CTC Review: 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ

[CD_Editor]

Day 1:

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The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ is my tester for this week.  It's been a few weeks since I had a test car, although I have been super-busy driving for the 50L challenge and other events, so I certainly haven't been taking a break.  This Malibu is a car that has been praised by nearly everyone in the industry. "Camry killer" and "Super-Accord" are phrases that have been used to describe it; those are some mighty praises.More ...

[Leviathan]

my tester, a six-cylinder 3.6Litre

Too bad they didn't give you the 4 cylinder model to test.

[si]

Isn't this eating up all Impala sales?

[Cortina]

Wing. It must be hard to drive this car with a straight face.

Its PINK.



GM's has made history. This is the first metrosexual car.

[articsteve]

my tester, a six-cylinder 3.6Litre

Too bad they didn't give you the 4 cylinder model to test.

Ya. I was looking forward to a real evaluation on the 4 banger with the 6 speed.   

[conwelpic]

May sales
Malibu - 1906; (May 2007 - 1040, YTD '08 - 7588, YTD '07 - 3601)
Accord - 2869 (May 2007 - 1820, YTD '08 - 8785, YTD '07 - 7734
Camry - 2851 (May 2007 - 3142, YTD '08 - 11646, YTD '07 - 11841)

could be an interesting race, Camry's sales falling flat and Accord and Malibu picking up with redesigned vehicles.

[Thinking Out Loud]

Gaudy Gaudy Gaudy.  The colour is certainly a departure from the blacks and greys typically seen, though. 

GM said they were focusing on interiors, and appearantly they were wearing rose coloured glasses!  Points for making the effort.

[articsteve]

could be an interesting race, Camry's sales falling flat and Accord and Malibu picking up with redesigned vehicles.

And then in 2 more years Toyota will launch a new Camry that will make the other two seem outdated.  Camry is the segment leader and the next motor will be a valvematic and that will make the ECOTEC a total dinosaur.

The same cycle is happening with the Civic and the Corolla.  The Civic became the segment leader with the current version.  Surprising, the last gen Corolla hung in there way beyond expectations until this new model.  Two years from now or so Honda will launch a new Civic and they will dominate again.  The domestics will IMO, never compete in this category.

[carcrazed]

By the way, Sonata had a fully-loaded I4 since last year, I4 Limited.

I am very interested in the I4 version of the Malibu LT2, too bad wing's testing the V6 LTZ.

[toolatecrew]

Subaru offers a Legacy LTD with "full load" with the base 4 cyl also.

[quadzilla]

^^^ So does the Mazda6.

The car looks nice except for those interior colours? What that meant to be a joke?

[wing]

It's not pink, it's a "interesting" tan colour.

[Cord]

May sales
Malibu - 1906; (May 2007 - 1040, YTD '08 - 7588, YTD '07 - 3601)
Accord - 2869 (May 2007 - 1820, YTD '08 - 8785, YTD '07 - 7734
Camry - 2851 (May 2007 - 3142, YTD '08 - 11646, YTD '07 - 11841)

could be an interesting race, Camry's sales falling flat and Accord and Malibu picking up with redesigned vehicles.

And the long in the tooth Fusion outsold the Malibu in May.

[carcrazy]

could be an interesting race, Camry's sales falling flat and Accord and Malibu picking up with redesigned vehicles.

And then in 2 more years Toyota will launch a new Camry that will make the other two seem outdated.  Camry is the segment leader and the next motor will be a valvematic and that will make the ECOTEC a total dinosaur.

The same cycle is happening with the Civic and the Corolla.  The Civic became the segment leader with the current version.  Surprising, the last gen Corolla hung in there way beyond expectations until this new model.  Two years from now or so Honda will launch a new Civic and they will dominate again.  The domestics will IMO, never compete in this category.

Being the best selling car doesn't make it the best car or the segment leader. I don't think the redesigned Civic or Corolla made the Mazda3 pale at all.

If Ford brings over the Euro Focus quickly and unchanged, as rumored, they will have a very competitive car in the segment. It's a hatch, but still it competes with the Civic and Corolla with the added versatility of a hatch.

[Winklovic]

I'd certainly like to try out a new Malibu.  I'm sure it's a dramatic improvement over the last one.

[Blueprint]

Honda also has offered a 4 cyl. EX-L Accord for awhile now; granted, it's the domestics who rarely offer a high-end 4 cyl. version, but they're all scrambling to do so now.

BTW, the Ecotec / 6-speed auto is upcoming; it's not offered yet.  Ecotecs get a 4-speed.

GM, how about a Malibu SS with a manual ?  Or even just an LT with a stick ?  Few sales, of course, but lots of car mag exposure.

[articsteve]

And the long in the tooth Fusion outsold the Malibu in May.

GM had few Malibus to sell in May. Worst new car launch in automotive history.

[articsteve]

If Ford brings over the Euro Focus quickly and unchanged, as rumored, they will have a very competitive car in the segment. It's a hatch, but still it competes with the Civic and Corolla with the added versatility of a hatch.

"IF" ... when it comes to GM and Ford the word "IF" is ever so present.  The Matrix is the Corolla in "hatch" form.

[carcrazy]

If Ford brings over the Euro Focus quickly and unchanged, as rumored, they will have a very competitive car in the segment. It's a hatch, but still it competes with the Civic and Corolla with the added versatility of a hatch.

"IF" ... when it comes to GM and Ford the word "IF" is ever so present.  The Matrix is the Corolla in "hatch" form.

True, but the fact is they do have very competitive small cars that are bound for North America.

[drederick]

GM had few Malibus to sell in May. Worst new car launch in automotive history.

Ummm lets see, when the 2007 Camry was launched it had no issues? wasn't it pretty much the reason that CR no longer rates all new Toyota's as reliable?  ha ha ha ha ha great car launch!

on the other hand, GM ramped up 2008 Malibu production thus leading to things like this:
http://www.jdpower.com/autos/articles/2008-Initial-Quality:-Midsize-and-Large-Cars
"Highest Ranked: 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
Disproving the theory that all-new or redesigned models can’t achieve high levels of initial quality, the Chevrolet Malibu is the highest-ranking midsize car in initial quality in the 2008 IQS."

interesting.

As for powertrains for 2009 the GM 2.4/6speed auto is rated at 22 city 33 hwy taking an ever bigger step away from the 09 Camry and Accord 4cylinders

So what exactly does that make the Camry's 4cyl? I guess by your own logic it's a 'dinosaur'? ha ha ha ha ha