[idontcareican]

Was GM really trying to take on the Camry and the Accord with the Malibu?

 

[idontcareican]

That is one thing that the Camry may have benefited from; it was engineered to be a luxury car as well as something that would suit a rental fleet. You can call the Camry boring but the Malibu really needs help and I am not saying that because I like the Toyota Camry or even the Accord. In fact GM should have had no problem making a better looking car than the Accord but they didn’t, and that’s what really angers me. There is no way I can see the Malibu taking on a Camry with the styling it has right now. It screams economy from every angle on the outside, especially the rear end and its not an economy car! I thought the Malibu was going to fight on the value front against those two. Not happening. There are plenty of cars that are better suited for the fight. The Grand Prix from Pontiac would be a way better choice for someone who is really looking for value. Impala? No? You want a car that’s a little smaller but still a Chevy, I guess the Malibu has a purpose but you would have to be out of your mind to pass up the G6 for a Malibu. Then consider the Malibu went into the ring not able to take on the V6 offering from Honda. A 240hp V6 Accord vs. a 200hp V6 Malibu? Is GM even in the same decade as the rest of us? Sure, the Accord V6 may be several thousand more but what happens in a few years when its not? What happens when the 4 from Honda becomes even more powerful than it already is? What happens when the competition moves ahead and you’re still looking at where they were? Let Cadillac and Pontiac save GM in the near term and write the Malibu off at this point until what is probably going to be called the "Malibu SS" is what you get for a standard Malibu V6 in the first place.