ponchoman49

Same with the steering wheel in the Lucerne, LaCrosse, Impala, DTS, Malibu etc.

Looks a little better than the gray interior but I long for the days of red, blue and white interiors again. American cars need to be more American again.

From the bloated pig nosed 07 Camry to the Saturn L-series like 2008 Subaru Imprezza/WRX and now the BMW rip off 08 Accords, i'm getting a vibe from the Asian manufacturers that they are clearly out of ideas on how to style cars. The sad part is that we are copying some this crap on to our new models and mirroring the blandness.

Another half backed pile from our friends over at Toyota.

I prefer the Auras current exterior but like this new cars interior a bit better. If only we could combine the 2.

Sad that it's going to have a stinking Toyota motor and clone of matrix styling with the ever tiresome plain slab sided look that every manufacturer is forcing down our throats these days. Why can't GM use there own styling with a more rugged look like the current model and use there own Ecotec motors?

What is it with these silly massive new grilles on cars today. And the side air deflecters. It seems that styling is getting so weak and bland that the manufacturers have to come up with some gimmick to try and be noticed. Why not just give the car in question nice pleasant styling to start with.

I agree about the dislikes and would add that a nice optional bodyside molding would tart up the too plain sides of this car otherwise you are spot on.

I find the 07 Camry to be worse in several ways to the 02-06 gen. Especially the transmission issues that many are complaining about and the interior with all it's cut lines and variations on quality from one car to the next. Plus the pig like front end is a turn off along with the plain generic side style with no moldings and such. The 07 also seems to suffer suspension clunks, laser cruise control issues and poor gas mileage. I checked out a used 2007 with 8K miles at a Hyundai dealer. It was a lemon buyback 4 cylinder LE automatic with drab gray interior. It was a quiet riding car for the most part though no quieter than a Lacrosse I drove the day before but the tranny did indeed hesitate at the stangest times such as when you wanted a quick burst of power and I couldn't for the life of me get the trunk to close when I brought the car back after the test drive to check it out. The embarressed salesman brought the car around back to the service dept to look at so it must have been a sticking cable. The fact that this car is a top selling sedan is a totally baffling thing. Other than the ooh and ah hybred model, it really doesn't offer anything steller over it's competition.

Buick fixed several things on the 08: std trip computer and leather/telescoping wheel, more impressive if slightly too large grille, 3.05 axle, std chrome body moldings etc but I really wished they would clean up the steering and handling on the base CX and CXL and replace the 2 existing engines with a 224 Hp 3500 and at least the 252 HP version of the 3.6 in the Aura. I would purchase one of these if they fixed these issues. I really want something that has more power than a 1996 Regal and handling equivalent to my Intrigue, at least as far as the 3800 cars are concerned. The CXS would benefit greatly from the Aura 3.6 with it's greater torque 251 vs 225 that would enable Buick to lower the axle to 3.29:1 from the current 3.69:1 that would help boost mileage back up to at least 27 highway.

If it was de-riced and given a bodyside molding it would be ok.

Looks pretty good. Maybe it can have an optional V8 by the time it's introduced.

Sounds like someone at GM with some common sence was reading these very boards about all the deficiencies the new 08 Malibu has against some of it's competition and pulled the plug so to speak. How can you come to the table with a base 4 banger and 4 speed automatic only with delayed availibilty of the 6 speed auto until next year, lower V6 mileage compared to the 2 big dogs the CamCord, several interior dimensions that are LESS than last years models, lack of techy options like Nav Screen, Bluetooth, keyless start, no rear armrest or overhead assist grips, no more specialty Maxx model, less V6 HP than the CamCord and a too aggressive base price? Prediction: The new 08 Malibu will be a has been like the current model and will continue to trail the volume sellers in the sales race.

Strange that if MT preffered the Tundra to the Silverado that they would have named it Truck of the year. Both are 2007 models. And apparently you haven't read all of the MT articles because they keep giving the Silverado the nod as the better buy. It also won NA truck of the year over the Turdra. Get over yourself, the Tundra's one and only claim over the Silverado is outright HP at the cost of everything else.

Now that is a sweet Cutlass! Good news to see some increased sales at GM and arrogant Toyota bitch slapped down a wrung on there almighty ladder.

Looks promising so far as does the powertrain. I will reserve judgement on the exterior until I see it. As long as it doesn't look like a bland slab sided plain Asian clone such as the China Park Ave, I will more than likely approve.

Good to hear. Now all they have to do is redesign the taillights, offer bodyside moldings, add a rear seat center armrest and air vents, overhead assist handles, more trunk space, a Maxx model, 3500 V6 to retail customers and then I would like it much better.

Did they also mention the piss poor rear window design on the tested 4 door model, the horrible dash design with out of reach controls and mismatched, uncoordinated 2 piece dash design that looks as though 2 different parties clashed together one final product. How about the too stiff ride, the worse gas mileage and the higher price? The 5.7 liter performance is nice but thats really the only thing this truck has over the Silverado. The 6 speed automatic that will be coming on the 5.3 and 6.0 liter engines will make them more evenly matched to the Tundras 5.7.

The sad part is the Toyota faithful are probably drooling over these bland ugly souless disposable appliances like there something super special. I'll pass.

The Aura was initially an unkown quantity at first, is higher priced than the Malibu and the Malibu offers a 4 cylinder which the Aura didn't do until the late model run Hybrids so I think that hurt the Saturn a bit. The Auras are selling quite briskly in my area and both Saturn dealers in neighboring cities now only carry 2008 models as the 2007's are all sold out. The increased model lineup of base 2.4, 3500, 3.6 and Hybrid will only see sales increase for 2008 and it's not so confusing like the Malibu with all the LS, LT1, LT2, LT3 and LTZ nonsense.

I second the bodyside moldings. These new sedans today are looking so blah and strippo without them. You can hardly tell a base model to a top of the line LTZ with the only difference being the rims and tire size. Why can't the better models have bodyside moldings with a nice chrome strip and the lesser versions use body color ones. I also agree about the silly 1LT, 2LT crap. It's so confusing. Just offer 2 models, a base and LT and make the V6 optional on both, 3500 on base models and 3.6 on LT. How hard can this be? GM should fire there current product planners and hire someone with some good old fashioned common sence.

As long as it's not an Asian clone with plain boring slab sides, no trim or port holes etc, i'll be happy.

It's just the current plain blah looking Matrix with a Pontiac front end grafted on. I still to this day do not understand this cars existance and really wish GM could design there own little wagon with an Ecotec/6 speed stick or auto and Pontiac styling cause this dud sure doesn't look like one.

Bingo! And this is the single biggest problem I have with todays new cars. They are flat out boring to look at and all look the same for the most part.

Still looks too plain on the sides. Chevy really should offer optional bodyside moldings like on the Aura and install some cures or something to tart up the plainess to the side profile. The interior looks good but will have to wait final judgement on personal evaluation.