This car is still practically brand new, so I have not had any problems arise.
Complaints are very limited, but are as follows:
- The 6 speed automatic transmission shifts rather slowly and hesitates on down shifts, even when using the paddle shifters in "manual" mode.
- Location of the power mirror controls. You have to lean forward pretty far to adjust your mirrors, then return to your driving position to see if you need to adjust them again.
- The opening for the trunk is slightly smaller than my last vehicle, even though the capacity of the trunk is enormous.
What a beautiful car! And very affordable for this level of luxury and number of amenities. The leather seating in the LTZ is very soft and feels very high quality. All the features (power and heated seats, 6 disc premium sound system, chrome trimmed dashboard, driver information center, remote start, auto dimming mirrors, etc.) lead me to believe I am in an expensive European luxury sedan, instead of an American Made Chevrolet.
The sound levels inside the car are amazing. At highway speeds on the rough Washington and Idaho interstates, you can still have a quiet conversation using your "inside voices".
The 252 HP V6 is extremely impressive! The acceleration will push you back in your seats even at half throttle. With the 6 speed automatic, this engine really pulls hard all the way to its electronically controlled top speed of 117 mph! The gas mileage I've experienced has been a very acceptable 23.5 mpg for my mixed city/hwy driving.
Chevy has done amazing things in their mid-size car line with this all new Malibu. All of the articles and reviews I have read hold true to what I see in my own car. I just wish they called it something other than a "Malibu", because this car is light years ahead of the previous versions!
Update from the original poster:
The car is now at 5100 miles and I'm still in awe. On a recent road trip (300 miles each way), we actually experienced 27.3 miles per gallon for the all interstate adventure (70-72 mph) - based on odometer and actual pumped quantities! The driver information center claimed 28 avg mpg, but I believe the calculator and gas receipts to be more accurate.
Everything is performing above expectation. The front power seats amaze me at the wide range of adjustment they allow. It's impressive how far forward and up they will go to make it easy to retrieve those wayward french fries thrown by my toddler.
New accessories on the car are deeper tinted windows and the OEM Splash Guards. I love how the dark windows really set off the chrome surround. It really gets attention where ever we go and I notice people on the freeways frequently looking at it.
Still happy and a huge fan! Thanks, GM!
I've been waiting for the reviews on the new Malibu to start coming in. Thanks for sharing yours. I love the new styling and can't wait for the new coupe I've heard rumors about.
I switched back to GM a few years ago after driving Ford and Dodge for 30+ years. The improvement in GM cars and trucks is truly amazing. We now own an 8-year-old GM compact and a 6 year old GM SUV.
On a 100-mile trip this morning in the compact I noticed that at 90mph the engine is only turning 2800 rpm's (with a redline of 6200). It is smooth, solid and quiet. Neither of our GM's has ever had a single repair and both look and drive like brand new.
Keep us posted on your Malibu, as there might be one in my future!!
There's nothing wrong with calling it a "Malibu", just be very thankful that they didn't call it Chevette or Lumina!
They might not be state of the art, but the old Chevettes and Luminas were rock solid. There are still 2 Chevettes in our little town that are daily drivers and a lot of Luminas. Boring yes. But reliable and long lasting for sure.
I recently had the chance to drive a new Malibu from Bar Harbor Maine to Northern New Jersey. On that trip, I averaged an incredible 34 MPG which included some light traffic. Granted, it was the 4 cylinder mated to a 6 speed auto but even so, the power and refinement from the 4 cylinder lead me to believe it was a V6, especially for a car this size. A Chinese proverb states, never back a dragon into a corner. In this case I strongly believe the tough competition from the foreign manufacturers was what made GM turn around from producing playskool toys. This was the first car I drove from GM in 8 years. Back then I said never again. The new Malibu has changed my mind about GM and what they can do when the bean counters are removed from the equation. The car is not perfect but actually better than my 2008 Mercedes C300.
To 04:28. Was that the new 4 cyl LTZ model that I heard was coming? I was wondering because I haven't heard that the 6 spd auto was going to be offered on an LT 4 cyl. That is awesome mileage! I've seen 35.5 mpg on my 08 Altima when the roads are 55mph highways and there isn't much stop-and-go. But most of the time I average 29-30 mpg with about 70% highway driving at 65-70 mph. I've heard that the 4cyl 6spd combo is supposed to nearly match the Altima's mileage but haven't talked to anyone with actual experience before this.
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