CD Article: 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ

[CD_Editor]

Test Drive:


"A very different car from the one it replaces, the new Malibu has the size, quality and most importantly, attitude to compete on all fronts with its Japanese competitors" says contributor Laurance Yap.

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Read the article | View the photos | All The Test Drives

[2latecrew]

Strange ti say but I'm very much looking forward to the next rental car I get being a Malibu even if its a long distance trip. I don't expect sporty response from my rentals. I want a great highway car, good fuel milage and a quiet interior to listen to the radio/ipod etc. I don't see a Malibu being my primary vehicel ever but I think Chevy sounds like they have got this one right..assuming they haven't gotten any hidden mechanical gramlins that will pop up down the road as they have in the past.

[jww]

To me, this may well be the most promising Chevy to come out of Detroit in a very long time. I like the lines, and see aspects of the Vectra, which is a pretty solid car in its own right.

I'd like to see one in the flesh though, since the Chevy commercials for this car have gone the direction of Pontiac - all CGI - so you aren't really looking at the car - just a graphic of it.

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I stare at every one I've seen. That's a Chevy? Draw dropping best-in-class looks. It's large yet tight, with just the right amount of sizzle.

Would like to drive and experience this 'quiet' people speak of.

LTZ exterior with 2LT interior please   
I would honestly shop one against Accord and Passat.

If it gets that much respect on the high end, it's incredible value on the low at $22,9 - same price as Wing's Focus tester.

[Eric Green]

For a nation that builds nuclear aircraft carriers and MIRV-equipped ICBM's, designing and building a world-beating midsize automobile should not have been all that difficult.

I hope Chev sells millions. It deserves to.

[Greg B.]

I stare at every one I've seen. That's a Chevy? Draw dropping best-in-class looks. It's large yet tight, with just the right amount of sizzle.

Would like to drive and experience this 'quiet' people speak of.

LTZ exterior with 2LT interior please   
I would honestly shop one against Accord and Passat.

If it gets that much respect on the high end, it's incredible value on the low at $22,9 - same price as Wing's Focus tester.

I've driven one and it is pretty impressive in most respects. It looks good in the flesh, and even the base model I drove had a very attractive interior with plenty of exterior brightwork. Mine was a 4-cylinder but you'd never know it -- plenty of punch and unbelieveably quiet. Nice handling too. The interior design speaks for itself, even though mine was gray inside which I would never order (I hate gray interiors). Despite the gray, it looked good with different tones and some faux-metal trim.

Dislikes? A few... the visibility was compromised by the high beltline and thick A-pillars. The cabin seemed a bit narrow compared to what I'm used to, and you can see that from the exterior, in that the car looks a bit too narrow. The rear seat was very tight for a car this size, probably the worst feature of the car. The trunk opening was small although there was plenty of room inside. That's about all I could find not to like.

All in all, a very impressive effort by GM.

[PJungnitsch]

That base price is quite something considering it includes air/auto/PW/PL/ABS/SAB/Cruise/Keyless.
Nice how formerly expensive extra features are now thrown in for free.
The purchase interest rate is good at 3.3% for 60 months.

Quite a deal.

[gosteelerz]

Still haven't seen any of these on the road yet.  Was very impressed with one at the Georgian College Auto Show back in September.

[Mitlov]

For a nation that builds nuclear aircraft carriers and MIRV-equipped ICBM's, designing and building a world-beating midsize automobile should not have been all that difficult.

The Pentagon is funded by taxpayer dollars.  Detroit isn't.  Apples and oranges.

[Eric Green]

Mitlov:

Wrong- apples and apples. Whether it be DARPA or GM/Ford/Chrysler, all draw from the same pool of engineering talent. And when applied to the civilian auto industry, the Malibu results.

[johngenx]

It would Chev is finally serious about the family car segment.  Excellent.

[PJungnitsch]

There was a study not too long ago on how GM functioned and the conclusion was there was plenty of individual talent, the structure of the company was the problem as it continually frustrated good people and prevented them from doing their best. Too much real life Dilbert.

Looks like they might have started turning that around.

Ford has had similar issues, I've a book on the redesign of the Taurus (90's) and it was one big sh*tfight. Talented players, underperforming team.