By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
Engine: 3.6L V6 VVT
Horsepower: (hp / kw @ rpm): 252 / 188 @ 6,300.Torque (lb.-ft. / Nm @ rpm): 251 / 341 @ 3,200.
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Includes driver shift controls (steering wheel mounted paddles, with 2nd gear start).
Dual Chrome Exhaust Tips
18" Ultra-Bright Sport Alloy
Tires: P225/50R18 BW Touring AS
Hydraulic Power Steering
I presume everything (except the price) would be the same in the USA since they all come off the same assembly line.
One other thing that does bother me (a lot) is the speedometer. Whoever designed it, should be demoted to janitor. Because it is graduated to 140 mph, there was no space for 5 mph increments... and it is extremely difficult to dial in 55 for example or to find 25 or 35mph school zones speeds. I can't believe this got past testing. Perhaps it is no issue for younger drivers but it drives this geezer nuts.
I did buy two first year Korean cars (Elantra and Optima) and had absolutely no trouble with them, nor did I hear any negative feedback from other owners. That is not the case with the 04 Malibus.
On the other hand I like my Maxx a lot and would have no hesitancy about buying a new Malibu.
The '08 is a very nice looking car -- mine, a 1LT, had the extra-cost red metallic paint and with the chrome wheels and bright trim it really stood out. The car looks long and low, though I had no trouble getting in. The interior in this example was gray ("titanium") cloth with silver dash trim. I hate gray interiors and this was no different, but for a gray interior it was nice enough. There was the requisite stainless-look plastic trim scattered throughout to break the monotony. Lots of storage cubbies scattered throughout, and I liked the dual-cove dash design. The trunk is very large, although the opening is pretty small due to the short, narrow lid.
However, just as in the Aura, I found the interior claustrophobic. It seemed to be a couple of inches tight in the width department, and visibility was not as good as my existing car (Olds Intrigue) due to the high cowl, low roof, and narrow side windows. I could live with it, but wasn't crazy about it. I tried the back seat and found it barely habitable. My head was touching the headliner and I had to tuck my feet and knees in the narrow well made by scooping out the front seatbacks -- not a very comfortable space.
On the road, though, the car was impressive. The 4-cylinder had more than adequate punch, and the handling and steering felt very secure. It rode very nicely, and the thing that impressed me most was the quiet. It was very serene, much quieter than the Intrigue. Considering it has a 4-banger, this amazed me the most.
All in all, a very nice car. Would I buy one? I'd say I'm less likely after driving it than I was beforehand because of the tight interior, but I wouldn't rule it out. Unfortunately the dealer is trying to milk the situation with no dealing at all and a miserly trade-in allowance, but that's not surprising. But even if they were willing to deal I dunno if I would chase it. I am used to more interior room.
The Pontiac G8 seems like an interesting newcomer!
If you found the Intrigue interior tight, the Malibu seems even tighter because of the window configuration. The Intrigue follows the 1990s philosophy of a low cowl and lots of glass, while the Malibu is in line with the current style of high cowl and sills and small window areas. That makes a tight interior feel even less spacious.
also owning a Pontiac Solstice.....this "effect" doesnt really bother me......even the new Cadillac CTS as that wrap around feel to it......as for the rear seating...6-1 here....and I always sit in the back..after I adjust the front seating to my liking...while I found I had more room in my Maxx.....I wasnt uncomfortable in the back of the new malibu either.....I felt there was sufficient room for a mid level sedan of this type.....again just another opinion
07 Malibu Maxx 106
08 Accord 106
Sonata 105
Optima 104
07 Accord 103
07 Malibu 101
Camry 101
Elantra 98
08 Malibu 95
EPA space configurations don't tell it all. I have a Maxx and an Optima. The Maxx seems much larger because it has more leg room, however it's narrower and lower than the Optima. Unless I crowd 3 in the back, the Maxx seems bigger.
The new 'Bu is pretty small however. I think it's 57 inches tall which isn't low, but headroom didn't feel great when I sat in it. According to the EPA, it's smaller than an Elantra.
Still like the new Malibu, however. A decade ago, none of the midsize cars were much larger.
Hey pao why are you so interested with this car ???? Haven't you purchased that Thundergray CTS DI yet . Is the financing at 1.5 % worth it ,buying something that you might not fully like and might end up trading in two years !! I would go with the titanium interior and factory order it so you will be satisfied .
My first car, the sales person said that 60 to 70 % of return sales were people that purchased a vehicle that DIDN'T have exactly what they wanted. Not the right color of interior,options or financing was low . After a couple of years they later purchased the car they desired to have. I agree this ,that's why I keep my cars for a very long time..........eighteen years.. my opinion.
I noticed it as a problem when I was in the back seat and I tried to scoot over and exit out the other door. My legs were getting caught up in the lack of space
It probably really doesn't matter since how likely is a tall driver going to ride in the back seat of his own car?
GM has finally stopped fighting bluetooth by saying you can just use OnStar to make hands free calls. Many 2009 models will have bluetooth, but I'm not sure that includes the 2009 Malibu.
Since it will be on 30 models, there is a reasonable chance that it might include the Malibu.
The back seat truly is too tight for tall rear passengers to be comfortable. They only question is is it too small for the passengers that are likely to ride back there.
I will not be riding back there and I do not anticipate anyone as tall or taller than me to ride in back. Average height and short rear passengers will be comfortable enough until they start looking for a center armrest on a long trip.
So, the smallish rear seat isn't a deal breaker on its own for me.
Check out this link and watch the video interview from Rick Bancroft:
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/123972/article.html#
In comparison, I just had a last gen '07 Malibu 1LT rental for a month and with the same/similar seats and general size of the new '08...at 6'3", I found the front extremely roomy and comfortable and the rear seat was at just the right height and angle that I was just as comfortable in the back. If a front seat is really pushed back, it closes in, but overall quite spacious. Which is why it kind of is also odd to me that Malbu and cramped/narrow/etc. are in the same sentence. No, maybe not as boat-like as a new Accord, etc., but that's a good thing in many other regards--it hits a happy medium for most people, without being a tank on the outside.
Or, suffering, like the Impala from being larger on the outside but smaller and more cramped inside due to the old W-body architecture. That one still gets me. It's not a small car, but with the old guts, it just feels too small inside, especially rear seat in comparison.
Bluetooth is a competitor for GM's fee for use OnStar cell service plan with Verizon that generates income.
They have resisted it for as long as they could.
See the link below:
http://njection.com/blogs/jalopnik/archive/2007/12/20/onstar-no-longer-general-s- -only-bff-gm-to-add-bluetooth-by-2009-gadgets.aspx
Something I didn't notice on my test drive is apparent in your pics. The front seatbacks appear very thick. Now, they have hollowed out those little pockets in the rear of the seatbacks, but in my experience that doesn't work very well in terms of comfort. I wonder why they couldn't have made the seatbacks a little thinner overall?
I think that's still a bit clunky, but it's much quicker than having to call a live OnStar operator and have them send you the instructions each time you get in the car.
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/medialink/1983-onstar-mapquest-partner-to-help-d- - - - - - - - - rivers-video.htm
I might be satisfied with this service if it it had a traffic service to route you around traffic jams.
OnStar has a Virtual Advisor program that lets you get automated weather and traffic reports based on your location, but unfortunately they were not smart enough to integrate the traffic service with the turn by turn instructions so you would then be routed intelligently around those traffic jams. If you try to drive around the traffic instead of following the prompts, you will confuse the nav system.
Looks like they raised the LTZ by $455. from $26,995 to $27,450.
Must be selling very well for GM to put the increase in already.
Damon
I think the room in the new Bu is quite impressive. It's got a better back seat than the Impala in my opinion. Very good leg room for a midsize.
RE : price hikes. Raw materials are really squeezing car makers right now. Steel has gone up substantially. China, India etc. continue to drive up demand and prices.
I'm not sure how you conclude that. The Impala is much wider inside and has much more rear seat room. The Bu has good front leg room but rear legroom is ridiculously tight.