Chevy Malibu a winner.

[reggaenaut]

It looks like GM finally has a winner. Sales of the Chevy Malibu up 82%.

 

[RichPA]

Anybody here driven one? We're soon in the market for a car in that size range, but I have not liked the GM cars I've driven over the past 10 years or so (mostly rentals).

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

I've been giving them some consideration too. But haven't driven one yet.

 

[MountainMike]

I had a 69 Chevy Malibu with a 396 when I was going to college. Great looking car and a lot of fun to drive. I drove one of the new Mailbu's when they were re-released about 8-10 years ago and was very unimpressed. To be honest I haven't paid attention to them since. Have they done anything new to create a big improvement in the styling/features in the latest model?

 

[70salesguy]

I believe that it won "Car of the year".

Motor Trend tested it, the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and the Nissan Altima.

The Altima came in 1st, the Malibu 2nd!

They felt it beat the Honda handily.

Haven't driven one, but did stop at the dealer to have a look and it was very nice inside and out!

Not in the market for a sedan at this time, but if I was it would merit close investigation!

 

[bordeno]

I'm on record as not liking most American cars. But this one they might have gotten right. The styling for once is good, very distinctive, finally equaling, possibly eclipsing some Jap cars.

I still wouldn't buy one though. Once converted its hard to go back.

 

[Aage]

"Somebody's" Report sez...

From that independant review magazine that we all love:

The redesigned Malibu shares its platform with the Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6 and now ranks among the best family sedans. It nearly matches the Honda Accord's handling agility and the Toyota Camry's quiet interior.

Performance from the base four-cylinder engine is just average and delivers 23 mpg overall. The 3.6-liter V6 provides strong performance and 20 mpg.

The Malibu's roomy interior uses high-quality materials. The leather seats are slightly more supportive than the cloth seats, but both were comfortable and well-shaped. The back seats fold down to expand the trunk, but the trunk opening is small.

A Malibu with a mild-hybrid drive system is also available.

 

[reggaenaut]

Impressed with the styling. If I were buying a car it would be high on the list.

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

The useable trunk is one of my main concerns in purchasing something other than another small truck. I pickup and deliver a lot of MI gear and some of it can be quite heavy and large. Funny thing, many years ago I had a Mazda base Ford Festiva LX hatchback. With the rear seat folded down, I could load six full sheets of plywood into the back of that thing without any problem. I also moved a console TV, furniture, etc. in it and never got any less than 38 mpg highway mileage. Anyway, my little S-10 truck is getting long in the tooth and it's time for me to start looking.

 

[merrylander]

If it is anything like its big brother, the Impala LS, then it will be fine. Ours are now going on eight years old - time flies - and we will probably keep them for another eight.

 

[bordeno]

Rob, what do you have on yours, maybe 40,000 miles? I'd be looking at more than 8 more years!

Cheers.

 

[Aage]

The useable trunk is one of my main concerns in purchasing something other than another small truck. I pickup and deliver a lot of MI gear and some of it can be quite heavy and large. Funny thing, many years ago I had a Mazda base Ford Festiva LX hatchback. With the rear seat folded down, I could load six full sheets of plywood into the back of that thing without any problem. I also moved a console TV, furniture, etc. in it and never got any less than 38 mpg highway mileage. Anyway, my little S-10 truck is getting long in the tooth and it's time for me to start looking.

Hmmm, might be something to look at closely: the same reporting agency also said this:

Highs: Powertrain, handling, relative quietness, controls, standard stability control on most trim levels.
Lows: Small trunk opening, low-beam headlights, turning circle

 

[bordeno]

Low not mentioned so as not to hinder Malibu sales (after all sports fans, it is an American magazine):

The American engine pales alongside the Honda VTEC in the apparently unimportant categories of performance, engineering and fuel economy.

You may not have wanted to hear that.

 

[Aage]

Last quote:

"The redesigned Malibu now ranks among the best family sedans, just below the Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry. It nearly matches the Accord's handling agility and the Camry's quiet interior. But its fuel economy isn't the best in either ... "

 

[70salesguy]

Motor Trend liked it better than the Honda Accord.

 

[merrylander]

About 44,000 miles on it, since I retired it may sit in the garage for days. It still gets better gas mileage than a RAV-4 for cripes sake.

 

[bordeno]

Actually Honda and Toyota have been less than stellar recently in the engine category. Both have been having issued with sludge build up with engines as little 10K miles on it. Currently, a class action law suit is being floated against Toyota and one possible on Honda. I had a VTEC engine and I was NOT impressed with its high-winding character.

The Honda, if you read the reveiws of it, was categorized as a Boat (in sloppiness in cornering, etc.). Honda and Toyota have become the Buicks of the new century.

Opinions differ, life goes on.

Guess my 07 Accord SE is a sludgeless exception.

 

[Aage]

Honda and Toyota have become the Buicks of the new century.

Well, Buick has been one of the few highly rated US-built cars lately (with regards to reliability), so I'm imagining you are paying a compliment to Honda and Toyota.

 

[colortrakker]

There's definitely a comeback happening on the US front: Buick tied with Lexus in the last JD Power dependability survey.

As for the Malibu, sales are up, it's North American Car Of The Year...and a guy who hadn't had a GM since 1979 traded in his Lexus for one, he was so impressed.

 

[MRX37]

I wonder how well this Malibu will do 5 years down the road...

I know for a fact that 1999 Chevy Malibu's LOVE to eat breaks and ball joints. Oh, and around 65,000 miles, something major will give.