2008 Malibu
The Corvette Owner's Daily Driver
by Hib Halverson

We'll bet 80% of Corvette owners don't drive their cars regularly. They have a daily driver and, for some, it's a Toyota or Honda garaged next to their recreational Vette. If that's you...time to come home to Chevrolet.

On a trip to Detroit late last January to visit the Chevrolet "mother ship", we were loaned an '08 Chevy Malibu LT to drive for a few days and, wow...now we get why even media biased against American cars begrudgingly admits: the new, mid-sized Malibu is a darn fine product.

While Detroit's snow and ice didn't allow us to drive the Malibu in a sporting manner, Chevy's new mid-sized wonder, when ordered with the uplevel suspension, does handle quite well. Shown is the uplevel LTZ model. Image: John F. Martin

          Your Camrys and Accords? Put 'em on Craig's List and meet your new daily driver. Why? It's has great style, good performance, comfort and roominess. It's got great quality, is priced right and–it's a Chevy.

 

As soon as you get inside the Malibu, you get a really good feeling about what you see...something Chevrolet owners have not felt in the Bow-Tie folks' mainstream offerings in a long time.  Image: GM Communications.

Ok. We're a Chevrolet-obsessed web site, so we're maybe a little biased in favor of Bow-Tie brand but, there a lot of less-biased automotive experts who've embraced the new Malibu, too. The car was chosen by this year's North American Car of the Year media jury from a field of 15 cars. The NACOY award is given annually by prominent automotive journalists who evaluate vehicles for: value, innovation, handling, performance, safety and driver satisfaction.

          This year's jury consisted of 45 journalists from the United States and Canada. Car and Driver put Malibu on its famed "10 Best Cars" list for 2008. Kelly Blue Book chose the new Malibu as the "Best Redesigned Vehicle of 2008." So, you see...we're not the only ones who are smitten with Chevy's new mid-sized sedan. At this writing, the new Malibu has only been on sale for about four months. To win those important awards in such a short time is demonstrative of its success. Need more evidence? Well, at Tom Henry Chevrolet, new Malibus are going out the door about as fast as we can get them unloaded off the car carriers.

On a windy, snowy day at Detroit's Metro airport, after dumping 100 pounds of photo gear and other bags in the spacious trunk then scraping ice off the windshield, I made hasty entry into the Malibu and out of the wind. First, we noticed good seats. Second, what a nice interior! Third, the HVAC controls were easy to use–a good thing because it was very cold.

 

 GM's 3.6L "high-feature V6" is optional in it's 252-hp, port-injected, variable valve timing version. Image: GM Communications.

This car drives well. The steering has the right feel and effort. Ride is comfortable but firm enough for Corvetters to appreciate. The car is quiet, yet not too isolated–another trait Vette owners will like. It comes standard with a Malibu version of Corvette's Active Handing and Traction Control, both welcomed while driving around snowy, icy Detroit on all-season radials. The 169-hp Ecotec four's performance was adequate. It works hard, but gets the job done more quietly than other Ecotecs we driven–a testament to GM's attention to noise in Malibu. If you want more power, a 252-hp V6 is available but, Corvette-grade acceleration? That's not what this car is about. If that's what you want, wait for a future Malibu SS or...just drive your Corvette.

Here is an mid-level, LT, like the one we tested for this article. Image: John F. Martin

In 10-15° weather, we didn't stand around very long looking that this car but one of Malibu's strong points is its exterior. Long hood, short deck, Chevy's characteristic front grille with gold Bow-Tie, clean sides interrupted only by wheels openings, a seductive roof line and some Corvette styling cues at the rear all make this car as pleasing as it is unique to look at.

Toyota or Honda dealers, thinking about 4-door sedan sales and the weak dollar, then seeing Malibu's style, features, quality and price, oughta be nervous–real nervous.

At Tom Henry Chevrolet, parked right near some new Corvettes, we've got several of this great new mid-sized car from the Bow-Tie folks. Shopping for a daily driver? You gotta put Malibu on your list.

What makes the new Chevy Malibu pleasing to the eye are some of the same attractive cues in the Corvette's exterior design: the Chevy lineage, the long hood and short deck, slightly bulged fenders and good looking wheels. Image: GM Communications.