-June 2024 Special Lease Deals-
2024 Chevy Blazer EV lease from Bayway Auto Group Click here
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee lease from Mark Dodge Click here
2025 Ram 1500 Factory Order Discounts from Mark Dodge Click here
2024 Chevy Blazer EV lease from Bayway Auto Group Click here
2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee lease from Mark Dodge Click here
2025 Ram 1500 Factory Order Discounts from Mark Dodge Click here
Options
Comments
Regarding Camry taking lead in MT test - it is a sham. Just take camry away - and malibu becomes #1. MT simply cannot acknowledge mistake they made by choosing Camry 2006 COTY. They are trying to justify their mistake but saying that "Oh camry is sooo goood...". LOL, What, Camry?? What they are smoking.
And this year they choose Tundra as the truck of the year. May be Toyota has secret charm over MT - I don't know. Who knows how desperate MT is. Older Malibu also was MT COTY - how you can trust MT after that?
I love mine. However, I'm a 24 year old newly wed without children. My husband is 6'0'' but never sits in the back (since it's just the two of us) and there is a difference in feel of the 4 cyl and 6 cyl that I had, but the difference feels slight. Only from a stop can I really tell. It just take a little longer to get up to speed. Other than that, it's perfect for my lifestyle. :shades:
Oh I doubt that. Honda doesn't bargain. And Camry sales are up.
What 10 Best award do you mean?
MY fault. I meant Automobile magazine's 10 Allstars of 2008.
Accord is a big car with same if not better mpg than Malibu and it is what American public want exactly.
That's to be seen.
Regarding Camry taking lead in MT test - it is a sham. Just take camry away - and malibu becomes #1. MT simply cannot acknowledge mistake they made by choosing Camry 2006 COTY. They are trying to justify their mistake but saying that "Oh camry is sooo goood...". LOL, What, Camry?? What they are smoking.
No- these cars racked fair and square. Camry '07 coty? Also fair game. Seems someone is a bit biased toward Honda (actually hugely biased).
What are they smoking? I don't know "Save the Land". And Tundra lost TOTY last year to the good 'ole American Chevy Silverado.
I realize that you think the Accord is a very respectable sedan, but it is incorrect to think that it is superior to any other marque. It is no better than the Malibu- or Camry for that matter. They are all competitors, and now that GM has stepped it's game up, the playing feild is level.
The new 'Bu is 4 cubic feet smaller in interior volume and most of that comes from the lower roofline.
I listed a whole slew of cars (I think on this thread). The EPA lists the Malibu as 95 cubic feet, smaller than an Elantra. I own an Optima (not exactly the largest) it's listed at 104 cubic feet. My other car (a Malibu Maxx is 106), on the large side but only a foot bigger than a Sonata (or Accord). So maybe 10 is stretching it but at least eight would be a conservative estimate.
In the new 'Bu's defense, since most of the lost space is headroom and the Optima has tons of headroom the actual usable lost space isn't that much. Who cares if you have four inches or two inches over the top of your head?
However, the last gen. Malibu (even the non-Maxx) with its smaller tumblehome was exceptionally ugly but exceptionally spacious. The new Malibu has exchanged (mostly backseat) space for style. If you don't have people in the back it doesn't make much difference.
The main reason I bought the 2007 was price, fuel economy and interior room, so with the price increase, less interior space and I believe less MPG, I consider the 07 to be a better value and a more appropriate car for me.
Just my opinion
The 2007 has unfortunate and dowdy/frumpy exterior styling combined with cheap interior, but is OK plain A to B carpool transportation. Tall carpoolers will prefer the backseat of the 2007. The driver will prefer the 2008 and the 2008 will retain more of it's value at resale time.
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews
Malibu
We (well, mom, truthfully) moved from an '04 Suburban to an '08 Malibu 2LT, and really haven't been too overly shocked with the size difference. Legroom and seating comfort are all great, in reality, just things like the very high and short side windows that are a little odd inside at first.
She wanted one regardless...but wasn't that January GM card bonus just a REALLY nice treat, to put on a Malibu
2014 Buick Enclave Premium Edition
2014 Buick Enclave Premium Edition
I can find no flaws, even tiny ones, and am continually delighted in finding small touches, such as the way the doors stay open at various positions, the headlights turn on with the wipers (never had a car that did that before), the dimming/heated side mirror, the tiny lights in the door handles....
I have gone through 4 cars since '02, an A4 (quirky electrical system, couldn't find a comfortable driving position), a Prizm (cheap and sloppy, I couldn't stand it), a Malibu Maxx (very comfortable but it was leased), '05 Accord Hybrid (driving position too high, car had persistent rattles).
The '08 LTZ is JUST RIGHT. All the best attributes from my other cars but none of the drawbacks!
Bluetooth should be coming in 2009.
The radio pictured above is not the Malibu LTZ radio. We don't get the nice graphic display, or the "soft keys" for RPT, PRVW or CNCL. Too bad, those would be nice to have.
All we get on our currently shipping Malibus is a text display of the next turn. It isn't that good.
Bottom line - I don't feel compelled to renew the "directions and connections" but rather use a portable GPS like the iQue or Nuvi.
Also, MapQuest is not (yet) available to us either.
If the car is so popular why can't GM crank up production, or are deliberately keeping supplies tight so as to artificially maintain high prices. Then again, GM would not want rush production and jeopardize quality. So what is a guy to do in the mean time? Wait for ever....nonetheless; GM has a nice problem on its hands.
As an example, the 3.6 V6 with 6 speed auto is bolt for bolt out of the Cadillac CTS. This aluminum motor, like the fabled North Star, is capable of running at lower speeds with no engine coolant. It is known as the GM High Feature V6 (LY7). Also, unlike many foreign competitors, it uses a timing chain, not a belt, to reduce maintenance and improve reliability.
Many, many features and touches put this car closer to modern luxury cars than to previous gen Chevys.
Take one out for a spin and see for yourself.
Likely worse than average reliability (look at the Saturn Aura).
Tight backseat for its class. (Rear headroom tight even without moonroof.)
V6 gas mileage not that great even compared to other V6s (Camry/Accord etc.)
Oversized turning radius makes U turns and parking more difficult than necessary.
4-speed automatic transmission on a newly designed midsized car. Only LTZ will be getting 6-speed with 4 cylinder anytime soon).
No rear center armrest.
Very narrow trunk opening.
No bluetooth until next year.
No real nav availability.
Door panels not as nice as rest of interior.
Interior looks (other than LTZ)
Quietness.
Ride.
Standard XM radio
Low maintenance schedule
Standard ambient lighting.
No cheap hood prop even on 4 cylinder models.
Free year of OnStar
Assumed strong A/C compared to Japanese cars.
.
Most buyers in this segment wont pay for factory nav. As for BT, you have to get the top trom of the Accord and an expensive tech package on Altima to get this feature so you can rest assured that 75% of those cars do NOT have BT. This indicates that its not a critical feature. The Accord was the 2nd best seller in the midsize segment in 2007 even though the 2007 model had no BT, period.
your assumptions about reliability dont seem to be based on anything. What proof do you have the Aura is unreliable? The backseat is NOT small for this class. In fact the car has more rear legroom than the Altima and its very close to Accord and Camry. The difference is 1 or 2 inches at the most.
I "failed to mention" the Accord and Camry because 5-speed automatic would have have been OK, but for now, there is only 4 speeds available with the 4 cylinder LS and LT until the 6 speed is rolled out for LTZ models.
The similar Saturn Aura has been ranked as below average reliability: http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/2007-Saturn-Aura/Reliability/
The back seat of the Malibu is cramped for it's size class. Even if the numbers measured between a 2008 Accord and a 2008 Malibu are only a few inches less, you really notice it when you sit in back.
If the Altima is smaller, then the Altima is that much more cramped.
Who said BT and Nav was "critical?" I ranked them in priority order with bluetooth and nav near the bottom. However, for a newly released car it's expected to be available even if it's only available on the upper trim levels. The 2007 Accord was based on a design that was released in the year 2002, so bluetooth was rare in those days. The Malibu was recently released and bluetooth is no longer rare.
All the mainstream competition, Camry, Accord etc. have factory bluetooth available. The Accord has been criticized for needing nav to get factory bluetooth, so that isn't completely satisfactory for many. Even the Ford Fusion now has nav and bluetooth available, not to mention bluetooth being available on some low end cars like the Nissan Versa hatchback.
Since the Malibu will finally get bluetooth in 2009, at that point it will be a moot point, but for now, bluetooth is mute for the Malibu.
This has already been announced for the LTZ, but no time frame has been given for the other 4 cylinder models.
You cannot buy it today, but it will be available before summer. Chevy will not put it on their Malibu web page until it is closer to being available.
lostwrench,--- what is the name of the dealership? If it is close by in RI or NH we would certainly go for a test drive. Do tell.