This is another in a series of posts I'm writing about my search
for a new car to replace my current leased Volvo.
Catch up with the entire series here.
It's nice to get a second opinion, especially when writing about a big-ticket item like an automobile. So lately, I've been in the habit of volunteering to drive my friends on outings whenever I've been lent a new car to review.
I get a lot of takers when the vehicle I'm driving is "hot," like the one I took to Vegas a few months ago. But I usually end up having to do a little coaxing when I'm testing a car I can actually afford, which was the case a couple of weeks ago when I tried out one of GM's new hybrid models.
My friends changed their attitude once they got a look at the car.
"That's the Malibu? It's beautiful," was the invariable surprised reaction.
The recently redesigned Chevy Malibu IS an attractive, comfortable vehicle - positioned well to compete with the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord and the Ford Fusion... and its manufacturer's suggested retail price is a good $1-2,000 less than those other models.
The Malibu offers a lot of car for the money, with standard features that generally cost extra on other vehicles (automatic transmission, sunroof, onboard drivers' information center, electronic stability and traction control).
But I was disappointed to learn that its estimated mileage is only 26 City and 34 Highway (my average for the week was 26 miles per gallon). This is quite a bit lower than the hybrid Camry and Fusion (Honda no longer makes a hybrid version of the Accord), and only offers you four miles per gallon savings over the regular model.
I badly wanted to love this car - but I'm afraid I only got as far as "like." Maybe it's because I've been spoiled with luxury feature-heavy models like the Ford Flex and Chevy's own Traverse. However, those autos are way off my new-car budget. The Malibu is one I can actually afford, so I drove it with an eye towards future purchase.
It drove well - especially in the morning, when the weather was cool. But there was some performance lag with the air conditioning on, which puts a strain on the hybrid engine. For instance, I needed to give the gas a huge push to get over the hills in my neighborhood. This has not been an issue with other hybrids I've driven. This might be due to the fact that the hybrid Malibu's engine is just four cylinders, which contributes to its fuel efficiency, but may not be optimal for a mid-size vehicle.
The air conditioning itself took some time cooling the car off in 90-degree weather, and there are no A/C vents in the backseat -- something to consider if you are chauffeuring your kids around in the summer.
One feature I find intriguing is GM's OnStar service, which now comes standard on ALL its vehicles, from entry level on up. I've always liked the idea of pushing a button on the rearview mirror and getting immediate emergency assistance.
Fortunately, I haven't had an opportunity to test OnStar for emergency services, and I hope I never need to do that when I'm driving a company-owned test car! But I have made use of OnStar for turn-by-turn navigation and help locating restaurants and businesses in a given area, and it works well (although I think these latter two features are less relevant now that mobile GPS units can be obtained so inexpensively).
The service is free for the first year of ownership (after which you would have to pay a subscription fee).
I would be interested in trying out the non-hybrid Malibu to see how it compares. If I decide purchase a Malibu, I might trade off the approximate $5,000 premium you have to pay for the hybrid and get interior upgrades (my daughter and I are addicted to heated leather seats in the winter months). I can get those on the 2LT model and end up saving a couple of thousand over the hybrid - and still get an estimated 22 mpg City/30 mpg highway... which is not too shabby.
DISCLOSURE and DISCLAIMER: I did not receive any compensation for this review. I was lent a vehicle to drive for a week for the purpose of writing this review. There was no agreement made that the review be a positive one. This auto review is my opinion after driving the vehicle for one week. I am not a mechanic or an automotive expert and make no claims on the vehicle's reliability. For that, I suggest you check out trusted automotive publications like Edmunds.com, Kelly Blue Book, and Consumer Reports. And as a female auto buyer, I always go to AskPatty.com for trusted advice on my vehicle purchases.
Recent Comments