2006 Chevrolet Malibu LT Road Test: Plain Sailing

[91 s-10baja]

2006 Chevrolet Malibu LT Road Test
August 13, 2006
by Justin Couture / American Auto Press

The Malibu is built on GMs Epsilon global architecture, though, from the outside, all there is to see is a plain-jane sedan.
New headlights and grille arrived in 2006.
Titanium color scheme looks ... brown. Fake wood trim is very, very fake.
No need for that rear spoiler with just 145 horses.
Four-speed automatic does have manual control, though, without a sporty-tuned suspension, is it really useful?
The European tuning pays off in a comfortable ride. Legroom is very good considering the shortness of the car.
Malibu drives like a smallish-sized front wheel drive sedan.
Malibu is good when its cheap, but you lose some of the many switches and buttons. Surprisingly, it only has one cupholder.
Strong reliability is always in fashion. Melted chocolate bar-colored wood, on the other hand, never was.


http://car-reviews.automobile.com/Ch...oad-test/2035/

[autofan]

That interior color is not titanium, it's cashmere. Those new 16" wheels look pretty good. Obviously the car is as dull as can be. The only way I'd get a Malibu would be a fully loaded Maxx LTZ or SS.

[dindak]

Malibu is a very good rental car but other than people looking for a steal of a value, one would likely look at the G6, Aura at GM or Camcords otherwise.

[GM>Toyota]

The redesign couldn't come any sooner.

[quinnp12]

please gm, here our pleas. We beg you to have no more bland vehicles. Please, it is for you as much as us!

[spaz]

whoever was in charge of the exterior styling for the '04 malibu must have a seeing eye dog.

[usa1]

The new Malibu can't come fast enough. For every new hit GM comes out with, it still brings out dogs like the Malibu. The new Impala is equally unappealing to me -- proof in my mind that GM cannot make consistently great products.

Mark

[hunchman]

"Malibu drives like a smallish-sized front wheel drive sedan"...........well what's it supposed to drive like a fullish sized suv?

[cadillacs amaze]

Does anyone know if the next Mailbu is going to be on Epsilon or Epsilon 2?

[TahoeMikeZ71]

It's going to be on LWB Epsilon1 in '08.

[camaro_freak]

Originally Posted by spaz

whoever was in charge of the exterior styling for the '04 malibu must have a seeing eye dog.

ouch! oh snap!

[redimpss5]

Who is this clown that wrote that? He thinks for 20k it is supposed to have real wood? I knew drugs were bad, but jeez, dont smoke what he does and expect a DHS out of this deal!!

[hammerhead]

OOOOH_RAH! I'll take one any day over a toyohonda!

[hammerhead]

I think this clown should buy a MILPA and pull weeds!

[AndrewGS]

I like the Malibu. I was looking hard at an SS MAXX and it felt very well-built. The non-SS sedan looks pretty boring, but the MAXX and SS models look great. I think the interior is nice in the '06 since they made a few important changes, especially in black.