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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Review

July 19, 2009

STYLING | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

interior styling is much better than anything other than the Saturn Aura in General Motors' family sedan lineup
Cars.com

sleek styling, attractive interiors
Car and Driver

more expressive styling
Popular Mechanics

The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu is well liked in the automotive community and by some of the most finicky review sources. The 2008 redesign was sorely needed.

Edmunds notes that the 2008 styling upgrades (which continue into 2009) ensure that "the car is smoothly handsome and free of styling gimmicks, which bodes well for its long-term appeal. And it has none of the self-conscious oddness of recent Honda and Toyota designs." The Los Angeles Times contends that its "average" styling may be a good thing. Cars.com thinks that "Chevrolet finally has done its job on styling." "Unpretentious" may be another good adjective. The Washington Post applauds Chevrolet; 2009's Malibu looks good, they opine, "without trying to be something that it isn't."

Inside, Edmunds observes that "two-tone interior treatments help lift ... cabin into the premium class," and believes that "only the [Honda] Accord's interior really stands clearly above the Malibu's effort." Cars.com notes that "interior styling is much better than anything other than the Saturn Aura in General Motors' family sedan lineup." They also feel that the "two-tone gray interior...looks modern while reflecting some dash designs from the late 1950s and early '60s." Overall, the interior trim isn't quite up to Honda's gold standard, but the dual-tone interior treatments are truly novel and give buyers a real reason to choose the latest GM family sedan over the more established Japanese titans.

Conclusion

The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu looks great inside and out.

STYLING | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:interior styling is much better than anything other than the Saturn Aura in General Motors' family sedan lineupCars.comsleek styling, attractive interiorsCar and Drivermore expressive stylingPopular Mechanics The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu is well liked in the automotive community and by some of the most finicky review sources. The 2008 redesign was sorely needed. Edmunds notes that the 2008 styling upgrades (which continue into 2009) ensure that "the car is smoothly handsome and free of styling gimmicks, which bodes well for its long-term appeal. And it has none of the self-conscious oddness of recent Honda and Toyota designs." The Los Angeles Times contends that its "average" styling may be a good thing. Cars.com thinks that "Chevrolet finally has done its job on styling." "Unpretentious" may be another good adjective. The Washington Post applauds Chevrolet; 2009's Malibu looks good, they opine, "without trying to be something that it isn't." Inside, Edmunds observes that "two-tone interior treatments help lift ... cabin into the premium class," and believes that "only the [Honda] Accord's interior really stands clearly above the Malibu's effort." Cars.com notes that "interior styling is much better than anything other than the Saturn Aura in General Motors' family sedan lineup." They also feel that the "two-tone gray interior...looks modern while reflecting some dash designs from the late 1950s and early '60s." Overall, the interior trim isn't quite up to Honda's gold standard, but the dual-tone interior treatments are truly novel and give buyers a real reason to choose the latest GM family sedan over the more established Japanese titans. ConclusionThe 2009 Chevrolet Malibu looks great inside and out. 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU STYLING | [9 out of 10] Cars.com: "interior styling is much better than anything other than the Saturn Aura in General Motors' family sedan lineup" Car and Driver: "sleek styling, attractive interiors" Popular Mechanics: "more expressive styling" The 2009 ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Fusion and the Altima are more fun to drive than the Malibu, but neither of them is as roomy and comfortable inside. Backseat room is another big differentiator; the Malibu and Camry both have very spacious rear seats, as does the Accord, but the Altima's is especially tight. And the Malibu's interior puts Toyota to shame; its attractive interior is well styled and has better-looking and better-feeling materials than much of the class. The Fusion has by far the boldest, most aggressive styling, while the Accord arguably looks the most elegant. The Sonata is more comfort-oriented, but its interior isn't quite up to the standards of the Malibu or Accord, and it's not as quiet inside.

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See the Chevrolet Malibu in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

Comments (6 total)

  1. By  Automobile Mechanics #1, Posted: 7/22/2009

    nice post having good information.
    Thanks.

  2. By Jaxon #2, Posted: 8/4/2009

    Is the all-new Chevrolet Malibu ready to win the head-to-head competition with perennial favorites like Honda Accord and Toyota Camry? It's a tall order, but the just-introduced Malibu is poised to steal back the popularity it once enjoyed. Watch video: http://tinyurl.com/mta8x8

  3. By M Taylor #3, Posted: 9/15/2009

    We just purchased a new malibu ltz v-6 with 6 speed transmission. A major problem I have with this vehicle is that when you decelerate at any speed, the vehicle jerks and jumps simular to a miss-firing spark plug. Two dealers have told me this is normal for this transmission.

  4. By Janko H #4, Posted: 10/21/2009

    I have not driven new Malibu yet. Just one observation: Car of that size/weight built with McPherson Strut in the front CANNOT handle as good as Honda's or Toyota's fine tuned double-wishbone suspension. Sorry, chevy is once again trying to pull a quick one consumers that don't do their homework prior to purchase.

  5. By Ben #5, Posted: 10/24/2009

    We just purchased a new malibu. A major problem I have with this vehicle is that when you accelerate from a stop, the vehicle jerks and jumps ahead similar to a car which run out of gas. Two dealers have told me this is normal for this transmission. At $30,000 Canadian I am not a happy camper. No wonder their reputation slumped along with sales. I will not make this mistake again.

  6. By Lola #6, Posted: 10/26/2009

    I was in a wreck, my 08 Malibu was totalled, but my 18month old was scratch/hurt free. She was perfectly untouched. Safety is a concern of mine and Malibu performed well. I purchased another 09 Malibu. Consumers and critics should give this car much credit. If people gripe about the economy and go buy a honda, what does that fix? Support your own country and help someone keep their job. GREAT CAR inside and out and great value

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