Malibu gains another fan

[brian5o]

A few days ago, someone bumped into the front of my car while it was parked. Luckily, the damage was pretty minor however it was enough to drive me crazy (I am pretty OCD about my car and its appearence). I reluctantly filed an insurance claim and today, dropped off my car to be repared and picked up my rental- a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu.

I'll cut to the chase, I REALLY like this car!

I have always liked the design of the 2008-2012 Malibu. I never really thought of it as being my type of car however I thought it was a very nicely-designed car. Today was the first time that I have had the opportunity to drive one and I loved the way that it drove.

The steering had a very sporty feel to it. The car has a 4 cylinder however the engine felt as if it had plenty of power to move the car and the transmission shifted quite nicely.

The interior is a very nice place to be. The 2-tone charcoal and light gray cloth seats are quite comfortable, the dash layout is very nice and the light blue and white backlit gauges and light blue backlit accessories are very pleasing to look at during night driving.

When I arrived back home with the Malibu today, I really wanted to wash the car to get a feel for all of the contours of the body, as well as taking care of some pesky water spots (like I said, I am OCD when it comes to my cars, even temporary replacements) and I did. I really enjoyed doing so, it really helped me to gain an even greater appreciation for this nice little Malibu.

The exterior of the car looks very similar to the Liquid Silver that was on 2005 Pontiac Sunfire and wheels are very nice, polished 5-spoke alloy with gun-metal gray trim. The wheels are very nice for factory wheels and I would probably even consider keeping them on the car if I were to purchase one. They are every bit as nice (if not nicer) than the aftermarket wheels I had installed on my last three vehicles.

I would have never guessed that I would have liked this Malibu as much as I did. I could see myself being very happy driving this car on a long-term basis. My great experience with this previous-generation 'Bu has also made me wonder if I haven't been a little too critical of the new one. I have not been up-close and personal to a new Malibu and definitely have not driven one. It too may be an even better car than I had previously given it credit for.

If anyone is in the market for a mid-sized sedan, I highly recommend taking a Malibu for a test drive.

[Ed753]

2012? or 2013?

[brian5o]

2012? or 2013?

The one I have is the outgoing 2012 however I feel like I was since the 2012 is a much more enjoyable car than I thought it would be, the 2013 might be as well.

[SeetheUSA]

We have a 2011, and love it. I bought it specifically because of the roominess in the back for the kids. So happy we got it- it's been a great car so far. 2 yrs old and 30k on the clock- no issues so far!!

[demonspeed]

We're planning on picking up a '11/'12 3.6 LTZ once someone buys our G6.

[roy219]

Thanks for your report, Brian5o! Your impressions of the 2008-2012 Malibu mirror my own - it's simply a very decent vehicle. Whenever I need to rent a passenger car, I indicate to my local agency that the Chevy Malibu is my #1 choice. Fortunately, the popularity of Malibu among rental car firms ensures that I get my top pick more often than not.

[Ed753]

The one I have is the outgoing 2012 however I feel like I was since the 2012 is a much more enjoyable car than I thought it would be, the 2013 might be as well.

Ah - OK. I almost bought one of the last 2012's in July, the price vs. what it had to offer was amazing, at employee price, OTD for a 1LT with convenience, was just over $19K, I like the looks of the 2013 a bit more, but they price a lot higher, as is $5,000 - 6,000 more, (MSRP is about the same, but a lot less incentives) which is hard to swallow.

[JuMPy]

so let me get this straight ....you washed a rental to get rid of water spots?

oh boy.... rain-man got noth'in on you ....OCD is right ...LOL