Like a day at the beach, grit mars Malibus' sun.
Chevrolet has been struggling to craft a car with the appeal of the long-ago
Malibu, one that — as the 1960s original
— would look cool, behave itself in most situations and deliver a
bit of spunk.
The Malibu of yore mainly was a snazzy compact, relying on its name more
than its hardware to call up images of beach
and bliss. It endured until 1983.
Chevy (GM) revived the name in 1997 in an attempt to give velocity to a
plain-Jane, midsize Chevy rival to Japan's sedans.
Starting with the all-new '08 version just now in showrooms, there's another
identity. The newest Malibu is supposed to be
"a $40,000 car for $20,000," Chevy says.
There's obvious emphasis on styling. And once you're visually seduced, the
refinement-for-the-price is supposed to
overwhelm you.
What that all amounts to, judging from three early-production test cars
— high-end V-6, midlevel four-cylinder and a hybrid,
which uses the four-cylinder — is a very nice American family sedan.
In Malibu's favor:
•Handsome styling gives verve to the family car.
•Roomy interior gives the feeling of a larger car inside. Malibu is wide
enough to fit three-abreast child seats, assuming
they aren't extraordinarily wide.
•Quiet is abundant. Restful, which helps on long trips. Premium-feeling.
•Features are plentiful for a modest price, including GM's five-year, 100,000-mile
powertrain warranty,
OnStar telecommunications with a year subscription free and XM Satellite
Radio with three free months.
A 110-volt, household-current outlet is an option. Very handy. Get it.
•Driving behavior is mildly satisfying, as long as you're not expecting
sport-sedan handling coming 'round that
ever-tightening spiral of an exit ramp.
•The V-6 delivers satisfying punch, especially nice where dancing into and
through traffic is the norm.
The four-bangers went about their business acceptably. Enough power to merge
and pass comfortably.
Impressions were colored, however, by some glitches. They are problems that
no others have reported.
The V-6 model was tainted by a light howl from under the hood, a vibration
in the steering wheel at idle and low speed,
and violent shifts by the automatic transmission in some low-gear situations.
The hybrid delivered a scare. Its powertrain kept racing and trying to fling
the car forward after hard acceleration followed
by firm braking. It finally required a full-on panic stop — anti-lock brakes
kicking in, car nose-diving — to overcome the wildly
revving engine and obey a red light. Only happened once, but …
Potentially troubling: Malibu's interior wallows in a masochistic orgy of
what the industry calls cut lines, or parting lines,
where two pieces adjoin, an invitation to misalignment. No effect on function,
of course, but eye-maddening in a car that's
supposed to challenge Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
Also in the minus column:
The six-speed automatic transmission mated to the V-6 paused when the gas
pedal was floored, then delivered the downshift.
Gear changes involving first and second gears at low speed, whether in manual
or automatic mode, often delivered a violent jolt.
Chevy said it could duplicate the jolt only when shifting manually from
first to second then back. Is a violent reaction acceptable
under any circumstances, however unlikely?
The generally smooth four-speed automatic in the gasoline four-cylinder
upshifted with such a shudder that the whole car
shimmied when accelerated hard up to about 40 mph, then off the throttle
as if you spied a car about to pull across your path
down the block.
Windshield pillars are so fat they can block vision. The hefty rear roof
pillars likewise cut rear vision.
The hybrid, which Chevy forecasts will account for 10% of Malibu sales,
is what's called a mild hybrid because it mainly relies
on the gasoline engine. It doesn't continuously blend the output of the
engine and an electric motor as a full hybrid does.
The gasoline engine shuts off at long stops, such as traffic lights, to
save fuel and reduce pollution, as full hybrids do.
The gasoline engine restarts immediately and smoothly when you take your
foot off the brake pedal.
The electric motor will add a touch of punch at wide-open throttle. And
because the electric's there to help, if needed,
Chevy can shut off fuel to the gasoline engine sooner during deceleration.
All supposed to add 2 mpg, but the hybrid got
the same 18 mpg, give or take, as the other two engines.
On paper, Malibu seems superior to the lionized Camry. In practice, judging
by the test cars' foibles, maybe not quite.
2008 Chevrolet Malibu
•What is it? Midsize, front-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
derived from Saturn Aura.
Significantly bigger than previous version.
•How soon? On sale since about Nov. 1. Hybrids aren't expected in showrooms
until early January.
•What's the drivetrain? 2.4-liter four-cylinder rated 169 horsepower at
6,400 rpm, 160 pounds-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm,
four-speed automatic transmission (six-speed automatic optional).
Optional: 3.6-liter V-6 rated 252 hp at 6,300 rpm, 251 lbs.-ft. at 3,200
rpm; six-speed automatic.
Optional: 2.4-liter, four-cylinder mild hybrid; four-speed automatic. Engine
is rated 164 hp at 6,000 rpm, 159 lbs-ft. at 4,400 rpm.
Electric motor rated 115 lbs.-ft., available at start and for acceleration
and toting heavy loads.
•How big? Midsize: 191.8 inches long, 70.3 inches wide, 57.1 inches tall
on 112.3-inch wheelbase.
•How thirsty? V-6 is rated 17 mpg in town, 26 on the highway, 20 in combined
driving.
Trip computer in test car showed 17.9 mpg in suburban driving.
Four-cylinder rated 22/30/25.
Trip computer in test car showed 18.4 mpg in suburban driving.
Hybrid rated 24/32/27. Trip computer in test car showed 17.9 mpg in suburban
driving.
•Overall: Lots of promise, not many kept.
The baileyblog from October 2007.
Whoopdeedoo!
From the heights of the New York Times to the lowest level of auto
sites as exemplified by Motor Trend or the Car Connection,
the whole dam' American automobile press is hollering on that the
new Chevrolet Malibu is a world beater.
At least a Camry and Accord beater.
The ink stained wretches and bottom feeders known as the professional
auto journalists (currently stuffing their hodges
at the LA Auto show), have been waiting so long, almost 25 years,
for some sign that America can actually bolt together
a car that will last longer than a lap top computer, that they've
all gone off into a tizzy of ecstatic joy.
But, I ask, what is the big deal?
Is this car better than a Camry?
Is is better than an Accord?
Will it last longer, or cost less to repair over ten years that the
Camaccord twins? Who knows?
And perchance to dream: ay, there's the
rub because no one knows for sure.
What's all the fuss about?
Is this car vastly superior to the Mazda6 derived Ford Fusion?
Is it actually a better car, or just an equivalent car to the Camaccord
twins?
If it really is as good as the twins, that undoubtedly is a major
achievement, but some cars are born great, some achieve
greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.
In this case the thrusting is obvious and is coming mostly from the
American automobile press corps.
GM is holding back production to simulate a situation they haven't
experienced for years - a waiting list.
So expect no bargaining on price and consequently, a loss on depreciation
that is yet to be determined.
If a Cobalt is anything to go by, you'd be able to buy a 2008 Malibu
for half price after three years, but maybe this time
things will be different. Since I don't salute to the Star Spangled
Banner, I would personally wait to find out how this all unfolds.
The old advice that says "never buy the first years' production of
ANY new model" still holds
true.
I would want feedback from Consumers Reports before investing in this
apparent new phenomenon:
a world beating American car.
In the meantime, do not believe what you read and hear about this
car by all means go out and try one for yourself.
American hysteria is in full cry about this apparent achievement.
Let's hope it's not going to be a big
disappointment for them and only time will tell.
And now, it already has
