1SICKREVIEW:2008 Chevy Malibu LTZ
08-31-08, 06:57 PM
#17
Lexus Champion
The new Malibu is selling well, but there is still a wide gap between it and it's main competition. It's surprising since it looks great, received good reviews and offers a lot for the money.
Year to date sales thru June:
Camry 282.0k
Accord 247.2k
Altima 182.4k
Malibu 105.2k
Year to date sales thru June:
Camry 282.0k
Accord 247.2k
Altima 182.4k
Malibu 105.2k
08-31-08, 09:31 PM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
Great review Mike, thanks, and great to see your objectivity despite bad past experience with GM.
Things really are getting better at GM.
Got a suggestion - go check out a new Tahoe, or maybe a Tahoe hybrid! It is SWEET. Yes, I know, a big SUV, but you know you'd look cool sitting up that high.
Unless one has to climb a mountain, I honestly don't see why someone would want the LX570 over a Tahoe. Yes the LX570 has a nice interior, but that third seat row is so intrusive of space it's a joke and of course the LX costs $30K more than the Tahoe!
Things really are getting better at GM.
Got a suggestion - go check out a new Tahoe, or maybe a Tahoe hybrid! It is SWEET. Yes, I know, a big SUV, but you know you'd look cool sitting up that high.
Unless one has to climb a mountain, I honestly don't see why someone would want the LX570 over a Tahoe. Yes the LX570 has a nice interior, but that third seat row is so intrusive of space it's a joke and of course the LX costs $30K more than the Tahoe!
08-31-08, 09:33 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
The new Malibu is selling well, but there is still a wide gap between it and it's main competition. It's surprising since it looks great, received good reviews and offers a lot for the money.
Year to date sales thru June:
Camry 282.0k
Accord 247.2k
Altima 182.4k
Malibu 105.2k
Year to date sales thru June:
Camry 282.0k
Accord 247.2k
Altima 182.4k
Malibu 105.2k
Having really knowledgeable people like Mike acknowledge the progress helps a lot as he might recommend it for someone looking for a comfy family sedan.
Last edited by bitkahuna; 09-01-08 at 08:26 AM.
08-31-08, 09:33 PM
#20
Lexus Champion
The new Malibu is an awesome car... best in class in most ways, IMO... and on my current short list of vehicles to purchase to replace my 335i in about a year. I'd probably get the LTZ w/ 4-cyl. IIRC they're rated at 33mpg highway for 2009... and of course that's the EPA rating which is always way lower than you can actually get.
Its pricing is not only competitive next to the Camry and Accord but with the rebates and financing deals the value gets even better.
My friend has an 08 Saturn Aura (closely related) and so far likes it better than his 05 TL in many ways. It's smoother, quieter, and appear to be better built, too... though time will tell.
Its pricing is not only competitive next to the Camry and Accord but with the rebates and financing deals the value gets even better.
My friend has an 08 Saturn Aura (closely related) and so far likes it better than his 05 TL in many ways. It's smoother, quieter, and appear to be better built, too... though time will tell.
09-01-08, 06:02 AM
#21
Lexus Fanatic
Great Review, Mike. 
I see you split it up into several different sections/ posts....interesting.
I agree with most of what you say. The only thing I really didn't care for on the Malibu 1LT I looked at was the cheapish hard-plastic interior door panels. Otherwise the interior, as you note, has at least some of the ambience of the new Cadillac CTS and Buick Enclave (two other nice recent jobs fom GM), even down to the light blue/aqua dash lights, which, like you, I find attractive. That's where the Saturn Aura, the Malibu's corporate brother, falls short....its dash lighting is an ugly (IMO) yellow/orange, it doesn't cover up the plastics as well as the Malibu does, and its rear seat/roofline, despite being on the same plaform/body shell as the Malibu, doesn't have anywhere near the headroom.
Did you get a chance to at least sample the Hybrid Malibu on a quick test-drive? That, right now, is perhaps the most interesting (and expensive) version, although I believe an SS is also on the way.
I see you split it up into several different sections/ posts....interesting.I agree with most of what you say. The only thing I really didn't care for on the Malibu 1LT I looked at was the cheapish hard-plastic interior door panels. Otherwise the interior, as you note, has at least some of the ambience of the new Cadillac CTS and Buick Enclave (two other nice recent jobs fom GM), even down to the light blue/aqua dash lights, which, like you, I find attractive. That's where the Saturn Aura, the Malibu's corporate brother, falls short....its dash lighting is an ugly (IMO) yellow/orange, it doesn't cover up the plastics as well as the Malibu does, and its rear seat/roofline, despite being on the same plaform/body shell as the Malibu, doesn't have anywhere near the headroom.
Did you get a chance to at least sample the Hybrid Malibu on a quick test-drive? That, right now, is perhaps the most interesting (and expensive) version, although I believe an SS is also on the way.
09-01-08, 08:00 AM
#22
Lexus Champion
It's going to take time, if ever, for GM to catch up, but it has to start with product and theirs is clearly superior right now.
Having really knowledgeable people like Mike acknowledge the progress helps a lot as he might recommend it for someone looking for a comfy family sedan.
Having really knowledgeable people like Mike acknowledge the progress helps a lot as he might recommend it for someone looking for a comfy family sedan.
09-01-08, 10:21 AM
#23
Guest
Posts: n/a
It's going to take time, if ever, for GM to catch up, but it has to start with product and theirs is now clearly far superior to the past and to most competitors.
Having really knowledgeable people like Mike acknowledge the progress helps a lot as he might recommend it for someone looking for a comfy family sedan.
Having really knowledgeable people like Mike acknowledge the progress helps a lot as he might recommend it for someone looking for a comfy family sedan.
Great Review, Mike. I see you split it up into several different sections/ posts....interesting.
I agree with most of what you say. The only thing I really didn't care for on the Malibu 1LT I looked at was the cheapish hard-plastic interior door panels. Otherwise the interior, as you note, has at least some of the ambience of the new Cadillac CTS and Buick Enclave (two other nice recent jobs fom GM), even down to the light blue/aqua dash lights, which, like you, I find attractive. That's where the Saturn Aura, the Malibu's corporate brother, falls short....its dash lighting is an ugly (IMO) yellow/orange, it doesn't cover up the plastics as well as the Malibu does, and its rear seat/roofline, despite being on the same plaform/body shell as the Malibu, doesn't have anywhere near the headroom.
Did you get a chance to at least sample the Hybrid Malibu on a quick test-drive? That, right now, is perhaps the most interesting (and expensive) version, although I believe an SS is also on the way.
I see you split it up into several different sections/ posts....interesting.I agree with most of what you say. The only thing I really didn't care for on the Malibu 1LT I looked at was the cheapish hard-plastic interior door panels. Otherwise the interior, as you note, has at least some of the ambience of the new Cadillac CTS and Buick Enclave (two other nice recent jobs fom GM), even down to the light blue/aqua dash lights, which, like you, I find attractive. That's where the Saturn Aura, the Malibu's corporate brother, falls short....its dash lighting is an ugly (IMO) yellow/orange, it doesn't cover up the plastics as well as the Malibu does, and its rear seat/roofline, despite being on the same plaform/body shell as the Malibu, doesn't have anywhere near the headroom.
Did you get a chance to at least sample the Hybrid Malibu on a quick test-drive? That, right now, is perhaps the most interesting (and expensive) version, although I believe an SS is also on the way.
09-02-08, 09:40 AM
#25
Lexus Champion
Compared to other FWD cars? FWD by nature/default pretty much always has a worse radius than RWD. Compare a FWD civic's radius to a RWD Silverado and I bet they're similar at best... Silverado might even be better.
09-02-08, 10:59 AM
#26
Lexus Fanatic
The Silverado, don't forget, has a 4-wheel "Quadrasteer" option which increases its manuverability.
09-02-08, 11:06 AM
#27
Lexus Champion
09-02-08, 11:32 AM
#28
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If you use power-oversteer to turn a RWD car, then almost any RWD car can have a small turning radius, otherwise, I don't think RWD cars have such a huge advantage. My Corvette's turning radius is HUGE (of course, the turning circle can shrink rapidly with application of the throttle 
), it's actually one of my least-favorite things about the car. It's much larger than almost any other FWD car I've driven, with the exception of the absolutely awful PT Cruiser
), it's actually one of my least-favorite things about the car. It's much larger than almost any other FWD car I've driven, with the exception of the absolutely awful PT Cruiser
09-02-08, 01:25 PM
#29
Lexus Champion
If you use power-oversteer to turn a RWD car, then almost any RWD car can have a small turning radius, otherwise, I don't think RWD cars have such a huge advantage. My Corvette's turning radius is HUGE (of course, the turning circle can shrink rapidly with application of the throttle ), it's actually one of my least-favorite things about the car. It's much larger than almost any other FWD car I've driven, with the exception of the absolutely awful PT Cruiser
), it's actually one of my least-favorite things about the car. It's much larger than almost any other FWD car I've driven, with the exception of the absolutely awful PT CruiserI mean for example, the LS460 has a better radius than the Toyota Corolla by 2-3 inches.
The Corvette's radius is pretty bad for a RWD vehicle but still not that bad.. 39 feet. This is probably a limitation of the width of the engine. I just looked up the Aura for my friend who was commenting (coincidentally... I didn't even bring up this thread/convo) and it's 40.4 feet which is about 8 inches wider than his TL, but then again the Aura has a 5 inch longer wheelbase which works against it and means its wheels must turn even tighter.
09-02-08, 01:58 PM
#30
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Well... it still depends on wheel base, engine mounting and width, etc but just as a general rule of thumb FWD will have a worse radius than RWD.
I mean for example, the LS460 has a better radius than the Toyota Corolla by 2-3 inches.
The Corvette's radius is pretty bad for a RWD vehicle but still not that bad.. 39 feet. This is probably a limitation of the width of the engine. I just looked up the Aura for my friend who was commenting (coincidentally... I didn't even bring up this thread/convo) and it's 40.4 feet which is about 8 inches wider than his TL, but then again the Aura has a 5 inch longer wheelbase which works against it and means its wheels must turn even tighter.
I mean for example, the LS460 has a better radius than the Toyota Corolla by 2-3 inches.
The Corvette's radius is pretty bad for a RWD vehicle but still not that bad.. 39 feet. This is probably a limitation of the width of the engine. I just looked up the Aura for my friend who was commenting (coincidentally... I didn't even bring up this thread/convo) and it's 40.4 feet which is about 8 inches wider than his TL, but then again the Aura has a 5 inch longer wheelbase which works against it and means its wheels must turn even tighter.