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Comparison review: eight midsize sedans (Fourth place)
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The Chevrolet Malibu has won awards for its sophisticated driving dynamics, but its
cramped rear seating limits its practicality as a family car.
There are two types of people who buy midsize sedans instead of smaller and cheaper ones: those who are primarily interested in the extra styling, refinement, and overall feeling of substance, and those who need the extra space.
The Chevrolet Malibu, heralded as a breakthrough product for General Motors, has the sophisticated driving dynamics to a strong contender for that first type of buyer. But it can’t be a true midsize class leader until it can broaden its appeal as a family car.
As in the Nissan Altima, the Malibu’s rear seat is worse than the average compact car in terms of space and comfort. There’s little head space and the low seat makes occupants sit with their knees up and stuck against solid plastic front seatbacks. The car is narrow, making it hard to fit a fifth passenger.
In short, someone who’s looking for a midsize sedan for its space either needs to choose something else or would be fine to save some $5,000 and buy a compact car.
It’s too bad that Chevrolet dropped the ball on the Malibu’s family sedan attributes, because it’s quite impressive in most other respects.
On the road, the Malibu offers a good sense of tightness and substance. This is in part because of its weight – the Malibu is heavier than the average midsize sedan – but the suspension offers more control than in some heavy front-wheel-drive sedans. It absorbs bumps well while avoiding unwanted ride motions, and tracks better on the highway than its predecessor.
And while it’s no sports sedan, it does handle quite well, too. It lacks the sense of tossable agility you’d get from a good performance-biased competitor, but it goes where it’s pointed without excess body roll, and the well-weighted steering isn’t as loose-feeling as a Toyota Camry’s.
Also impressive is the refinement. The standard 4-cylinder engine is well-muted but what you can hear sounds nice, two characteristics uncommon to GM’s smaller engines. Wind and road noise are also well-suppressed. The engine also delivers plenty of power, and with the available 6-speed automatic transmission, excellent gas mileage of 22 miles per gallon in the city and 33 on the highway, despite the Malibu’s extra pounds. (The standard 4-speed automatic returns lower mileage.) Some reviews have complained that the 6-speed doesn’t always shift quickly enough, but I did not personally come across such a problem during my test drive.Inside the car, the Malibu’s level of luxury is more of a mixed bag. The high-style dashboard is built from high-quality materials, but some of its trim pieces don’t line up properly and some parts of the interior door panels feel cheap. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, though there isn’t much extra head clearance below the optional sunroof. Outward visibility could be better, however, with thick roof pillars blocking the outward view.
As tested, the Malibu came loaded with extra-cost equipment not found on the other seven cars in this comparison, most notably heated leather seats, which brought its sticker price to a high $26,805. A Malibu equipped in line with the others would sticker at a still-lofty $25,350 without a difference in how it drives, but Fitzgerald Auto Malls would sell you such a car no-haggle for $20,681, which is more in line with the rest of the eight but still not a screaming deal. That price does include a year of OnStar, a system that can automatically notify police after an accident or remotely unlock your doors, though after that time you need to buy a subscription.
The Automotive Lease Guide gave the Malibu only two out of five stars for its residual values, but those are based on the loss from a car’s sticker price; consumers who buy the Malibu new have picked up an extra $2,000 in their own savings over the MSRP compared to the less-discounted Honda Accord, which earned five stars from the ALG.But all the refinement in its driving dynamics can’t make the Malibu a good family sedan. A good family sedan is spacious and comfortable for a family, not just the two front-seat occupants.
Someone who’s looking just for the extra substance, refinement, and style of a larger car would likely find the Malibu to be a very nice fit for them if they don’t mind a few cheap interior bits and aren’t looking for an overtly sporty driving experience. But if that doesn’t sound like what you’re looking for, a competitor would likely be a better choice for you.
Overall grade: B-
Vehicle tested: 2009 Chevrolet Malibu LT
Vehicle base price (MSRP): $21,605
Vehicle price as tested (MSRP): $26,805
Estimated transaction price as tested: $22,881
Estimated transaction price as comparable:* $20,681
Test vehicle provided by: Win Kelly Chevrolet, of Columbia, Md.
For more info:
http://www.chevrolet.com/2009malibu/
http://www.chevrolet.com/2009malibu/
Coming up tomorrow: Third Place
Sunday, Feb. 8:
Introduction
Monday, Feb. 9:
Eighth Place
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Seventh Place
Saturday, Feb. 14: Third Place
Sunday, Feb. 15:
Second Place
Monday, Feb. 16:
First Place
Tuesday, Feb 17:
Conclusion
*Note on pricing: when possible, the cars tested for this review were comparably equipped. It wasn't always possible. All are 4-cylinder sedans with automatic transmissions, but some have more options than others, which inflate the price tag.
The target for these eight was to have a power driver's seat and a sunroof. Four of them hit this accurately, one had more accessories, and three had fewer. Any discrepancies will be noted as they appear to ease comparison of the vehicles.
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