Drove a new Malibu this weekend

[BuddyP]

A buddy of mine that is a salesman at the local dealer called and let me know they got a new Bu in. It was a base mode in bluel (wheel covers, 4 cyl, just over $20k price tag). So wifey and I took it for a spin...

Here's some of my thoughts

Very quiet interior, good sound deadening of the motor (wife has '00 ALero 2.4 4 cyl... noticable difference in noise)

Nice stable roll in corners, very good for a family sedan

Power of the base 4 cyl was as to be expected

Back end looked better in person

Love the use of the chrome around the license plate

Very nicely desinged dash

Has a few blind spots... 'A' piller is even kinda big?? Also gotta be cautious while backing up!

door ajar notice came up after we were driving... all doors were shut tight?

The door sill plate, while looks nice and trims it off well... didn't get pressed down very well in the factory (on this particular car).

Interior dash/panel joints nice and tight... but some don't line up very well (just being nit picky)

While the hard interior plastics should ware well with age, it does put a bit of a "cheapness" in the look/feel of the interior (same goes for the GMT900's)

Opinions...

Front door panels kinda plain, look as if they could be finished of more. Dash was designed nicely but door panels were forgetten?

Needs an "extending steering wheel" option!!! I ran into this same problem in the G6's also. I'm 6'-4", with the seat all the way back I am really reaching for the steering wheel. This is not a problem in the wifes ALero. Why are they makind the new steering columns so short?

While we were there, my buddy was just sending off a guy he sold a new Impala to. The guy has test drove the Malibu and Impala back to back and said "it's a no brainer" and picked the Impala. But this is just one person and don't know the specifics of what he was looking for in a vehicle.

Would really like to do a side by side comparison with a camry for kicks. Guess I'll do that at NAIAS in a couple months.

Edited November 26, 2007 by BuddyP

[Oracle of Delphi]

You mean he picked the old, tired, worn out, obsolete, almost as old as me, W body platform over the Epsilon platform?

[BigPontiac]

Opinions...

Front door panels kinda plain, look as if they could be finished of more. Dash was designed nicely but door panels were forgetten?

Needs an "extending steering wheel" option!!! I ran into this same problem in the G6's also. I'm 6'-4", with the seat all the way back I am really reaching for the steering wheel. This is not a problem in the wifes ALero. Why are they makind the new steering columns so short?

The 2008 Malibu has a tilting and telescoping steering column.

[BuddyP]

The 2008 Malibu has a tilting and telescoping steering column.

I'll have to stop back by and check that out... I couldn't find anything other than tilt.

[Intrepidation]

So is there any materials of the interior besides the seats and center armrest that aren't hard plastic?

[BuddyP]

So is there any materials of the interior besides the seats and center armrest that aren't hard plastic?

Well, the dash and part of the door panel do have a cushy touch to them... if you push fairly hard. Problem is, those area's look the same and have the same "pattern" on them as the hard plastics, so you'd never know it was "soft" by looking at it. Edited November 26, 2007 by BuddyP

[Intrepidation]

Well, the dash and part of the door panel do have a cushy touch to them... if you push fairly hard. Problem is, those area's look the same and have the same "pattern" on them as the hard plastics, so they all look the same.

Well then at least the material patterns match up.

[Northstar]

You mean he picked the old, tired, worn out, obsolete, almost as old as me, W body platform over the Epsilon platform?

He feels right at home in the W-Bodies after all the W-Bod rentals he's had :AH-HA_wink:

[Oracle of Delphi]

He feels right at home in the W-Bodies after all the W-Bod rentals he's had :AH-HA_wink:

Oh I don't care which one he picked, it's a win win for me, after all, GM Europe is responsible for all present/future Epsilon product decisions other than Saab and Cadillac models. :AH-HA_wink:

[Z-06]

Oh I don't care which one he picked, it's a win win for me, after all, GM Europe is responsible for all present/future Epsilon product decisions other than Saab and Cadillac models. :AH-HA_wink:

The Next Epsilon will be designed by Holden.

[ponchoman49]

I found the new Malibus trunk to be a dissapointment and it felt a bit cosy inside. Those 2 things alone would have me choosing the Impala over the new Bu. Now if only they could make the Impalas interior look as neat as the Malibus and offer that 6 speed automatic tranny.

[toesuf94]

Well if the guy only had a base 4 cyl 'bu to drive against the Impala, I can see why he chose the way he did.

I was at the local Chevy lot this Sunday and they have 4 on the lot - two LTz's an LT and a LS...There were people driving in in Japanese cars STARING at the 'bu and drooling all over the LTZ model - they looked pissed that it was not out sooner. Even heard a couple say "only $27k?!" They were in a newer Subaru...

[Drew Dowdell]

Some of us do happen to like the W-body... even if it is a bit old. I've found that nearly every W-body felt like it was designed with my body size in mind. Everything is in perfect reach.

There is nothing wrong with choosing old reliable.

[Intrepidation]

Some of us do happen to like the W-body... even if it is a bit old. I've found that nearly every W-body felt like it was designed with my body size in mind. Everything is in perfect reach.

There is nothing wrong with choosing old reliable.

It's a bit old and Chinese cars are a bit unsafe

[NOS2006]

I went to the dealership Saturday afternoon to see the one they had on the lot. The dealership was closed when I got there, but there were two other vehicles that pulled up while I was there just to check out the new 'bu. One of them drove a 9-3 and the other was in a GP GXP.