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2011 Chevy Malibu Philadelphia

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2011 Chevy Malibu Design

The Malibu makes good use of its space, and also has an attractive wheels-at-the-corners look that is substantial, yet clean and crisp. A long wheelbase provides ample interior room for occupants and a smooth, quiet ride.

The body design is bold, long and sleek, with an especially appealing roofline that looks like it belongs on a luxury car. The bodysides are completely clean and uncluttered, and the twin round taillamps pay homage to the Corvette. The dual-port grille is a contemporary Chevrolet design cue, which gives the Malibu a distinctive look, and distinction is an important goal of the midsize sedan designer. Look closely and you'll see tiny bowtie emblems imbedded in the headlights.

Handling of the 2011 Chevy Malibu

The suspension soaked up rough Mississippi farm roads with grace and competence, and kept the car straight and flat without a lot of pitching and body roll. On pockmarked Chicago streets, though, we did experience some jolts in the rear suspension, but they were pretty rough streets.

The steering is reasonably quick and precise, but without much real road feel. The steering wheel is a bit too large in diameter for our preferences; a smaller steering wheel would give a sportier feel.

The V6 is smooth and quiet and very pleasant, indeed. The thoroughly modern V6 has 252 horsepower and delivers performance that is good, if not sparkling. Most families will find no shortage of power or performance. With the V6, the 6-speed automatic is quick to shift, up and down, smooth, lurch-free and quiet.

2011 Chevy Malibu Lineup

The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu range includes the Malibu LS, Malibu LT, and Malibu LTZ. (The mild-hybrid model is no longer available.) The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and 6-speed automatic are standard and come with electric power steering. A 3.6-liter V6 is optional and it comes with hydraulic power steering.

Malibu LS comes with air conditioning, cloth upholstery, power height-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar adjustment, cruise control, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, remote keyless entry, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with XM satellite radio and auxiliary input jack, outside temperature display, automatic headlights, six months of OnStar 9.0 Directions and Connections service with Turn-by-Turn navigation, and P225/50R17 tires on steel wheels.

Malibu LT adds steering-wheel audio controls, ambient lighting, body-color mirrors, more bright trim, carpeted floor mats, new- for-2011 bright aluminum wheels, and a longer option list. Malibu 2LT makes more options available (including faux suede upholstery), and adds a standard bright exhaust tip and Chrome Tech wheels.

Malibu LTZ upgrades to automatic climate control, leather upholstery and steering wheel, eight-way power driver's seat, six-way power passenger's seat, heated front seats, heated power mirrors, auto-dimming inside mirror, iPod adapter, eight-speaker 210-watt stereo system, Bluetooth, remote engine starting, fog lights, a manual rear sunshade, clear-lens LED taillamps and P225/50R18 tires on alloy wheels

Interior of the 2011 Chevy Malibu

The Chevrolet Malibu cabin is beautifully done, with tight fits and no gaps. Everything is within arm's reach and easy to operate. The instruments are easy on the eyes.

The most noticeable interior feature of the Malibu, other than the roominess front and rear, is the dual-cowl dashboard and instrument panel layout inspired by vintage Corvettes. This design is brought into the 21st century with wood and metallic trim and a very pleasing blue-on-white instrumentation graphic treatment that's flooded with blue light at night.

Less noticeable are thoughtful features such as ambient lighting. A feature associated with expensive luxury cars, and recently popularized by Mercedes and BMW, ambient lighting helps the driver and front passenger find secondary controls and items around the center console. A cubby on top of the dash is convenient for smaller items and is a very useful feature.

Cloth, faux-suede and leather interior options are available. The standard interiors are monotone, but several two-tone interior combinations are available, including a dramatic black-and-saddle leather combination that's very attractive.

We found the leather seats in the Malibu LTZ quite comfortable. Piping in a contrasting tone dresses them up. The front bucket seats are somewhere between sumptuous and luscious in the way they look and the way they sit, and are very comfortable and supportive.

Conclusion

The Chevrolet Malibu has the size, room, features and conveniences a family sedan needs. The rear seats are roomy. Fit and finish inside and out are world-class. We think the Malibu stands up well to the best in its class, including the Camry and Accord.

Some information for this review was obtained from NewCarTestDrive.com