[Evo69]

That could be, it was nice. Fog lights need to be standard, any Malibu without them has awkward black inserts that are an eyesore. They could body color them, or add some design to them in the least, but yuck. View attachment 12906

Thats exactly what im talking about, jzchev. Now compare that to the last gen base model Malibu. I remember when the first pics of the Malibu came out they were the non LTZ versions and they looked expensive even without the fog lamps.

 

[Caddyguy57]

Well I don't know why, but here lately I've been seeing a whole lot of them on the road.

They are probably all rentals!!

 

[richmond2000]

I think GM should offer a "SE" pack say 1K over a LT1 get fogs LED tails a custom spoiler and a set of NICE 18 inch wheels
it has worked well for NISSAN and HONDA and allows some "MONO speccing"

 

[sepi]

What a dishonest review....

This guy had to be 5 foot 5 or less in height - I know from personal experience with my 6 foot 2 inch brother-in-law seated as driver in a Chevrolet Camry that there was no more than 3 inches of space between the back of the front seat and the front of the rear seat cushion - and since I am 6 foot, there was no hint of any backseat room. To further make this video a complete joke, I had not much luck fitting into the prior Malibore in the same test - my knees were pressed into the back of the front seat then - and since even Chevrolet admits there is LESS room in the new Chevrolet Camry than in the Malibore, this review video is dishonest to even suggest by representation that an adult of normal size can fit back there.

Additionally, even reviews on this blog have noted that the materials used in the new Chevrolet Camry are not luxurious or equal to those used in the Malibore. To even suggest that the materials are good, as this video did, is laughable and shows the test to be bogus. And this would make Government Motor's desire to improve the interior a pointless exercise.

Sadly the video does show the sham of the 2014 Chevrolet Camry console - the new console does not address the left foot / knee issue! And the cheap wood look of the 2013 is actually made worse in the 2014.

I do have to say that I was surprised by the deception and complete dishonesty of the KBB video - glossing over huge flaws and dismissing them and making other issues important. The fact remains that the Chevrolet Camry is and will be next year, the worst car in its class bar none.

 

[camaro_freak]

Even though the current BU is plain vanilla, one would think by the comments posted here that they are struggling to sell 3,000 a month.

Fact is they are going out the door at 20K a month, give or take. Whether it is retail or fleet the cash register still goes cha-ching.

and watch those re-sale values go dum-dum for private sale customers. Flooding the fleet market never works to GM's advantage in the long run. You want to limit rental fleets as much as possible or at least strike a viable balance.

You don't see Honda flooding the fleet markest do you? In fact I don't recall the last time I've even been able to rent a Honda vehicle.

 

[91 s-10baja]

Here is a good synopsis as to why, and how!

http://www.autoline.tv/daily/?p=27012

 

[CoolNate32]

Because in typical GM fashion, the manual is cheaper and they don't think people will notice when they delete an option a year or two after it's debut.

I know it may not be a big deal to some, but here are a few off the top of my head:
-Deleting the side marker flasher on the last generation Malibu
-Deleting the rear seat illuminated window switches on the GMT-900 trucks. Nobody noticed right? $35,000+ for a vehicle and you don't get illuminated rear window switches? I bet the cheapest car available today offers illuminated window switches in the rear seats. It's games like this that really make me angry at GM.

My Camry was MSRP 27,015 and even on the drivers door only the front driver window button is illuminated. I'm still completely satisfied with my car haha.


Sent from AutoGuide.com App

 

[MCGARRETT]

black cloth sport seats

Thats another sore spot on the car, the cloth interiors on the lower end models is kinda crappy looking. But I like your idea.

 

[SAngelo]

That is one of the issues, the base LS wheels are ugly, the LT wheels are a little better, the LTZ wheels are pretty good looking and the LTZ 19's pictured on the red car above are REALLY NICE, they should offer a dress up value option package or something that gives you the more attractive wheels, the better headlights and the fog lights, and make it avaiable on all trim levels of the Malibu across the board. Simiar to the RS package on Camaros.

Have any of you seen the 2014 Malibu ? The car is very nice, yeah they should have changed the rear lights but it doesnt look that bad, its average, the new front is hot and the sides of the car are really nice. Do any of you know that the rear seat will yield 1.25 inches of additional knee/legroom which is less than a 1/2 less than the roomy Accord.

My only lasting issue with this car is while GM wake up and give in FOLD IN SIDE MIRRORS !!!! If they dont with the 2014 refresh that will be obsurd and will be reminiscent of the old GM !!!!

 

[RoyG]

Glowing review, why did they refresh it?

It is a long and twisted story. Filled mostly with half truths, non-facts, and biased hyperbole.

On the fact side:
Sales down from prior year
shorter wheelbase reduced the rear legroom
It doesn't get 40 mpg highway
doesn't have the most exciting styling or look like an Astin Martin

 

[1958carnut]

Pretty much a decent review by KBB. Sad thing is even with the few missteps in this gen. it is still a real nice car. I just wish Chevy would have done their homework on this and it would have come out just a bit better. Then the emergency refresh wouldn't have been necessary.

 

[CADILLACSIXTEEN]

My Camry was MSRP 27,015 and even on the drivers door only the front driver window button is illuminated. I'm still completely satisfied with my car haha.


Sent from AutoGuide.com App

What year was it? And did they offer them the first year and delete them thereafter?

 

[Dr.Show-Me]

Pretty much a decent review by KBB. Sad thing is even with the few missteps in this gen. it is still a real nice car. I just wish Chevy would have done their homework on this and it would have come out just a bit better. Then the emergency refresh wouldn't have been necessary.

GM did not realize that the world looks at GM differently since bk. government Motors, can't do anything right. Government haters become GM haters, bla bla bla.
The truth is old GM was used to throwing anything out there and it would sell. The Malibu was the last one started pre-bk that shows the GM "sell them anything with a GM. Badge on it and it will sell" arrogant attitude that says we know better than anyone what the market wants or we can sell them.
The mid size market now contains very competitive products from cheap to expensive, and to sell well, the product needs to standout in a good way. How does the malibu stand out, other than being the most overpriced?
GM needed and needs a mid size car that sets new. Standards on quality, fit and finish, and features at the lowest price they can produce it in.
When was the last time you heard that a car was better and worth more than its asking price?
Instead of dumping a cheaper version of EpiII on the market, GM should have kept the old Malibu on the market for 2 additional years while they brought out a new generation based on alpha. That would have been class leading and still would. Be!

 

[MCGARRETT]

years while they brought out a new generation based on alpha. That would have been class leading and still would. Be!

This again?


No one wants RWD in this category, its not needed and the market does not care. Enough with the everything needs to be RWD with an SBC thing people, go pick up a copy of Car Craft and go home....

 

[Dr.Show-Me]

This again?
No one wants RWD in this category, its not needed and the market does not care. Enough with the everything needs to be RWD with an SBC thing people, go pick up a copy of Car Craft and go home....

I believe you are wrong on this. People want GM to. Produce the best vehicles in all categories, including the mid size car category, which I believe requires the most advanced platform GM can put it on. I'm sure you know that alpha is rwd/awd platform, as light or lighter than EpiII, and can fit 1.2 liter 3 or 4 cylinder engines, V6s and V8s, so for the buyer they could have the engine of their choice, it doesn't have to be a sbc.
It would be an interesting poll to ask GMI readership what they would want forMalibu to make it best in class. I personally think it takes the alpha platform and the advances it includes.
Others may want something else.
Do YOU want Malibu to be class leading? What would YOU want for Malibu?

 

[MCGARRETT]

It would be an interesting poll to ask GMI readership what they would want forMalibu to make it best in class. I personally think it takes the alpha platform and the advances it includes.

If you asked the GM "readership" what they wanted, GM would only make $10K RWD green diesel station wagons with manual transmissions......

 

[goatgary]

If you asked the GM "readership" what they wanted, GM would only make $10K RWD green diesel station wagons with manual transmissions......

and 40" rear leg room that can do 0-60 in 5 sec flat

 

[ab348]

why does everyone bash the styling? its not bad. just something to complain about thats all. look at the camry, that is bland as hell compared to this. i have not driven a new malibu so i cant say anything about that. but the interior also is nicer than the camry.

Alan

Styling is totally subjective of course, but from the very first spy shots to the long-lead pictures posted on this site to the announcement day pictures, this car has never looked right to me, inside or out. But sometimes you need to see a car in the flesh to be certain about how it looks. When they finally made it onto dealer lots here I went and looked at them and it was just as bad as the photos indicated, if not worse. The front end looked too high and blocky compared to the earlier model. The rear end was simply horrible-looking. The greenhouse didn't seem to suit either end of the car. And the interior looked downright terrible, with absolutely nothing that I could say looked attractive. It was just a very, very bad design - to my eye. Now obviously, not everyone feels that way. But I have to think I am far from alone in my judgment of this design. It just does not work and seems to be a very unhappy, unappealing offering.