For many people the main criterion when "bargain" shopping for a car under $30K seems to be a combination of or balance between economy and power-quite literally, the best combustible bang for your buck. Good looks and brains are oftentimes a tipping point. The Chevy Malibu has always been a strong candidate for an affordable midsize sedan and, until now, "affordable" still carried with it the stigma of "unremarkable." For 2008, though, the Malibu LTZ is causing some neck cricking. With so many redesigned features and a premium audio package, it's OK to want for some of those vainglorious things. When it comes to fashion as well as function, the Chevy Malibu can finally talk the talk and, even better, walk the walk-enough to give the Accord and Camry something to worry about.
Based on exterior alone, it's barely recognizable from its rental car older sibling. The side profile is striking-gone are the choppy horizontal lines, replaced with a more gap-free, fit and fluid shape. The lamented long wheelbase is finally reshaped and the car now gets along on more stylish 18s. Chrome accents give the car more sparkle, including the dual-chrome exhaust and chrome door handles. The shiny silver version of the grille on the LTZ makes the car distinguishable from its peers, although the dual design, split by the logo, is perhaps a little too reminiscent of the disjointed look of before. Actually, when it comes down to it, the Chevy logo is all that seems to remain of the Malibu's previous looks.
The more integrated look follows to the interior as well. Consoles and cupholders are hidden behind stylish elements and two-tone leather design wraps around everything, including the steering wheel and shift knob. Panel gaps, so characteristic of American design, are tightened up. A flowing seam cuts from the doors through the center of the dash and with a soft blue hue in the instrument panel, creates the impression of a luxurious but sporty "deck." New features like the driver information center in the cluster and commands in the steering wheel bring the interior up to date with segment contenders. It's the little details, such as acoustic-laminated glass to deaden road noise, that make the Malibu comfortable, luxurious and sweeter for bonuses like a 210-watt premium audio system.
The silent cabin makes listening to tunes more enjoyable through the system's eight speakers, including two subs and A-pillar mounted tweeters that lounge just below eye level. The source in the dash with its six-disc changer built in is MP3 capable. Though the black and green display could still use an updated look, information system updates, like RDS display for song titles and artist are a nice touch. The auxiliary input is conveniently located right on the center stack as opposed to being hidden in the glove box. And standard bonuses like a year of On-Star make turn-by-turn route guidance an added plus to the concierge service.
The sound quality is fair and bass output is better than decent, but it doesn't have the tight response we would've liked. More importantly, the separation between the higher and low frequencies is too stark. Up front you hear the mids and highs while the bass hits you from behind. Power is not the problem. Probably some system EQ'ing would ameliorate this issue, but some better quality components may also be in order. For the level of vehicle and as an option it's not a bad choice. A couple of audio aftermarket upgrades, such as a real subwoofer and an amp, should help considerably.
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