My wife and I are looking this weekend at the Chevy Malibu. So far, from online research it looks pretty solid. Anyone have any personal experience with it? She's getting rid of her 2008 Saturn Aura. It's been a great car, and only now is starting to show it's age in terms of now costing us some bucks in repairs to keep it in top shape.
The new malibu is very different from any previous version. I'm actually surprised they didn't change the name. It's a fantastic car. I drive one for a year, and I loved it. I would recommend the 1.5L engine. They also make a 2.0 (both are turbo), but I never found I needed the extra power, and the milage is a lot better in the 1.5 (I averaged about 33, but I drive like an old person). It drives much more like a perfomance car than you would expect for a mid size sedan. For what it is, I'd give it an A, for sure.
Thanks man. In our research online, finding the Malibu's limitation of a 4-cylinder engine looked like a stopper for my wife. A car with a 6-cylinder, or larger, engine was on her short list of deal breakers to begin with. Some extra anecdotal evidence should help us keep an open mind when we test drive them.
Have to remember it's a 4cyl turbo. That's totally different than your mother's 4. 2.0T engines are in performance cars from the WRX to the Evoque to the ATS, etc, etc. It's a very popular engine because it's fast when you want it to be and fuel efficient when you aren't in a hurry. The Malibu's 2.0 makes 250hp, which on a car of that size is more than enough. Taste is one thing, so you may or may not like the car as much as I did, but I highly doubt you'll be disappointed by the performance.