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The Malibu is a capable
car, with a comfortable ride, fairly agile handling, a comfortable interior,
excellent gas mileage and reasonable pricing. However, the base versions are
equipped with a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder, which is rather noisy and slow. The car
would need to stand out in another way or have a greater price advantage to be
considered even adequate in this competitive group.
The Malibu rides
comfortably, with a firm, controlled feel that rarely suffers over poor road
conditions, though it can be suddenly jolted by large bumps. The car handles
well, with controlled body lean and a nimble feel, but the vague, slow, and
uncommunicative steering prevent it from being very fun to drive. The
2.2-liter 4-cylinder is easily the car’s weakest point. Though it returns
exceptional gas mileage by this class’s standards, its excessive noise and
harsh sound accompany the car’s notably weak acceleration, though it is
generally quiet otherwise. Wind and road noise are adequately suppressed.
Inside, the Malibu’s
front seats are well-shaped, supportive, and comfortable, though the
cushioning is a bit thin. The rear does not look as roomy as some competitors,
but the high, well-shaped cushion puts the available space to optimum use. The
tallest occupants would still prefer extra leg space however, and the hard
plastic of the front seatbacks forces them to keep their knees carefully
placed. The interior is bland but mostly well-assembled with solid plastic
trim pieces, though some on the dash and doors looks and feels cheap. The
gauges are clear, and the instruments are conveniently placed and simple to
operate. Entry/exit is easy enough, though rear-seat occupants must navigate
around the solid seatbacks. Drivers sit quite comfortably, and have clear
visibility. The trunk doesn’t have the same maximum volume as some
competitors, but is usefully shaped to handle bulky items.
The Malibu did very well
in crash testing. It earned five stars for both the driver and for the front
passenger in NHTSA frontal crash testing, and five stars for the driver and
four for the rear passenger with the available side airbags, included on this
version. The IIHS rated it Good, the second-highest of their five ratings, in
its offset crash test, and the highest, Best Pick, in its side crash test.
They consider its head restraints to be Acceptable as well.
The Malibu 4-cylinder
reviewed here came in very well-equipped at $19,967. At that price, the car
lacks the available 6-disc CD player and XM satellite radio (though they could
be added without pushing the car to the price limit for this group), but does
include an OnStar emergency notification system, antilock brakes with traction
control, torso and head-protecting side airbags, heated front seats, and a
power driver’s seat. Leather is only offered on the top-of-the-line V6 model,
and stability control isn’t offered at all. However, this version of the
Malibu remains quite well-equipped for the money.
Overall, the Malibu is a
decent car that suffers with its base 4-cylinder. An extra $1,200 buys a
3.5-liter V6, which drastically improves the car’s acceleration and refinement
while barely diminishing its gas mileage. That vehicle is competent overall in
this class, but this one does not stand out overall and lacks a sufficient
price advantage to even begin countering that.
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