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General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says the redesigned 2008 Chevy Malibu sedan “Is the best we can do,” an invitation to grab a magnifying glass to exam the machine inch by inch and molecule by molecule.

Mike Weidman, Malibu marketing manager, says the Malibu, redesigned for 2008, is as important to GM as the redone Silverado full-size pickup was for the 2007 model year.

Silverado buries Toyota Tundra in sales, so a successful launch was vital.

But Malibu is an also-ran in midsize sedans, where the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord combined outsell it by about 750,000 units annually. That makes a successful launch more than vital in a segment with more than 2.7 million sales annually.

After testing the redesigned Malibu it’s safe to say it has joined the Japanese brands in the big leagues. Not that it’s a hands-down favorite, but that it has improved so much neither Camry nor Accord are clear standouts. Add Malibu to your shopping list.

But best GM can do? Has Lutz forgotten the 2008 Cadillac CTS and any Chevy Corvette since 1997?

Still Malibu shares the same front-wheel-drive platform as the Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6. With a 6-inch longer wheelbase, 3-inch longer overall length and nearly an inch added width, it looks considerably bigger.

It has a similar Camry/Accord design theme with rounded sheet metal and a sloping coupe-like roofline. Designers went wild with Chevy bow-tie logos on grille and deck lid plus in headlamps, taillamps and side-marker lights.

The once neglected interior boasts soft-touch surfaces and tight fits without wavy or uneven lines. The cabin also is considerably quieter thanks to laminated windshield and side glass, wheelwell liners and carpet molded to the floor. To consumers, quiet equals quality.

LS, LT (1 and 2) and LTZ versions offer 4-cylinder or V-6 engines or a hybrid option. We tested the LT1 with 2.4-liter, 169-horsepower 4, marked up from the 2.2-liter, 144-h.p. 4 available for 2007. The 2.4 is far more energetic to pass or merge yet quieter. And it’s rated at 22 m.p.g. city/30 m.p.g. highway — 1 m.p.g. more city, 1 m.p.g. less highway than Camry/Accord.

The 4, like in Camry and Accord, will account for 75 to 80 percent of sales. A 3.6-liter, 252-h.p. V-6 teamed with a 6-speed automatic will account for the rest in the LT2 and LTZ. The 6-speed joins the 4 next spring.

The hybrid comes out early next year with the 2.4. Unlike Camry, the Malibu hybrid shuts off the gas engine when you decelerate, coast or idle yet the batteries contribute a small jolt of juice to pass. Since the batteries don’t help get the car moving, like with Camry, Malibu is rated at 24 m.p.g. city/32 m.p.g. highway versus 40/38 for Camry.

The hybrid is an $1,800 premium versus about $5,000 on Camry. No Accord hybrid, rather a V-6 runs in 3-, 4- or 6-cylinder mode for high-mileage or high-performance.

Ride is less stiff and more comfortable; no fidgeting over uneven pavement. Suspension is tuned for the softest ride in the base LS with 16-inch radials and 4, a little firmer ride in the LT with 17-inch radials and firmest in the LTZ with 18-inch radials and V-6.

Seats are well cushioned and supportive in a car that used to slap a thin layer of cloth or leather over granite. And you can slip into the back seat without taking a deep breath.

Handling isn’t pinpoint precise, but more accurate and steering more controlled as you move up from LS to LTZ. StabiliTrak with traction control is standard, along with anti-lock brakes, in LT and LTZ models.

Noteworthy features include side-curtain air bags; massive trunk; and rear seats that fold, but not flat, so you can slip skis inside; a covered container in the top center of the dash for glasses, cell phone or iPod; holders than accommodate 12-ounce cans or 20-ounce bottles in the doors; cup and coin holders in the center console plus storage compartments under the center armrest behind the console. Remove the cupholders, raise the armrest and there’s room for a purse.

Malibu has one maddening flaw. Open the hood. Go ahead, try. It pops open but the release latch is difficult to see, reach and use.

LT1 base is $20,305, about $800 less than a base Camry or Accord. Stability control is standard in Accord, too, but optional in Camry.

A $515 power convenience package adds six-way power driver’s seat, remote start and power adjustable pedals. A sunroof runs $800. No navigation system, instead OnStar offers turn-by-turn directions from an adviser.

For $150 you can add a 110-volt power outlet at the rear of the center console to plug in a portable DVD player or for $1,800 get dealer-installed DVD screens in the backs of the front headrests. In January an iPod docking station in the glove box will be a new option to access songs via the radio as well as recharge the player.

Chevy will sell about 50,000 Malibus in calendar 2007. Safe to say the target is 100,000 and more annually on the way to reducing the lopsided Camry/Accord lead.

“Accord and Camry sell about 400,000 units each, Altima about 275,000 units and then there’s the Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata and the rest of us. We’re biting at the ankles of Camry/Accord, but we aren’t going for the jugular yet,” Weidman says. “First we’re going to work to get to the sales level of Altima, which won’t happen overnight.”

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2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU LT1

$21,005: Price as tested. Add $650 for freight.

WHEELBASE: 112.3 inches

LENGTH: 191.8 inches

ENGINE: 2.4-liter, 169-h.p. V-4

TRANSMISSION: 4-speed automatic

M.P.G.: City 22, Highway 30

PLUSES

* Larger dimensions for more room and comfort.

* Quieter cabin.

* Quieter 4 with more-than adequate spirit

* StabiliTrak and traction control and side curtains standard.

* Attention to fit and finish.

* Good price without having to load with options.

* Membership in 30-m.p.g. club.

* Hybrid available.

MINUSES

* Open the hood. Go ahead, open it. Try again.

THE STICKER

* $20,305 Base

* $515 Power convenience package with six-way power driver seat, remote start and power adjustable pedals.

* $185 Premium package with carpeted floor mats, trunk mats and cargo net.