2013 Malibu reviews

[regfootball]

Edmunds 2013 Malibu Eco review

there is some fantastic interior pics on this review..

LOOKS A LOT BETTER THAN I EXPECTED inside......

wow, could this car bust the doors open?

[Drew Dowdell]

The amount of errors in that article......

1. No the 2.5 doesn't fill the role of the V6, GM never claimed this

2. Yes a turbo is coming.

3. Yes we can expect a price drop

4. A Malibu LS is $22,700, so the e-Assist would be additional over that, not the 1LT price of $23,300

[regfootball]

Edmunds, what did you expect?

Aside from the mailslot interior panel gaps, what did you think of that interior?

[Drew Dowdell]

I've seen the interior in person, and I love the design.

[regfootball]

the dashtop plastics looked really good in the photos. some of the detailing looked pretty good too.

[ocnblu]

Dopey, geeked-out eek-assist, but otherwise worthy.

[dwightlooi]

the dashtop plastics looked really good in the photos. some of the detailing looked pretty good too.

I am not sold on the lacquered metallic grey plastic trim on the console and instrument surrounds. GM seems to have fallen in love with this stuff, but I think it just looks tacky and cheap. Plain old matte, soft touch upholstery would be better. I am also not sold on the broad stretch of black "canyons" above and below the silver trim across the dash.

Is it better than the current car? I think so. Very much so. But is it bewitchingly beautiful and appealing? No, I think something cleaner and less cluttered will be better.

From a power train standpoint, I wish GM will think outside the box a little bit. This is especially true of the niche models like the ECO. Instead of recycling the "old" 2.4 DI four with its eAssist BAS setup, I would have preferred if they tried something unique and more substantially different. If its me, I'll use a 1843 cc (1.8L) 3-cylinder version of the new 2.5 engine running a late closing intake cam with a turbocharger (Miller Cycle). The engine should provide about 170 hp & 200 lb-ft with substantial fuel economy benefits over a 4-cylinder engine in the 1.8 liter class. With a 15hp BAS this is also "adequate power" such that the car wouldn't be embarrassingly slow.

I'll eschew a main stream V6 or turbo 4 altogether, but introduce a seriously performing SS model. I think this makes sense in that the typical soccer mom doesn't care for a V6 or a turbo 4. 4-cylinder Camry performance is more than enough. For the most parts they won't even know what a V6 or turbo is. All that matters is if the car is quiet, comfy, spacious, reliable and reasonably efficient. For the enthusiast, a mild turbo like the 220hp Regal or a 252hp V6 Malibu is not enough either. Instead, the SS can be exclusively an AWD car with a 3.0 Bi-turbo engine making ~360/360 lb-ft hp and hitting 60 mph in 4.6~4.8 secs.

[daves87rs]

Love the inside, not sure about the outside...

[hyperv6]

I am not overly excited here yet but then again I have not seen one in person yet.

The Cruze was ok but in photo's I worried it may not enough. But then again It has hit the mark with the public. I hope too this will also hit the mark. Once I saw the Cruze on the road in better trim and colors it really is a nice looking package.

One thing to note since Wellborn has taken over the cars that have come from his staff all look better in person than in photos. They are much more sculpted and the shapes show better when you see them.

Now like the Sonata it looks better in a Photo but in person it just has too much going on with the styling for a car of it's size.

Edited September 21, 2011 by hyperv6

[z28luvr01]

I am not overly excited here yet but then again I have not seen one in person yet.

The Cruze was ok but in photo's I worried it may not enough. But then again It has hit the mark with the public. I hope too this will also hit the mark. Once I saw the Cruze on the road in better trim and colors it really is a nice looking package.

One thing to note since Wellborn has taken over the cars that have come from his staff all look better in person than in photos. They are much more sculpted and the shapes show better when you see them.

Now like the Sonata it looks better in a Photo but in person it just has too much going on with the styling for a car of it's size.

I've seen it, touched it, and sat in it. You'll like it. The "Camaro inspired" stuff on the exterior plays out a lot better in person than it does in photos.

[Carguy]

the dashtop plastics looked really good in the photos. some of the detailing looked pretty good too.

I am not sold on the lacquered metallic grey plastic trim on the console and instrument surrounds. GM seems to have fallen in love with this stuff, but I think it just looks tacky and cheap. Plain old matte, soft touch upholstery would be better. I am also not sold on the broad stretch of black "canyons" above and below the silver trim across the dash.

Is it better than the current car? I think so. Very much so. But is it bewitchingly beautiful and appealing? No, I think something cleaner and less cluttered will be better.

From a power train standpoint, I wish GM will think outside the box a little bit. This is especially true of the niche models like the ECO. Instead of recycling the "old" 2.4 DI four with its eAssist BAS setup, I would have preferred if they tried something unique and more substantially different. If its me, I'll use a 1843 cc (1.8L) 3-cylinder version of the new 2.5 engine running a late closing intake cam with a turbocharger (Miller Cycle). The engine should provide about 170 hp & 200 lb-ft with substantial fuel economy benefits over a 4-cylinder engine in the 1.8 liter class. With a 15hp BAS this is also "adequate power" such that the car wouldn't be embarrassingly slow.

I'll eschew a main stream V6 or turbo 4 altogether, but introduce a seriously performing SS model. I think this makes sense in that the typical soccer mom doesn't care for a V6 or a turbo 4. 4-cylinder Camry performance is more than enough. For the most parts they won't even know what a V6 or turbo is. All that matters is if the car is quiet, comfy, spacious, reliable and reasonably efficient. For the enthusiast, a mild turbo like the 220hp Regal or a 252hp V6 Malibu is not enough either. Instead, the SS can be exclusively an AWD car with a 3.0 Bi-turbo engine making ~360/360 lb-ft hp and hitting 60 mph in 4.6~4.8 secs.

Interesting!! They could use this 1.8L I3 as the top engine in the Cruze also! It could even be the bases for a below SS performance version of the Sonic as well.

[Drew Dowdell]

I like the engine idea Dwight, but the 2.5 isn't even going to be here in time for launch, I don't think they could have incorporated your idea too.

The reason they are putting BAS in right now is that the 2.5 isn't ready yet. Chevy was going to wait to launch the car till the 2.5 was ready, but Akerson said "Why? Why should we wait?" so the engine that is available now gets launched with the car 6 months earlier.

[dwightlooi]

I like the engine idea Dwight, but the 2.5 isn't even going to be here in time for launch, I don't think they could have incorporated your idea too.

The reason they are putting BAS in right now is that the 2.5 isn't ready yet. Chevy was going to wait to launch the car till the 2.5 was ready, but Akerson said "Why? Why should we wait?" so the engine that is available now gets launched with the car 6 months earlier.

The idea I am trying to get across is not one particular engine or another. The points are simply two things:-

• Less variants is better
  
• Think different
  

Like a restaurant, a smaller menu. A manageable and not extraneous one is better than one with 100 dishes. For the Malibu, the line up can be such that the car is built in four variants, period. 4-cyl Basic, 4-cyliner with premium package, ECO (Includes premium package) and SS.

Also, I believe that if a product is not differentiated -- actually let's up the ante to "not sufficiently differentiated" -- a company like GM operating in a high cost country (USA) has no business building it.

[hyperv6]

I am not overly excited here yet but then again I have not seen one in person yet.

The Cruze was ok but in photo's I worried it may not enough. But then again It has hit the mark with the public. I hope too this will also hit the mark. Once I saw the Cruze on the road in better trim and colors it really is a nice looking package.

One thing to note since Wellborn has taken over the cars that have come from his staff all look better in person than in photos. They are much more sculpted and the shapes show better when you see them.

Now like the Sonata it looks better in a Photo but in person it just has too much going on with the styling for a car of it's size.

I've seen it, touched it, and sat in it. You'll like it. The "Camaro inspired" stuff on the exterior plays out a lot better in person than it does in photos.

I think I will. I try not to judge too much till I see it anymore. The new styling often is so much better in person. The Cruze did not excite me when I first saw it but it have really grown on me and I think it is as good as many cars out there.

Smaller cars are so hard to design. Too little they look cheap too much they look over done. In my mind the Sonata is a good example just a little too much and a Camry is just too little. I think the new Malibu will stike a balance between them both.

[Sixty8panther]

Who cares...? I don't. I'm so sick to being told to be excited about some

mid-size, middle of the road, bland family car. It seems "quite nice" &

while overall the styling is unoffensive it's sort of lame that the rear end

tries so hard to make a Camaro connection.

GM needs to bring us all the variants of the Holden Commodore and Ute.

This Malibu product is just another cookie cutter FWD sedan.

[dwightlooi]

I think I will. I try not to judge too much till I see it anymore. The new styling often is so much better in person. The Cruze did not excite me when I first saw it but it have really grown on me and I think it is as good as many cars out there.

Smaller cars are so hard to design. Too little they look cheap too much they look over done. In my mind the Sonata is a good example just a little too much and a Camry is just too little. I think the new Malibu will stike a balance between them both.

The Cruze is a good looking car. Better looking the squid like Focus, bland Corolla or the overly raked Civic. Not that its perfect, the black plastic trim trying to fake a C-pillar window and the overly generic tail lamps being leading thumbs downs. But, the front and side views are class leading gorgeous and that certainly helps. The interior is neat, tidy and good looking. There are a few too many hard plastic, but at least they are well textured and the competition is not lacking of hard trim pieces either.

The one thing I don't like about the new Bu (compared to the Cruze) is that the Bu seems more cluttered in its design. To me, clean and sleek is beautiful. Unnecessary lines are not.

[Satty]

Who cares...[rant]

Well, since things like this sell in droves and actually make money, you should hope GM gets people excited.

[hyperv6]

Who cares...? I don't. I'm so sick to being told to be excited about some

mid-size, middle of the road, bland family car. It seems "quite nice" &

while overall the styling is unoffensive it's sort of lame that the rear end

tries so hard to make a Camaro connection.

GM needs to bring us all the variants of the Holden Commodore and Ute.

This Malibu product is just another cookie cutter FWD sedan.

Sorry if you are out of the main stream here. While most of us here will have more appeal to the coming Chevy/Holden SS RWD sedan it is cars like the Malibu that if sold in great numbers make the fun cars possible.

The fact is this is the kind of car the general public goes for in great numbers and while it may not be the enthusiast favorite we need to cheer it on to help us get what we want.

Some of us get the big picture and understand large auto companies can not live on performance car or even large cars only anymore.

[hyperv6]

I think I will. I try not to judge too much till I see it anymore. The new styling often is so much better in person. The Cruze did not excite me when I first saw it but it have really grown on me and I think it is as good as many cars out there.

Smaller cars are so hard to design. Too little they look cheap too much they look over done. In my mind the Sonata is a good example just a little too much and a Camry is just too little. I think the new Malibu will stike a balance between them both.

The Cruze is a good looking car. Better looking the squid like Focus, bland Corolla or the overly raked Civic. Not that its perfect, the black plastic trim trying to fake a C-pillar window and the overly generic tail lamps being leading thumbs downs. But, the front and side views are class leading gorgeous and that certainly helps. The interior is neat, tidy and good looking. There are a few too many hard plastic, but at least they are well textured and the competition is not lacking of hard trim pieces either.

The one thing I don't like about the new Bu (compared to the Cruze) is that the Bu seems more cluttered in its design. To me, clean and sleek is beautiful. Unnecessary lines are not.

The C pillar bothered me to at first but it has faded somewhat from my view, It would have looked better as a small glass.

As for the BU. I have not seen it so I will wait but in some respect I agree on the clutter but that could change in person. The present Bu is nice and had a great c pillar and sweep to the roof but the sides are just too understated.

The roof sweep is something you really can see and feel when you wash the car. You really understands the curve and how well it looks. Then I get the rear and it is like they just ran out of money and time. The rear trunck lid and tail lights could have used a little more work. I hope the present cars looks good in person.

[regfootball]

the aerodynamics are apparent from the front view.....even with a tall roof, the car actually looks narrow and jellybean and not blunt to the wind. From the front view the car has some funny proportions.

rest of the car is highly sculptured and dynamic for the .28 cd......the same .cd as the first w bodies in 88...........

[riviera74]

Who cares...? I don't. I'm so sick to being told to be excited about some

mid-size, middle of the road, bland family car. It seems "quite nice" &

while overall the styling is unoffensive it's sort of lame that the rear end

tries so hard to make a Camaro connection.

GM needs to bring us all the variants of the Holden Commodore and Ute.

This Malibu product is just another cookie cutter FWD sedan.

Sorry if you are out of the main stream here. While most of us here will have more appeal to the coming Chevy/Holden SS RWD sedan it is cars like the Malibu that if sold in great numbers make the fun cars possible.

The fact is this is the kind of car the general public goes for in great numbers and while it may not be the enthusiast favorite we need to cheer it on to help us get what we want.

Some of us get the big picture and understand large auto companies can not live on performance car or even large cars only anymore.

Hyperv6 is right: The Malibu and Cruze pay the bills while Holden brings the excitement. Ideally, GM builds the Commodore in North America and make it the next RWD Caprice/Impala and create a Buick and/or Cadillac variant. Sixty8panther, I also wish that GM would bring the Commodore up here too (and I think they need to), but they presently have other priorities. Mind you, bringing in the Commodore up here would effectively equal things up with Chrysler (from a product portfolio standpoint). It is easy to forget that the best selling cars in the USA since 1986 have been the original Taurus, Camry, Accord (and possibly the Fusion one day) ---- all FWD midsize cookie cutter sedans. And Hyundai is making their case with the Sonata.

As for the 2013 Malibu itself, GM needs to make its push for more sales of this car right now. Ignore cookie cutter FWD at your (i.e. GM's) peril.

[Drew Dowdell]

Who cares...? I don't. I'm so sick to being told to be excited about some

mid-size, middle of the road, bland family car. It seems "quite nice" &

while overall the styling is unoffensive it's sort of lame that the rear end

tries so hard to make a Camaro connection.

GM needs to bring us all the variants of the Holden Commodore and Ute.

This Malibu product is just another cookie cutter FWD sedan.

Simple reason you should care.

A successful Malibu pays the bills so the Camaro can be even better.

The reason we lost the F-body in the first place was because GM couldn't even make the Lumina/Impala sell well at at profit. If they can't get "bland" right for the target market, there is no hope for "EXCITEMENT!!!!"

[hyperv6]

If all goes as planned the Holden SWB will be here in 2014 after the new Vette. It will be for all intents a updated GXP G8. It will have more power and I hope a little lighter. GM people are calling it a Camaro SS with 4 doors.

It will be V8 only and with the coming CAFE issues they only plan to import in small numbers. At one time I was told don't expect it in numbers greater than 10,000.

But if the Cruze keeps selling well and the Bu takes off and bumps the MPG for Chevy thses numbers could go up if there is enough demand.

As for the Ute. Well it has been on and off so many times until they start unloading them I would not count on it yet. With Lutz back we may have a chance with him backing Mark R on this. But I suspect Cadillac will take up most of Lutz time. The Omega will have his hands all over it.