GMI Long Term Review: 2008 Chevy Malibu LTZ

[avro206]

Really like the looks of the Malibu AND the interior!

Want a sporty one though...suspension and a DI 3.6 or whatever can do about 290hp.

[BlackGTP]

Originally Posted by Quixote88

Close... It was a combination of GM wanting the extra power provided by the 3.6 and wanting to offer a "high feature" V6 to counter Toyota and Honda. The 3.5, while decent, does not play in the imports' league... Add to that the 3.6 was available in the Saturn Aura XR, which is also built in Fairfax along with the Malibu. Though the G6, Aura and current Malibu are all built on the Extended Epsilon I platform, the Aura and the Malibu are/were closer together than the G6... The G6 was far more primitive than the Aura, which was the experimental model for the then upcoming Malibu... The Aura and Malibu are very close cousins. Because the Malibu was going to offer the 3.6/6spd., and was to be built in Fairfax, the much lower volume Aura provided a good chance for GM to work out the bugs before their "mainstream" sedan from Chevrolet was to be launched... Which needed to be as trouble free as possible.

The G6 received the 3.6 after Pontiac raised a stink over the fact that "lowly" Saturn was to offer it in its premium models. At the time, the G6's "premium" engine was the 3.9, which was not as powerful, nor as civil as the 3.6.

I have an '07 Aura XR with the 3.6/6spd. combo... 22k miles without any problems at all... I've never experienced any of the tranny problems that have been reported... The tranny took a couple weeks to get used to... That is, figure out the shift points. I actually prefer it to the 4 spd. autos...

I tested the G6 when deciding which car to buy (G6, Malibu, Aura), definitely wanted the 3.6. The 3.6 was only available in their "top of the line" model, which unfortunately included the buck tooth grill and ridiculous wing. That was a major mistake on GM/Pontiac's part. Those styling cues would only attract a guy in his early 20's that probably couldn't afford it's $30+ sticker. I tried a lower model but the 3.9 just wasn't acceptable. They should have made the 3.6 available in a model without all the visual excitement.

Love my Malibu with the 3.6!!!!!!!

[TaHoE]

Originally Posted by ponchoman49

The Malibu is a good car but is now quite expensive in V6 trim, especially LTZ. Well over 30K is creeping towards near luxury territory and too expensive for a car that is lacking so many features that most other mid size sedans have. For example a kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata have a USB port as std equipment. Not even an LTZ Malibu has this std. You have to buy it as a radio upgrade. No rear seat armrest, overhead assist handles, glovebox light, dual zone climate control, shallow trunk with small opening and poor V6 mileage are also drawbacks that most competitors do not share. The worst part of the Malibu for me is the small interior with lack of width, headroom and shallow trunk with tiny opening. Those issues made me buy an Impala 2LT instead and so far I am happy with my decision. Yes the Malibu has 2 more gears and a smoother faster V6 but the 3900 AFM runs very smoothly and will top 30 MPG all day long on the open road and if your foot isn't in the gas pedal it will average 23-24 MPG in normal driving which is 2-3 better than the V6 Malibu. I also think the Impala has a sportier demeaner with it's tuned exhaust note, kicked up tail, rear spoiler and sharper 17" rims. Still if the size and lack of a few key features doesn't bother you then the Malibu 2.4/6 speed combo can make a decent car and the ride/handling are top notch and interior ambience top the Impala by a considerable margin.

According to Chevrolet's website, the 2009 Malibu does indeed have a USB port for the radio standard. And your pricing assumptions are way off. I just built a fully loaded 2009 Chevy Malibu LTZ, clicking every single option they offer only brings it to $30,760. Not really well over $30K. In addition to that, there is currently a $1500 rebate, so the price would drop to $29,260. I think that is a lot of car for the money. It is missing that center armrest, but honestly I had one in my Aurora, and my rear passengers barely even noticed it.

[dindak]

Originally Posted by avro206

Really like the looks of the Malibu AND the interior!

Want a sporty one though...suspension and a DI 3.6 or whatever can do about 290hp.

Think Malibu SS !!

[F14CRAZY]

Originally Posted by 63GrandSport001

For many consumers its not that clear cut.......

A consumer can like both styles and not be in the market for a V-8 so a V-6 Malibu coupe or a V-6 Camaro would greatly interest them. And being RWD vs FWD means nothing to them.

Part of the reasoning for killing the Monte Carlo was the fact that the Camaro was coming out..........

but wasn't there a time when you could buy a Camaro, a Monte Carlo, a two door Impala/Caprice, two door Chevelle... all at the same time?

[Quixote88]

Originally Posted by BlackGTP

I tested the G6 when deciding which car to buy (G6, Malibu, Aura), definitely wanted the 3.6. The 3.6 was only available in their "top of the line" model, which unfortunately included the buck tooth grill and ridiculous wing. That was a major mistake on GM/Pontiac's part. Those styling cues would only attract a guy in his early 20's that probably couldn't afford it's $30+ sticker. I tried a lower model but the 3.9 just wasn't acceptable. They should have made the 3.6 available in a model without all the visual excitement.

Love my Malibu with the 3.6!!!!!!!

I totally agree with you... Not offering the 3.6 in the "GT" model as opposed to the "GXP" only models was an awful decision. The buck tooth design of the GXP does seem to only appeal to the very young... Folks who cannot afford it.
But the decision to not offer the 3.6 in the "GT," which sells far better than the "GXP," should have tipped us off that Pontiac's days were numbered. GM was trying to make every penny off the Pontiac brand. The 3.5 supposedly cost less to produce than the 3.6, and it worked well with the existing 4 spd. automatic tranny. The G6 GT with the inferior drivetrain listed for more and was "selling" for the same prices as a comparably equipped Aura XR. I believe this was to offset the minimal profit from high fleet sales, which were equipped with either the 3.5 or 2.4/4spd. auto combos. Offering the 3.6 in the GT would have given the G6 more credibility than just offering it in the ridiculously high priced boy racer specials.

[vcs2600]

Originally Posted by F14CRAZY

but wasn't there a time when you could buy a Camaro, a Monte Carlo, a two door Impala/Caprice, two door Chevelle... all at the same time?

Plus a two door Nova or a two door Vega. Of course, if you wanted a SUV, your options were pretty thin.

IMO, with the Camaro, a Malibu coupe isn't really all that necessary. You don't see Ford and Chrysler building midsized coupes, and Toyota canceled theirs.

[graycav56]

I have to chime in on the 6 Speed tranny issue as well.

Our 07 Aura is my wife's daily driver, so I only drive it occassionally. However, when I do, I notice the same issue with slow shifting, especially in town and most pronounced in slow turns when you add power on exit. The tranny seems to be perplexed for just a split second before it decides what it wants to do. It also has this annoying tendency in very slow, bumper to bumper traffic to "hook up" abruptly, which is alleviated when you go into manual mode and hold it in a low gear.

I have the same slow shifting feeling with my new Silverado, which I never had with my 05. This is the first time I have ever been disappointed with a GM series of transmissions, now both front and rear (4WD actually) applications. I wonder if the same folks built the software for each transmission and if a patch is available.

This is an unfortunate step backward that for me, almost negates the wonderful improvements in the other areas.

Is this 6 speed the one co-developed with Ford? If so, do they have the same issues in their products?

[G8Montana]

Originally Posted by Schadenfreude

Is the 3.9 even in production anymore? I don't think it is (maybe the Impala has the only application left?), but I'm not sure.

And also, to solve the trunk spacing opening issue, why don't they make a Maxx like they did with the previous version? Or if you're going to redesign it, why not make a wagon version?

I think it still comes on Impala LTZ.

[Kennyboy]

It's funny that you mention the city of Malibu, CA, where mostly rich people reside. The only American cars you'll find in Malibu are trucks and SUVs. Other than that, hardly any American cars at all.

But I find you're review quite good. I like how you mention the six-speed transmission skipping a few gears now and then, and how the seats acculturate your body. I rode in the backseat of the 'bu, and the only compliant is the hardness of the backseat in long drives.

[ESE84]

I have had the same experience as several others who have posted. My 2009 4-cylinder LTZ is now a year old. Zero problems, zero rattles, zero trips back to the dealer. It is the perfect car for running around flat Houston and down to the coast. On trips to Austin and Texarkana it easily delivers over 30 mpg. And, like others have noted, my red jewel Malibu gets plenty of parking lot stares, "is that really a Chevy" questions, and people stopping me to say they are thinking of buying one and asking my advice. Chevrolet knocked it out of the park with this car.

[spectre]

Another thing they could do since the Cobalt, Solstice and Sky are disappearing is take the LNF and drop into a sport model Malibu. Good fuel economy, plenty of power and you'll be even more competitive with the likes of Honda and Toyota as the current LNF is on par with the Si for fuel economy more or less and makes alot more power. Just my two cents. I don't see the point in letting one of the best Turbo engines GM has built in modern history go to waste. Especially when you could have a mid-sized family car that could keep up to the V6 Accord and even the V6 Altima. And that's from a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder.

[avro206]

yes GM can do alot more with Turbos. Have to hand it to Ford. That eco-boost is getting in trucks and cars--not yet in a Fusion. GM needs to follow suit