At December’s congressional hearings, GM CEO Rick Wagoner cited the Chevrolet Malibu as a current GM success. The purpose of this post is not to debate Mr. Wagner’s statement, but to let you know my thoughts about that car because I purchased a new LS in February 2008; and yes, I still have it.
Exterior
- Stylish European body design
- Resembles Audi A6 – Think I’m crazy? Compare here.
Interior
- Stylish
- Roomy
- Seats fine, backs are firmer than the seat
- Information system on the dash is a plus
- 4 speeds on the fan/ventilation control is too few
- Winter-time heating quickly available, get heating on the feet could improve
- Glove compartment is small, but the shallow storage area on top of the dash is interesting
Ride
- Comfortable
- Quiet
Drive & Performance
- 4-cylinder engine
- Mileage: 24 m/g city, low 30s highway
- Acceleration is OK, but not as good as my wife’s 4-cylinder ’03 Accord
- Handling isn’t as tight as some foreign models, but not as loose as the past
- Average turning radius
Others
- 2008 North American Car of the Year and is recommend by Consumer Reports (latest report, January 2009).
- Trunk, and its opening, is smaller than expected, probably due to its aerodynamics.
- Although information seems to point to GM doing better advance planning with this vehicle, the Malibu’s long-term reliability is unknown.
- Interestingly, the engine light came on at 1,200 miles. The problem was due to a defective engine part, not in mass, just in mine. Because of the nature of the part, GM eventually took a part off the assembly line to correct my problem, so it took a while.
- During my search I also considered a Mazda 6 and Hyundai Sonata.
- At the start of the Malibu line, the LS is one of the best values available. When I bought, this car was cheaper than the Toyota Corolla, let alone more car and comfort. So one year later, I don’t regret purchasing this car.
A Frank Angle 