Last week we were able to test-drive a slew of new vehicles from GM on the street and on the track. Unfortunately, one of them was not the upcoming 2008 Chevy Malibu, though we did get to check out a near-production-ready example of the redesigned sedan up-close. Kelsey Mays will take you through it via video below. Below that is a photo gallery, and here’s what a few of us thought of its looks.
Besides the silver-colored plastic on the center dashboard, the Malibu is much nicer inside than the Saturn Aura. I think it has a lot to do with the doors, which I found had too much molded plastic in the Saturn sedan. The leather seats were comfortable, and I’m glad this particular Malibu had the monochromatic black interior versus the two-tone one I’d seen at auto shows. It’s understated, masculine and well-laid-out. I’d rank it ahead of the Ford Fusion and well ahead of the Dodge Avenger on interior quality. If it drives like the Aura, it should do well.
- David Thomas, KickingTires editor
The interior on the new Mailbu is a huge step forward from the last generation, which I thought had taken a big step backward from the generation before it. I drove an Avenger recently, and the Malibu’s inside appearance is light years ahead of the Avenger. As for the exterior, I think the strong lines suggest a better-built car and a more worthy adversary for the Accord and Camry, neither of which is a design bright spot. Still, the Malibu’s got a lot of history to overcome.
- Patrick Olsen, managing editor
