We’ve all heard GM’s party line too many times: “Sure, we’re not doing so well with our current products. But we’ve redesigned the [insert model name]. It’s going to bring new car buyers flooding back to [insert brand name].” Each time, the new product has fallen short. Each time, GM has surrendered market share, especially in the midsize sedan segment it once dominated. Does the latest object of GM’s hype, the redesigned 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, continue this downwards trend?
Let’s face it: only die-hard loyalists listen to/believe anything GM says these days. So the only way a new GM product is going to get noticed outside the fold is if it looks 1) like nothing else and 2) damn good. Despite sharing sub-skin bits with the Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura and cribbing from the Acura TL, the new Malibu actually delivers on both counts. People who haven’t considered a Chevrolet in eons may become interested after seeing the car.
As a Chevrolet, the Malibu is theoretically at the bottom of GM’s totem pole. For once, GM isn’t aesthetically hobbling a Chevrolet to make room for other divisions’ models. The Malibu’s artfully curved bodysides, formal C-pillar and Lexus-like brightwork provide a more upscale appearance than the equivalent Pontiac or Saturn. The prow might prove controversial, but it makes a strong, distinctive statement without the use of a gaping grille or sci-fi aesthetics. Trim alignment could be better, though.
Inside, we’ve got two tones, retro curves and cut lines galore— the sort of multivarious approach GM’s interior designers have long favored. In the past, after the bean counters and manufacturing engineers had their wicked way, the result has been a tacky mess. This time GM stayed true to the concept.
The Malibu cabin’s lines flow the way the original designers intended, the workmanship is first-rate and the materials vie for best in segment. Sure, the door pulls and some close-at-hand panels are hard plastic, but so are the same bits in the competition. There’s more of the soft-touch stuff than you’ll find in an Accord or Camry.
The Malibu’s driving position falls close to class average– not too low or too high. Legroom is plentiful in both the front and rear seats. The moderately firm seats provide proper support. And au courant ambient lighting is a welcome and unexpected standard feature in this class.
If there’s one place the interior falls down, it’s shoulder room. Time was American cars were much beamier than their competitors. But the Epsilon platform that underpins the new Malibu was developed with European markets in mind, so you’ll actually find a couple inches more shoulder room in a Toyota Camry or in the newly supersized Honda Accord. A relatively tight cabin lends the Malibu a sportier feel, but isn’t good if you want to scrunch three adults into the back seat.
So the new Malibu’s exterior and interior styling could bring people back into a Chevrolet showroom for the first time in decades. The test drive could still disappoint.
Chevy offers two engines: a 169-horse four and a 252-horse V6. The four, like those in competing sedans, provides merely adequate acceleration. The V6 is literally overwhelming. Mash the go-pedal at low speeds and the steering wheel jiggles this way and that as the Eagle LSs fight for traction. Either transmission shifts smoothly, but the V6’s paddle shifters are about as useful as mammaries on a mule. The six-speed slushbox doesn’t react promptly to manual inputs, preferring a prod from your right foot.
Toss the new Malibu through some turns and you’ll find excellent composure and well-checked body lean– but not the sharpness of a hardcore sport sedan. The base 16-inch tires look dinky and provide little grip; the V6’s 18-inch treads hang on considerably better, and mutter quietly as their limits are approached.
Weighting feels more natural with the V6’s hydraulic steering than with the electric rack in the four, but neither system provides much feedback. The feel through the wheel is solid and steady rather than quick and sharp. Enthusiasts should opt for the LT2, where faux suede center panels usefully augment the seat’s side bolsters.
The Malibu’s chassis excels in one key area: providing a smooth, quiet ride. Even over nasty stretches of pavement you’d better keep an eye on the speedometer to avoid flashing lights in the rearview. For the typical midsize car buyer, the ride-handling balance is outstanding. The Bu serves-up less wallow than the vanilla Camry, and it’s smoother than the Accord or Camry SE.
The bottom line: the new Chevrolet Malibu backs up its upscale looks with an upscale feel. Potential customers [theoretically] drawn to Chevrolet showrooms by the Malibu’s sheetmetal won’t be disappointed by the rest of the car. GM has finally built it. But will they come?
[Michael Karesh invites Malibu buyers to join TrueDelta's reliability panel.]
197 Comments on “Chevrolet Malibu Review...”
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Not bad! Although I hate how the rear end looks – worst part of the design in my opinion
I’d be curious to know if the V6 is an ancient overhead valve engine with central camshaft, or a modern engine worthy of competing against a Hyundai Sonata (never mind a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord or Nissan Altima).
No worries, the V6 is a 24V DOHC.
But another question. Is it profitable?
If so, then GM does have the secret recipe for success in midsizes.
glenn126, the V6 in the Malibu is apparently a 3.6 DOHC with VVT, while the one in the new Accord is a 3.5 SOHC VTEC. They have comparable outputs at 252 hp for Malibu and 268 for Accord. The Malibu’s engine is an LY7 from the CTS/Aura/many other recent GM cars. Honda’s V6 has Variable Cylinder Management though, don’t know if LY7 does
I’ve heard that it is a twin overhead cam engine. The V-6, that is.
Hmm, interesting. If these are still holding together five or six years from now I’ll believe GM is serious about making a decent car.
Nice, balanced review, Michael. Thanks.
I’ve been buying/owning cars for over 30 years and the closest I’ve owned to an American make has been a Ford/Mercury Capri. I have a long-standing and admitted bias toward Japanese cars. [I remain skeptical of my wife's Jeep, but she owned it long before we met.]
I want to check this car out. That’s monumental.
Glad to see some photos in normal lighting unlike the ads. Looks good from the side but agree with f8 that the rear is just blah.
Can’t wait to rent one when it shows up at National, and I mean that in a good way.
This sounds so much better than the Camry I tested. Inside and out, stylistically and mechanically. Wow.
Thank you Michael, and thank you GM!
Thank you Michael. But the car to beat in this segment/price is neither the Accord, Camry, or the Altima. It is the new 2009 Mazda6, which from all accounts is dropdead gorgeous, and no doubt will be best in class in terms of zoom-zoom.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/mazda6.html
I’m suprised. I actually like the styling and I think you just said it measures up well against a Camry and Accord which is mind blowing. I figured it would be a couple more generations of cars before detroit could be truly competitive in that class.
Now the trick is to get people shopping in that class an honest evaluation without resorting to huge rebates.
Would also be nice if they announced they wouldn’t be selling ANY to fleet sales.
I’m really heartened to read this review (and I admit I’m a something of an import bigot -being an import myself). It sounds as though GM has finally got it together, I truly hope so.
If the cars are reliable and sell, then this serves as impetus for everyone else to get off their laurels.
It looks like a step in the right direction (although I personally abhor the Chevy corporate front end, including this one, especially with the giant tacky gold bowtie and of how it clashes with some color schemes worse than others)…
But after burning SO many people with subpar reliability, the dealer experience from hell, and resale values that make sure you feel the pain for years to come, it’s gonna be a long road back, even if the car drives well.
I know I wouldn’t be willing to get into a long term relationship with GM, when there are safer bets around the corner.
The back end reminds me of a VW Passat and Jetta.
Good effort on GM’s part.
It’s interesting that the negative points of this review (torque steer, numb steering feel, lackluster handling) can all be applied to the Camry as well. I don’t think those are all that important to an average consumer. According to the review “this one’s still for … those who put a low priority on the driving experience”, but I think that happens to be most people, as many just want an appliance and not a sporty sedan.
The Malibu looks like an angry hog, which sets it apart from Camry’s boring jellybean styling. I’m not sure it’ll lure away those that want a faux-BMW (aka Accord), but Malibu’s styling easily trumps Sonata and Camry, even with the horrible rear.
CarNut:
The 2009 Mazda 6 looks like a cross of the current 6 with the 2008 Accord. It’s a good-looking car, but certainly not stunning
At the very least, providing the quality is really there, these could end up as a tremendous used car bargain (I doubt GM residual values are going to make an immediate about face).
I also agree: Nice review. I’ve logged a lot of time in Chevy’s first step on “the road back” the Impala. While the Impala is better than I expected (but not as good as I hoped) this car seems to take Chevy another step forward in “honest transportation”.
Nice, while I don’t go for a tan and charcoal interior… I figure that GM offers a different color choice.
As for the rest, it definitely warrants a test drive.
I wonder what the V-6’s fuel economy is.
It doesn’t sound like the chassis can handle much power without hurting driveability, so there wouldn’t be much point to criticizing the V6’s output. I’d like to know about its other characteristics though.
Actually I’d like to hear more about the 4 cylinder version’s shortcomings, those are what people actually buy even though all the reviews focus on the 6s.
Nice review and I agree that this car definitely looks the part. I despised the looks of the old Malibu, this gives hope for a company that’s not shown us much lately.
Thank you for that very level headed review Michael. Looks like GM may have finally seen the light. If the reliabilty meets expectations then GM could be back in the car game.
When I tested the Aura XR, I did not find torque steer to be an issue. The paddles were indeed useless, but appropriate application of throttle worked every time. The steering was well-weighted with decent feedback. It sounds like these attributes have been compromised on the altar of ride quality in the Malibu, which is pretty much my expectation for the segment.
It also sounds like the interior quality shortcomings of the Aura have been partially rectified in the Malibu. Good on GM for not crippling the Chevy, will they update the Saturn? Will it even matter before the next Vectra makes it to our shores and replaces the Aura in a few years?
jazbo123 asked the right question. GM is bringing some great products to market now (CTS, Malibu, Astra, G8), but if they’re not profitable it will only accelerate GM’s troubles.
Nice, while I don’t go for a tan and charcoal interior… I figure that GM offers a different color choice.
To my surprise, they offer a huge variety of interior combinations. Good for them.
Michael Karesh, so you say the Malibu “wallows less” than a Camry, but which Camry trim are we talking about? There is a big difference in smoothness and sportiness between an XLE and SE. Speaking of which, no surprise this Malibu is smoother than a Camry SE since the SE is the sportiest Camry trim. Chances are an SE handles better than a Malibu too.
Styling is subjective, but I’m willing to bet the average consumer isn’t going to like that 1992 rear end. It makes the car look dated.
Good point about the Malibu having less shoulder room than a Camry, yet being so large exterior-wise. Perfect example of just how inefficient the Epsilon platform is.
The Malibu also is down on features and options compared to the Camry and Accord.
Overall I would agree with the main point of the review: this 2008 Malibu is a solid effort, but it doesn’t even match the Camry or Accord, let alone surpass them. This new Malibu can now be considered somewhat competitive in this class, and nothing more. Overall it won’t do much to sway Accord or Camry buyers. At most, it might sway Sonata buyers especially as the Malibu will likely see big incentives. Unfortunately for GM, this Malibu could also cannibalize Impala sales.
Johnson: how did you come to see that as the point of the review? It sounded like the Malibu was on par with the Camry and Accord, even though it is not the exact same as either. Just because the cars don’t all match doesn’t mean it “can’t match” them (using the term with a negative connotation).
The outgoing Malibu slogged in the pit of mediocrity for so long that this new car should have gotten a new name. Too bad this isn’t the new Chevelle.
It looks to be a promising vehicle, and it’s high time that Detroit delivered a solid mid-sized sedan.
My one concern is that reviews of domestic cars have a bit more of a playing-for-the-home-team tinge to them than I’d like to see. If Honda, Nissan, Toyota or, for that matter, Hyundai produced this car, would there be all of this ebullient hopeful optimism attached to it, or would we be more inclined to view the vehicle more critically?
As Carlismo indicated, I am inclined to think that the key to the success or failure of this car will rest with the four-cylinder version. That’s what most people buy in this class, and if it’s a dog, it won’t impress anyone. Based upon prior experience, my expectations for the smoothness and reliability of the Ecotech 2.4 liter are low. If they get the styling right but the drivetrain wrong, it will have proven to be a 50% effort, which means more incentives, more discounts and the kind of sales success experienced so far by the Aura (read: none.)
maxo, did you read the Desirability section of the review summary where Karesh gave it 2 out of 5 stars?
Michael Karesh:
Solid effort, sharp looks, but I’m afraid this one’s still for the fleets and those who put a low priority on the driving experience. (Higher trims more desirable.)
This tells me that the car is decently competitive and nothing more.
As for whether or not it’s on par with the Camry and Accord, that’s my conclusion based on the facts. Does the ‘Bu come with 7 airbags standard like the Camry? Can you get Nav & Bluetooth in the ‘Bu like Camry/Accord? Does the Malibu have active headrests standard like the Accord? Does the Malibu offer class-leading fuel economy? Does the Malibu offer the same interior room as a Camry or Accord? The Malibu offers less rear legroom, rear headroom, shoulder room, and hip room than the Camry for example. The only thing the Malibu beats the Camry at in interior space is front legroom and front headroom. It loses in all other dimensions.
I drove one Monday and my impressions were much the same as this review – except I have a stronger dislike of the front end.
It’s a very nice car. IMO every bit as nice as Accord/Camry/Altima. I’m a long time Honda buyer, but I was very impressed with it.
Will it get conquest sales? I doubt it will get many, simply because lots of people are not suddenly going to trust GM again. But it should help stop the loss of customers, and in time, may win over some import buyers.
It’s really nice to see an American company get it right, and in a very competitive segment.
The thing is, many Cam-cord drivers are on their 3rd, 4th, even 5th ones. They know that their rides, given decent care, will last 200+k miles without a major engine or transaxle rebuild. 30-40 years ago, this demo group bought Impalas and Galaxies for the same reason (well, maybe not 200K back then). So the question isn’t getting these folks to try the ‘Bu, it’s getting them to trust it enough to buy it. My hunch is that it will take a generation for the word-of-mouth cred to catch up with the US brands. And I don’t think they have that long.
I don’t think the import makers will be sitting around either. Don’t think for a second that Honda and Toyota will let their Camry and Accord flounder in mediocrity while GM improves their sedans. While this brand new Malibu is decently competitive, it may get blown out of the water by the next Camry and the next Sonata which is coming soon, not to mention the next Mazda 6.
The next Camry is still a few years away, but we will get a new Sonata and new Mazda 6 very soon.
Fact is GM and the other American makers need to be not just competitive; they need to be beating the class leaders RIGHT NOW. Not in a generation, or even a few years but right now if they want to have any chance of survival.
Pch101-
I’ve read in other reviews that Chevy has implemented an elaborate set of acoustic baffles integrated into the engine cover that greatly reduces the intake roar, and according to the reviews, the 4 cyl ‘Bu is quieter than the new 4 cyl Accord. I haven’t driven one to verify this, but at least they’re acknowledging the problem and making good efforts to fix it.
The brown and black interior is downright revolting, and that’s before the silver plastic.
Wow, sounds great. Let’s hope they actually turn it into a profit center rather than pumping out so many they are forced to sell them for a loss.
I feel like we’re on the verge of some kind of domestic auto renaissance, higher gas prices or not. Being too young to remember a time when domestic cars were class leaders, I am positively giddy – I never thought the day would come where I might step into a domestic showroom, for any reason, ever.
CarNut: “But the car to beat in this segment/price is neither the Accord, Camry, or the Altima. It is the new 2009 Mazda6, which from all accounts is dropdead gorgeous, and no doubt will be best in class in terms of zoom-zoom.”
Damn, that is good looking! It’s the Seabring’s rear end done right. These short rear decks are all about aerodynamics. If it’s not too huge and heavy and drives well, I know a few people who will be interested in one.
Actually kinda glad to see Chevy may have a competative sedan in this class.
One thing ensures that I will never own one….no M/T available?….in any trim level?
At least Honda will still give those that want one a manual transmission.
The dealer experience is a big hurdle.
Car sounds nice though!
3, nay, 30 cheers for GM! This car is decades overdue, but it is heartening to see that GM has overcome it’s natural inclination to crap up good cars, and with the Camry somewhat on the decline I think this is gonna be a good fight.
These last few years as I’ve driven around in my wife’s Lumina, I would dream of the day I could replace it with a more rewarding import, a Legacy or Accord or something along those lines, but this new Malibu really is changing my perspective on our options a couple of years down the road.
Good point poltergeist, forgot to mention that.
The new Malibu indeed does not have a manual transmission available in any trim. Both the Camry and Accord still offer manuals in some trims.
Forget Camry and Accord, Malibu doesn’t surpass Sonata on the lower-end and Altima in V6 form.
If there’s one place the interior falls down, it’s shoulder room. Time was American cars were much beamier than their competitors. But the Epsilon platform that underpins the new Malibu was developed with European markets in mind, so you’ll actually find a couple inches more shoulder room in a Toyota Camry or in the newly supersized Honda Accord. A relatively tight cabin lends the Malibu a sportier feel, but isn’t good if you want to scrunch three adults into the back seat.
This is really unfortunate, as this is one of the primary reasons why I buy (traditional) American. That, and the hip room.
If it has a bowtie, and it’s sold in N. America, it should be an unabashedly American car. Where’s the link to landmark cars like the ‘66 ‘Bu here? The CamCord got more popular the larger they got with each successive generation, thereby supplanting the domestic offerings in more ways than just reliability and resale.
GM has to decide if this is the car they want to compete with new entries from ToyoHonda or if they’re going to keep two cars on either side of the CamCord, dimension-wise.
People who haven’t considered a Chevrolet in eons may become interested after seeing the car.
Not a chance. Not because of the Malibu but because of GM itself. As someone has already said, the truth on whether GM has a Camry/Accord/Altima/Sonata/Mazda6 beater on it’s hands will be if it does the usual fall apart gig after 3 years that is common with much of GM’s iron.
As for the car itself, it’s just as bland as any of the other blandmobiles we hear so much about on the outside. It’s nice alright but nothing special. Taken on it’s own merits however I can’t see Camcordima owners rushing to Chevrolet dealers to buy one. It just does not have the ‘wow’ factor needed to produce the ‘gotta have it’ feeling. However much you might admire this effort from GM (and it is a good effort), ringing in the back of my head is the thought, ‘but it’s still a GM product….’ For a lot of people who have been burned by shoddy GM products (and there are generations of them) this will be a stumbling block. It does not help giving it the same name as earlier Malibu’s. A much maligned vehicle which deserves much of the criticism it has accumulated over the years.
People are fickle for sure. Some are saying ‘at last GM is finally getting it together’ or words to that effect. It’s a good first step and I hope this new Malibu lives up to the hype but it will take many more Malibu’s to prove that GM has in fact ‘got it’s act together”! If I had to buy a vehicle from one of the big 2.8, I’d rather have a Fusion. That said, I wish GM well with the new Bu’.
Like others, I’d like to see a manual option for this car in the future, perhaps even with a detuned turbo 4 setup that the Cobalt SS now has (and of course with a sportier suspension setup).
Without a manual option, some folks may look instead with the Asian competition, or the Fusion.
Nice review. I’m looking forward to reading more reviews of the new Malibu as well.
Pch101 said it well though – it does seem as if there’s so much expectation built into this vehicle that you wonder if many reviewers won’t be looking at it through at least somewhat rose-tinted glasses.
I didn’t read anything in this review that made me think that, however.
Pch101 also hit the nail on the head with the Ecotech concerns. That’s the model that will undoubtedly sell more, so I’d like to hear how it stands up to the competition.
What gets me about the folks that love to bash the Camry/Accord is that they act like the domestic auto makers are really pumping out “driving excitement”…the new Malibu has very clean styling – but is it really that distinctive over any other midsize sedan? Frankly I still think the Altima is the standout in this category. I think most midsize sedan shoppers aren’t really looking for overtly distinctive designs – for better or worse – anyway.
I don’t think there’s any question that this car has the attributes to please any import owner – but like others have mentioned, does it stand head-and-shoulders above the rest? It needs to, to actually score the “conquest” purchases it’s looking for. People on their 3rd or 4th Camry or Accord aren’t likely to even shop this because of their brand loyalty and the knowledge of GM’s not-so-distant past. Plus, anyone counting on Toyota to simply rest on their laurels and let the Camry wither on the vine (like so many domestic cars have – even the promising ones) needs to think again. Add in other cars like the Mazda6 into the mix, and it’s clear that the Malibu is going to need to have a wonderful reliability record in a few years to really make waves.
I also agree that they should have dubbed it something else, given the Malibu name’s poor-quality connotation.
“But the Epsilon platform that underpins the new Malibu was developed with European markets in mind, so you’ll actually find a couple inches more shoulder room in a Toyota Camry or in the newly supersized Honda Accord.”
I think this will be a big problem for the Malibu.
willbodine :
The thing is, many Cam-cord drivers are on their 3rd, 4th, even 5th ones. They know that their rides, given decent care, will last 200+k miles without a major engine or transaxle rebuild.
Well, they may be on their 5th but an awful lot of them still get traded in after 3 years. Longevity is not that important what with the popularity of leasing.
Does anyone know if the Malibu will offer the 4-cyl with the 6-speed transmission at some point?
Could a TTAC be quoted in a Chevy ad?
Word has it that the 4 cyl will be available with the 6 speed by June ‘08.
However, given the reviews I have read to date—it seems like the 4 speed offers no noticable handicap and shifts smoothly.
Oh well—perceptually more gears the better these days even if the real difference isn’t much.
BTW—my trip to the Chevy dealer revealed much the same as this review. Nice work by GM even on the stripper model I viewed.
The new Malibu combined with the new Altima and Accord (+ others like the Fusion and Sonata)—-make the new Camry look like the old Malibu by comparison.
Let’s start a betting game: how many of these is GM going to sell per month at retail (fleet doesn’t count)?
This is my guess: 10K/month.
Looks like a nice car and sounds like a nice ride. Certainly the best looking GM product for the masses that’s not niche market. The back end looks Audi A4/Infiniti M35. The front looks, well, silly. At least the profile is Volvo S60.
CarNut, thank you for pointing out the best design yet for this class. The 2009 Mazda 6 is stunning, almost perfect. Let’s hope the new Fusion is equally beautiful.