Well.. we went to our Chevy dealer to look at sedans to replacing our aging Honda Accord (1998?), and I couldn't believe how nice the new Malibu looked in person. Each and every trim level has its ups and downs as you would expect, but my favorite total package would have to the LTZ. The interior is downright fantastic, both in terms of styling and fit and finish. The brick leater was awesome, and the front seats felt really sporty. The way the center console is integrated with the dash is absolutely flawless. I also loved the IP, and how the gauges look. They're easy to read, with a bit of an almost BMW-like flair to them. The back seat is pretty comfortable as well, and it seems like it'd be a fun road trip car. My only gripe is that I fear that, like most new cars today, the interior will be dulled down with everyday use; plastics scratching, leather fading, instruments losing their lighting, etc. But overall, I loved it.
The exterior, too, is amazing. I love the profile of the car, since it reminds me of a VW Phaeton, which is one of my favorite cars. The new front end is amazing, and almost European-esque, which is no surprise considering where this car originated. I also love the neat little touches Chevy threw in to make the package come together as a whole. I do fear that the tailights and lower trunk will be susceptible to damage in a rear end collision, and I also fear that in a front end collision, repairs will be costly due to the big grille and headlights. I also noticed on the LT models, GM has resorted to using the wheels on the G6?!?!? What's that about? All in all, it was an amazing car. I will report back with any updates or news that comes along.
