2008 Chevrolet Malibu

The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is a complete redesign for a car that desperately needed it. Over the last few years the Malibu has lagged far behind the other cars in its class in terms of both quality and performance. When it was first introduced the Malibu was a major player in the mid-size sedan category. Since then it saw its competitors go sailing past them. Chevrolet has now completely redesigned the car and they have dramatically improved it. There is more room inside and the car certainly performs better. The result is a car that is capable of taking on the big players in its class.

The handling of the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is surprisingly good. Obviously it isn't at the same level that you would get from a sports car but it is more nimble than you would expect it to be. The steering is a little bit sluggish but that is mainly the result of having a fairly soft suspension. This is the tradeoff between performance and comfort; obviously they have chosen to go with comfort. The power is certainly adequate for a car in its class. Obviously is won't win a drag race with a muscle car but it is definitely competitive for family sedan.

The standard engine in the Malibu is a four cylinder 2.4 liter with a 3.6 liter V6 available as an option. The smaller engine comes with a standard four speed automatic transmission while the V6 comes with a six speed automatic. The six speed transmission comes with a manual shifter. The only downside is that unlike some of its competitors in order to switch from fully automatic to the manual shifter requires you to actually switch modes yourself. Most other transmissions will do this automatically when you press the shifter. The fuel economy is generally good but it is a little bit behind its competitors.

The redesign has also meant a much more attractive design for the Chevrolet car. The new Malibu is actually a nice looking car, unlike its predecessor which really just looked like a box on wheels. There is also a lot more room inside the car. The rear seats actually have enough leg room that an adult can fit into them comfortably. However since the roof slopes downward tall passengers may find they lack head room in the rear seats. The quality of the materials used on the interior are greatly improved as well. Giving the car a much more attractive look both inside and out.

The safety features are about what you would expect them to be. Air bags, anti-lock brakes and traction control are standard. However stability control needs to be purchased as an option. The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is a massively improved car over its previous version and it has a real chance to regain some of the market share that it has lost over the last few years.