Video: 2008 Chevrolet Malibu

And you might've seen a lot of commercials for the new Malibu, but today we're gonna take you for a closer look. Honestly, the first thing everyone's gonna notice about the new Malibu are the looks, especially this big, bold grill. It's actually a split grill with a bar in between, big Chevy emblem. There's actually Chevy emblem in the headlight as well. And there's little touches everywhere around the car you'll notice if you take a closer look. So Chevy is very proud of this car, obviously. Even with a trim like the LT here, which is kind of middle of the pack, $21,000 on the sticker gets you out the door. Even comes with 17-inch wheels standard, stability control standard. So Chevy's put a lot into the car at different trim levels. So even if you get something like this LT, you get a lot for the money. One of the things Chevy has really improved with the 2008 Malibu is the interior quality. The materials all have a nice finish to them. Everything from the air events, the door handles, the shift knob, everything is of a good quality, and that's really important for this segment. It's really important for Chevy to get that right or people are gonna go to a Toyota or a Honda. One of the few interior elements that is kind of hit-and-miss is this center console here, which comes in this fake metal trim. It's a little strange when you have so many colors going on that we have yet another color like this silver. But the stereo head unit that comes in all of the Malibus is one of our favorites. It's used in a lot of other GM cars and it's really easy to use, has great sound, and great ergonomics. A lot of mid-size sedans these days are adding a rear seat that can fold forward to expand the cargo area from the trunk, and Chevy decided that was a vital thing for their buyers. You just pull a little latch here and it folds down quite easily. (Dave knocking) so if you're loading something from the trunk, it doesn't snag on any carpet. It just slides on the hard back. Not only this trunk isn't the largest in this segment, but it's nice 'cause it has a flat floor, it's quite wide. The opening's a little narrow, but for most uses it should be fine. The new Malibu's ride is actually quite exceptional. It's a very quiet ride, as you can tell. There's little wind noise, little road noise. And just the suspension is tuned so well, even in this LT four-cylinder model, that it feels like a much more luxurious ride than you would expect from a Malibu or any other affordable mid-size sedan. Chevy has certainly improved every aspect of the Malibu for 2008, from the interior to the driving experience, it's just a better mid-size sedan. There's also a lot of value for the money, so buyers have a lot to choose from. Now that you've seen the gasoline Chevy Malibu, don't forget to check out a video on the hybrid version.