Publication: National Post
ByLine: Clare Dear
Date: Sat 22 Mar 2008

It’s one thing for Chevrolet to say it’s challenging Honda and Toyota, the benchmark brands in the tough, mid-sized sedan segment. However, when its all-new 2008 Malibu can not only match the Accord and Camry in areas critical to this market — such as design, quality, quietness and value — but actually set new standards, consumers should take notice. Chevrolet is beating the advertising drums hard about how good this new Malibu is and, after a week with a top-of-the-line LTZ sedan, I can say the drum beating is justified.

This is not the Malibu from even a few years ago. Although it shares the same 2,852-millimetre wheelbase with the previous-generation Malibu Maxx, that’s where any similarities end. This is a well-designed, well-executed family sedan that stands tall against others in its category, including the Ford Fusion and Nissan Altima as well as the segment-leading Accord and Camry.

For starters, GM designers have given the new Malibu an exterior styling that rivals products much higher up the food chain. It has a far sleeker profile than previous generations, with a greenhouse that starts from the steeply raked windshield and sweeps aft, creating the low, almost fastback look you’d expect with a German sports sedan. The wheels –18-inch alloys on the tester — are pushed out to the corners, giving the car a wide, aggressive stance.

The only knock with this beautiful new body design is that the low roofline can make getting into the car a bit painful until you develop an appropriate entry technique. It took a couple of bumps to the head before I remembered to tuck my noggin when climbing aboard. I thought it might be an issue due largely to my 6-foot-1 stature — until my vertically challenged spouse had the same problem.

Another entry issue first noticed during an earlier experience with the Malibu is worth repeating. A pointed extension of the armrest protrudes from the B-pillar, and it can provide a painful reminder to the lower torso if your entry angle isn’t precise.

These are both issues one soon adapts to, however. By the end of the week with the Malibu, proper entry and exit were second nature.

The most dramatic difference in this new sedan is obvious once you’re aboard. The interior design is beautiful, far exceeding anything Chevy has offered previously. GM designers have been working hard to upgrade the look and feel of the cabins of their latest products and the Malibu interior is a testament to those efforts. Hard, grey plastic panels have been replaced with soft-touch materials in a pleasing choice of hues. The tester was trimmed in a two-tone cocoa/medium cashmere combo that looked and felt like something found in a high-end European sedan.

The instrument panel is shaped in two sweeping arcs that flow down into the centre stack, with attractive accents of faux wood and satin metal. The gauges are neatly packaged under a hood in front of the driver and are easy to read day or night. Ambient lighting in a soft blue adds a richness to the cabin at night.

The heated front seats are very comfortable, especially on long highway jaunts. They wrap around you, providing sufficient support that, even after sitting for several hours, you still feel fresh.

Neither will there be complaints from anyone drawing assignment to the 60/40-split rear bench. There’s more than ample space, especially legroom, to accommodate two adults comfortably — three in a pinch.

Fit and finish throughout rivals the quality one finds in the Accord and Camry.

The LTZ’s powertrain was the 3.6-litre V6 paired with a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting paddles on the steering column. Its 252 horsepower was more than adequate to move the Malibu smartly in passing and merging manoeuvres, while the tranny moved through the gear range so smoothly that the changes were all but unnoticeable. In fact, one of the most impressive aspects of this car is how little sound intrusion is noticed as you drive — there’s minimal engine, wind or road noise. The Malibu is significantly quieter, thanks to extensive noise and vibration isolation efforts by GM engineers.

A year ago, GM’s Saturn Aura was named North American Car of the Year. Now, its Malibu sibling, with which it shares much of its components, has earned the same honour. These awards are a signal there’s a product renaissance underway at GM, one that is resulting in models such as the new Malibu, which can go toe to toe with any of the competition