel cluster. Color-coordinated Super Stock wheels with stainless steel trim rings and electronic cruise control were only available as individual options with the base Ciera.
Oldsmobile sold 7,221 base coupes, 2,546 SL coupes, and 1,913 International Series coupes in the 1989 model year. These coupe sales were substantially down from 1988, and they wouldn’t get any better—Oldsmobile would drop the coupe at the end of the 1991 model year, while the sedan and wagon would be sold through the 1996 model year.
The View From 2026
I see these A-body cars as basic and honest, and believe they deserved their sales numbers. Cutlass Cieras sometimes show up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors, though this is increasingly unusual. Bring a Trailer has sold four Cieras, with one being sold twice.
Make mine Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic, please.
Other A-bodies I have written about include the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan, the 1985 Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport coupe, the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan, the 1986 Buick Century sedan, and the 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan. Blog entries on Oldsmobiles with the Cutlass name include the 1980 Cutlass coupe, the 1981 Cutlass Supreme coupe, and the 1985 Cutlass Supreme coupe.
