The Malibu is a midsize car that has style, and is loaded with refinement. It comes in three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ, plus a version with a hybrid engine. I drove the Malibu LTZ with a base price of $26,345, and with the option of a sunroof, the final as-tested price was $27,395. The 2008 Malibu LS starts at $19,345.
The test vehicle had a 3.6-liter V-6 that generated 252 horsepower and 251 pounds-feet of torque. This power is linked to a six-speed transmission. Chevrolet will offer the Malibu with a four-cylinder engine later in the model year.
This five-passenger sedan has an all-new exterior and the overall appearance is definitely Chevrolet. The front has a new grille with the traditional Chevrolet bow tie, the rear features twin taillamps and the sedan sits on 18-inch wheels. The real beauty came to light when I opened the door and got in. The seats were comfortable and trimmed with a two-tone leather color palette.
This is the area where the Malibu really shines. The premium interior appointments are what I’d expect in a sedan that costs about $10,000 more. The instrumentation gauges are clear and easy to read with a bright colorful background.
A couple of features that pleased me on chilly mornings: heated seats and a fast-operating climate control heating system. Between the two front seats is a storage area that also serves as an armrest. Just in front of that are a couple of cup holders and it even has a storage box on the top of the dash panel. As expected of a high-quality car, the Malibu has power door locks, seats and mirrors plus and adjustable steering column. It also has a huge trunk.
The LTZ includes a 210-watt, eight-speaker sound system that includes XM Satellite Radio. It did not have a conventional navigational system, but it did have OnStar. Better than a navigation system, because live advisors not only can give directions to your destination, they can also offer immediate help in an accident. They can even tell you when the car requires some area of attention.
By simply dropping into drive in this six-speed automatic I was underway. The first thing I noticed was the quiet ride. Then came my speed bumps test, which the Malibu absorbed softly.
The Chevrolet people tell me that the rear suspension also features a direct-acting stabilizer bar, as well as monotube or twin-tube shock absorbers. Also the front and rear suspensions have been tuned for each powertrain combination. All I can say it was tuned to perfection for the LTZ model.
Chevrolet has found a way to minimize the usual road vibration and noise. Although it has a comparative long wheelbase, it’s easy to handle. The wheels are wide at each corner, which provides a stable ride.
Because it’s a midsize car, not a full-size sedan, I had no problem in tight turns or parking in small areas.
As expected, the 2008 Malibu has all the safety features to protect the occupants in an accident. They include: dual-stage frontal airbags, head curtain side-impact airbags and front seat-mounted thorax protection airbags.
It also offers safety belt pretensioners, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, traction control, StabiliTrak, tire pressure monitoring and Chevrolet expects to get the government’s five-star safety rating.
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