Posted on Wed, Dec. 05, 2007
MALIBU MAY BE CHEVY'S BEST SEDAN IN DECADES
BY LARRY PRINTZ
The Virginian-Pilot

Suppose I told you that the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is a midsize sedan worth considering alongside the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Would you believe me?

I could understand if you didn't.

The Malibu competes in the toughest part of the auto market, one dominated by the Camry/Accord/Altima triplets that hold sway over the driveways of suburban cul-de-sacs.

Chevrolet, once the center of the American automotive cosmos, buried its reputation long ago under tons of Corsicas, Luminas and Celebritys that promised quality, but failed to deliver.

Not so with this baby.

The new Malibu is the finest midsize Chevrolet the company has produced in three decades.

I'm not alone in that thinking.

The Malibu not only brought many questions from co-workers, it turned heads wherever it went. The Malibu's sleek lines evoke the 2008 Cadillac CTS. Subtly beveled sheet metal and chrome trim reinforce the deception. This car's handsome presence is a sharp contrast to the new Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, which seem dowdy by comparison.

Unlike previous Chevrolet interiors, which were targeted by GM accountants for cost-cutting, the Malibu boasts the same soft-touch surfaces, ambient lighting and expensive detailing seen in Asian rivals. The twin cockpit dashboard design recalls '60s-era Corvettes. A two-tone color scheme is carried throughout the cabin. The instrument panel is refreshingly simple, lacking the sea of buttons that plagues too many cars in this class.

The front bucket seats are comfortable and supportive. The seat bottoms have good depth and thigh support. The rear seat is comfortably high off the floor despite the lack of a fold-down center armrest. Legroom is plentiful.

And there are many little delights throughout, such as the rear power outlets, adjustable foot pedals, rear sunshade and front coin drawer.

But the Malibu offers more than great styling and build quality. Underneath is a platform that exhibits equal finesse.

Malibu isn't a sports sedan, but it has enough agility to make the daily commute entertaining. Its personality is more like a European car. Yes, there's body roll during cornering, but it's offset by good grip. The car insulates occupants from road impacts without robbing the driver of road feel. Steering is responsive and precise. This Chevy's excellent balance between ride and handling is surprising for a family hauler.

Performance comes from two smooth engines.

For fuel economy fans, there's a 169-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine hooked to and a four-speed automatic. It provides adequate power, but the power-hungry will want the 252-horsepower, double-overhead-cam 3.6-liter V6. It comes with a six-speed automatic that can be shifted manually via steering-wheel-mounted paddles. The car reaches 60 mph in under seven seconds, and it returns good fuel economy. The V6-powered test car easily achieved 20 mpg in city commuting, with overall mileage reaching 24 mpg, 2 mpg less than a four-cylinder Honda Accord I was testing the same week.

And it's very serene, with just a bit of road noise. Thankfully, the solitude can be banished with the AM/FM/XM/CD audio system.

The trunk is impressively deep, but not tall. It has a handy pull-down strap for closing.

The car Chevrolet sent for testing was the top-of-the-line LTZ model. Standard equipment includes anti-lock disc brakes, stability control, traction control, 18-inch wheels, heated outside mirrors, heated leather seats; split folding rear seats, power adjustable foot pedals, tilt/telescopic steering wheel wrapped in leather, and remote starting.

The Malibu starts at $19,995 for the base LS, with the loaded test car coming in at just over $28,000.

GM is charging Wal-Mart prices for a product with Nordstrom elan.

The Malibu now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best cars in the midsize class. It's so good, and so reasonably priced, buying one is almost like stealing.

http://www.bnd.com/business/story/195471.html