Long-Term Test: 2004 Chevrolet Malibu

When Chevrolet reintroduced the Malibu in 1998, it was an unremarkable car that seemed to find its way into Avis fleets more often than suburban driveways. Even though the car represented an excellent value, most consumers preferred to not get dunked on resale value and continued buying Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys.

With the new Malibu, Chevy has a chance to redeem itself and prove to us and the buying public that it once again cares about sedans. We're not really sure why the company decided to keep the Malibu name, however. The all-new Pontiac sedan that shares some underpinnings with the Malibu is now called the G6 — Grand Am is out. Similarly the moderately restyled Chevrolet minivan is no longer known as the Venture but becomes the Uplander. Why stick with Malibu? Name recognition, perhaps? Well, sure, those of us over 30 remember when Malibu used to mean an affordable but well-equipped family sedan. But everyone else probably associates the name Malibu with the new car's generic predecessor. Does this offer a glimpse into the Malibu's intended audience?

So why add the Malibu to our long-term fleet? Well, first of all, we're glad cars are actually getting some play and that the SUV craze seems to be waning a bit. Plus, the Malibu is a direct competitor to the Honda Accord, a car that just finished up its year in our fleet with few problems and plenty of praise. Many of the editors here are closet American car fans and are secretly hoping for a domestic brand to become the best-selling sedan in the U.S. Too often we're left scratching our heads in disbelief and disappointment after driving a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry then jumping into a Dodge, Ford or Pontiac sedan. There is strong evidence this trend is changing and new cars like the Chevrolet Malibu are leading the charge (and don't get us started on the awesome-looking Solstice or the next Mustang).

Since we wanted to compare the Malibu directly with our now departed Accord, we decided to choose a model that closely matched the sticker price of the Honda. We were surprised to learn that we could get a nicely equipped, V6-powered Malibu for about the same price as our four-cylinder Accord EX. In midgrade LS trim, the Malibu is already well equipped, but since we still had dollars to spare, we added a few options like a remote start feature, satellite radio system and an in-dash six-disc CD changer. So equipped, the Malibu's suggested price topped out at a very reasonable $22,595 — that's still a couple hundred dollars cheaper than our Accord.

We purchased the car from Miracle Mile Chevrolet/Buick in Los Angeles, and the process couldn't have been easier. Senior Editor Ed Hellwig noted, "We quickly learned that GM's own BuyPower site is very useful when it comes to inventory searches. Once you enter the model you're looking for into the search engine, you're given a list of dealers that have similar models. Clicking on the particular links allowed us to go in and look at the actual window sticker of each car to determine that it had all the features we were looking for. We found a match in Los Angeles and put a call in to the contact number listed. We talked to the dealer's Internet manager, and she confirmed that the car was indeed on the lot and matched the description on the site. We asked if she could give us a price quote, and she ran the numbers and immediately faxed a quote that was right around the Malibu's invoice price. Not bad considering that we had spent all of about 30 minutes doing research."

Consumer Advice Editor Phil Reed oversaw the purchase of our new Malibu and added this: "The only thing that made the process a little tricky was the availability of incentives. It turned out that an extra $500 incentive was available because of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Some dealerships seemed to be aware of this incentive, while others didn't. The Internet manager at Miracle Mile Chevrolet/Buick didn't immediately volunteer that this incentive was available and correctly applied it to the already discounted price. That, plus the fact that our preferred color and option package was available, made us choose this dealership. The only hiccup was that we had to wait a bit for the documents to be prepared — a small inconvenience that was offset by the friendly service."

So Chevrolet has our attention with regard to dealership experience, price and value. But how does the car stack up against the competition? Our initial impressions are a mixed bag, though most of our editors found the car pleasant to say the least. Many on the staff are somewhat surprised by the smooth ride and the powerful V6. New Vehicle Reviews Editor Jeff Bryan wrote in his notes, "The freeway ride is surprisingly smooth, stable and quiet — this would make a great road trip car."

The Malibu's 3.5-liter V6 is good for 200 horsepower. Not exactly ground-breaking numbers, mind you, but certainly adequate for a low-priced midsize sedan. Road Test Editor Erin Riches had this to say about the Chevrolet power plant: "Good midrange torque from the V6 engine. It still doesn't come close to the V6s from Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota, in terms of performance or refinement, but a strong case can be made for it as an alternative to their four-cylinder offerings, given the Malibu's low price."

Although she liked the engine, Erin found the interior a bit lacking. "The styling of the interior is dowdy. The gauges are plain, the center stack is plain and the materials are all a dull gray color. This is not the way to win the hearts of import buyers." Road Test Editor Brian Moody added, "Yes, the interior is lackluster, but at least it doesn't look like it was designed in the '80s like the cabins of so many other domestic cars and trucks. I actually think Chevrolet's designers made the interior look this way on purpose — it's kinda European with everything being sort of one color. Still, I can see getting tired of all that gray if I was driving this car everyday."

While it's true the interior is nothing special to look at, the quality of the materials is far superior to that of bargain-priced GM products we've driven in the past. The feel of the buttons and switches is solid with only the lack of color cause for the most complaints. Some of the editors found the seats to be less than ideal. Photography Editor Scott Jacobs commented, "The driver seat is a little flat and hard. There isn't much support. On the grand scale of car seats, it's rather mediocre."

Riches agreed, noting, "The cloth-upholstered seats in our LS model are not as comfortable as the leather seats that were in an LT test car we spent a week with in late 2003. The LT's seats were like big easy chairs, but these seats offer less padding and the back cushion actually seems narrower."

On the other hand, the rear seats do offer ample leg-, hip- and headroom and other editors have commented that the seats feel neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. Erin pointed to the wide rear door openings and easy trunk access as positives for the Malibu after transporting a small cabinet home from a furniture store.

As we noted earlier, the Malibu's low price doesn't mean it's lacking in features. The one feature most editors rave about is the XM radio. "XM radio is a great feature to have on a car that's priced well under $25,000," Brian commented, "but what really impressed me was the quality of the Malibu's stereo. The six speakers offer a lot of sound and, unlike some other cars in this price range, excellent bass response. Normal, local radio stations lack the sound quality of XM and it's nice to have an audio system that can add to your appreciation of XM's digital sound." But Erin found the stereo lacking when compared to the Bose systems frequently offered in other GM products. She feels the stereo is "so-so" at best.

Another feature we find interesting is the Malibu's remote start system. We ordered it as part of a preferred equipment group that included a power driver seat, full-length side curtain and front seat-mounted side airbags and carpeted floor mats. That package cost $800. Other than impressing the neighborhood children, the remote start feature is nice for cooling down a hot car that's been sitting in the afternoon sun.

So our initial impressions of the Malibu are mostly favorable, but no one seems to like the interior's monochromatic color scheme, and a few editors even went as far as to call it "boring." Pluses include the fact that the car offers excellent value, a compliant ride and a peppy V6 — just don't expect this midsize Chevy to handle corners like a Nissan Altima. In future months, we'll be looking for the Malibu to exceed our expectations with regard to build quality and reliability, so that we can determine whether its bargain basement price really is a bargain for the average family sedan shopper.

Current Odometer: 3,382
Best Fuel Economy: 32.3 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 21.5 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 24.9 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None

As much as we love cars and trucks, we're not so sheltered to think that every owner regards his vehicle to be a part of the family. While we tend to give our cars names, personalities and plenty of daily attention, many drivers out there consider their car or truck nothing more than just another household appliance. All they ask is that it starts in the morning, runs smooth on the way to work and doesn't cost too much in the process.

Family sedans typically endure such underappreciated use and our long-term Malibu is no exception. There's nothing upscale, exciting or particularly unique about our black four-door LS, but when it comes to getting our editors where they want to go with a minimum of fuss, it has done the job quite well. It's hard for family sedans to stand out given their task of trying to please so many people in so many ways, but over the last six months we've gained a sense of where the Malibu excels and where it has a little room for improvement.

Our biggest surprise so far has been the Malibu's exceptional fuel mileage. Editor in Chief Karl Brauer noted that even though he drove the Malibu with all the vigor of any other car in our test fleet, he still managed to pull down nearly 26 mpg. "For a 3.5-liter V6 with plenty of low-end torque and overall power, this is impressive." He went on to say that the Malibu rarely feels underpowered, "though it can feel less than refined at high rpm compared to the Japanese competition." He summed up his feelings with the following observation: "Look at it this way: My personal Mini Cooper, with a 1.6-liter engine and 115 horsepower — and much less weight to carry around and a CVT — is struggling to get 25 mpg." Enough said.

Similar comments were leveled by Road Test Editor Dan Kahn, who joined some of his fellow editors on a recent road trip in the Malibu. "The Malibu actually surprised me. It's extremely smooth and quiet on the open road, the seats are comfortable and the gearing is perfect for long-distance cruising." As comfortable as the Malibu was on the highway, he was most impressed with the Malibu's efficiency. "The fact that it managed to pull down 30 mpg totally floored me, especially considering that we had four full-size guys in the car with the air conditioning running and the cruise control set at 80 mph."

With gas prices at record highs, the Malibu's tendency to sip fuel made it more attractive than ever, but that didn't mean that we were immune to some of its less impressive traits. Chief among them is the drab interior that seems to look worse the more time we spend in it. With its all-gray color scheme, you have to expect some criticism at some point and several of the editors who spent time behind the wheel remarked on the poor quality of the materials and the dated design. Photo Editor Scott Jacobs stated that although this Malibu is vastly superior to its predecessor, "I still consider it subpar. Again, the Accord blows it out of the water. Not only that, but there are all kinds of gaps and misaligned parts. The best example is the plate under the shifter that displays all gears; it's badly aligned with the center console."

Another editor was a little more adamant when he called the interior "utterly soulless. There's not an ounce of interesting design anywhere in the place. I know it's a family car but couldn't they at least have tried to spruce things up just a little bit?"

Other editors weren't so harsh. Karl lauded the designers for giving the Malibu a serious cupholder. "I can place a large one-liter bottle of water between the seats with full confidence that it isn't going anywhere. And that's with the rubber liner left in the cupholder. Pull the liner out and you could place an even larger container conveniently between the seats. Now that's what every family car needs."

Skimming through our logbook, it's apparent that the Malibu needs more than just an interior upgrade. Numerous comments continue to pour in regarding the Malibu's poor steering feel and jittery road manners. "The steering is definitely overboosted for me," wrote Scott. "It's way too light. I got a shock the first time I reversed it out of a parking garage spot around one of the poles and nearly went into the car next to me. From then on I was far more cautious."

And it's not just that the system tends to deliver far too much boost, either. One editor noticed a distinct pulsing sensation as the system attempted to move between lower and higher amounts of boost. "There seems to be a problem with our car's steering system. It feels like the system is having trouble deciding whether to assist the driver at low speeds. While you're sitting at a traffic light or cruising through a parking lot, the system oscillates between on and off. The result is a noticeable "tugging" on the wheel, and even if you take your hands totally off the wheel you can see it bouncing slightly left and right. I didn't notice this at the beginning of the month, so I think it started recently. It's both unfortunate and annoying, because I generally like the Malibu's driving dynamics."

Dan experienced similar disappointment with the feel of the Malibu. "My only real complaint about the car is the same old gripe that's been mentioned over and over…the electric steering feels oversensitive and twitchy, both on the highway and in the city. Overall I really enjoyed my time in the Malibu, and would consider taking it on a road trip again…if the Toyota Prius isn't already taken."

With the power steering seemingly on the fritz and the engine oil life display down in the single digits, we decided to go ahead and take the Malibu in for its first service. We also had three recalls to address — replacement airbag warning stickers for the sun visors (which we installed ourselves), a reprogram of the ABS computer and installation of a retainer for the front seatbelt connectors. Since our first oil change was gratis, courtesy of Miracle Mile Chevrolet in Los Angeles (the dealer we purchased the car from), we decided to take our Malibu there for its nip and tuck.

While driving home the day before our appointment, our new vehicle reviews editor, Jeff Bryan, felt the final wrath of our Malibu's rapidly dying power steering system. Sitting at a stoplight, a warning chime sounded, a service light illuminated and an ominous power steering warning message flashed on the radio display — the power steering was officially dead. Jeff continued home, muscling the wheel around corners. Once parked, he restarted the car, and the power steering came back to life. It also operated normally on the way to the dealer the next morning.

Once at Miracle Mile Chevrolet, we were greeted promptly and our service advisors, Steve and Robert, were patient and helpful. Surprisingly, we weren't given any sales pitch for unnecessary services. We mentioned the oil change and tire rotation (per the owner's manual), the power steering problems and a slight clunk or rattle noise coming from the brake pedal. We also mentioned a pop/creak noise coming from the A-pillar trim, for which a service bulletin had been issued. The noise in question, which used to be quite frequent when the car was new, hadn't been heard by any of the editors lately — but we thought we'd get it checked out anyway.

Later that day, Steve called to let us know they needed to replace the power steering motor and column assembly, and offered us a rental car to drive until everything was finished. Having to replace such a critical part just six months into our test doesn't exactly instill a lot of confidence in us, but given the complexity of the system and the fact that the Malibu is an all-new car we were inclined to give it a little bit of slack.

Our benevolence waned, however, when it took a solid four days for the dealer to make the repair, much of it spent waiting for the right parts. You would think that getting parts for a brand-new Chevrolet sedan in the biggest car market in the country would be easy — so much for logic. When it was finally time to pick up the Malibu, a porter brought the car around quickly and in clean condition. A swift check of the invoice, however, revealed no mention of the recalls being performed. Unfortunately, the dealer's service computer system doesn't automatically check for open recalls when a car comes in for service — and since we didn't actually mention the recalls, they didn't make the repairs. We'll return the car at a later date to have the recalls done.

The technicians did adjust the brake pedal brackets, but the pedal still makes a slight clunk noise when you take your foot off it. We'll see if it gets any worse before returning for a more thorough fix. The oil change and tire rotation were performed and the technician reset the oil life system for us — a detail many dealers miss. The total bill came to $29.95, the cost of the tire rotation. Overall, our service experience with Miracle Mile Chevrolet left us with few complaints, unperformed recalls notwithstanding.

The service experience somewhat mirrored our overall experience with the Malibu. For the most part, it does the job well, performing up to expectation and even going beyond the call of duty at times. But once in awhile it leaves you scratching your head wondering if Chevrolet really got it right.

Like many GM products, the Malibu's drivetrain leaves little to be desired. It has more than enough power, stays relatively quiet and delivers mileage so good you would think it's a four-cylinder. Its steering woes haven't created the best impression, but we're hoping that after the next fix things will improve. Most other aspects of the car have elicited few complaints and we anticipate smooth sailing from here on out.

Current Odometer: 6,477
Best Fuel Economy: 29.7 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 13.2 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 20.3 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: $29.95
Problems: Power steering system failed; clunking from brake pedal.

The Malibu was in the absent care of Photography Editor Scott Jacobs recently. Scott doesn't have the best reputation with long-term cars due to the lack of attention he gives them; his duties as staff photographer leave him with very little time to spend with his assigned long-term vehicle, as he's often off shooting the latest short-term arrivals in the fleet. However, the upside to this situation is that he typically has an excellent perspective on what's available on the market, with great insight to share on how each vehicle stacks up relative to others in its class.

The Malibu is competing in a highly competitive class of cars. They represent the bread and butter of the manufacturers' financial meal. Scott has driven the majority of the vehicles in this class extensively and found the Malibu falls short on several points. "Don't get me wrong," Scott griped. "I love American cars. I want to see them succeed. But when this is the effort of one of the biggest manufacturers in the world, I expect more." All cars have progressed to the point where they are pretty good, but that raised bar sheds light on the ones that are just squeaking by. In Scott's opinion, the Malibu barely makes the grade.

Scott felt that the Malibu's biggest asset is its great engine. The healthy offering of 200 horsepower in such a compact car makes for excellent highway passing power and red-light gunning. Unfortunately, the steering required to make this car a real blast to drive is lacking. It's overboosted and quite numb-feeling. While driving to Vegas, Road Test Editor Dan Kahn noted that there is a dead spot at top center; furthermore, the wobbly steering makes it feel like the Malibu is being buffeted by strong winds. It doesn't inspire confidence, especially when you consider that this is a family sedan.

Manager of Vehicle Testing Kelly Toepke and her husband got plenty of seat time during a seven-hour journey to Sacramento. While sitting in gridlocked traffic, her husband turned the steering wheel back and forth and noticed that at low speeds the wheel play is annoying. He found the steering wheel gave nearly 30 degrees of movement before detecting movement from the wheels. To other motorists, he probably looked like a little kid pretending to steer by moving the wheel violently left to right and back again, only to find you're still going straight. Steering tightened up as speed increased, but he never sensed a feel for the road.

One of the nice touches that Kelly appreciated was the side mirrors. Each is shaped like a large wedge of cheese; the outermost corner extends a little further than most others, thereby providing excellent sight lines.

They both noted that the brake pedal seems to reach too high above the floorboard. It forces the driver to pull his or her foot high up in order to reach it. While the brakes themselves provided more than adequate stopping power, the muscles in the front of the shin grow weary quickly, especially in stop-and-go traffic. Curiously, the adjustable pedals didn't seem to help the issue much. It took the inquisitive mind of Editor Jeff Bryan about 30 minutes to figure out that the fuse had gone. He jiggled the fuse, and the pedals began to function once again.

During the Toepkes' long drive, they appreciated the smooth ride and the excellent power for accelerating into open freeway lanes. Power comes on quickly and steadily, but the front end tends to get squirrelly, as if the front suspension cannot handle quick accelerations. They also found the transmission to be pretty smooth. The long seat time allowed them to play around with all the bells and whistles. "On the side of the gearshift is a '+/-' button, which wasn't working when I was in drive," commented Kelly. "I realized later that downshifts could only be manually engaged when the shifter is in third gear, or low. I would have liked the feature to be active all the time, regardless of the shift lever position."

Current Odometer: 12,323
Best Fuel Economy: 30.0 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 19.7 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 22.0 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: $1.29 for the fuse.
Problems: None

It's not as though our Chevy Malibu has disappointed anyone during its tenure with the Edmunds.com team. But it simply hasn't made much of an impression; either positive or negative.

The interior is bland but functional. The exterior is bland but not ugly. And the acceleration, braking, stereo, windows, gauge panel and trunk latch are bland but not particularly troublesome in any manner. So what opinion can you have about a car that was designed to inspire a "Ho-hum?"

Consumer Advice Editor Mike Hudson spent the past month driving the Malibu while attempting to sell it for the company. During that time, not only did the company change its mind about selling the car, Mike developed strong feelings for it, too.

Normally, when Mike pulls up in a new car at his house, the neighbors come out to get a look. When the Malibu pulled up, one quipped, "Wow. You must have been employee of the month."

But there's something to be said for a car that asks nothing and takes nothing from you. For those looking for nothing more than a mode of transportation, this is your car. For those who get no thrill from seeing a gleaming metal piece of candy sitting in the driveway, this is your car. And for those with enough excitement in their lives already, you've found the car for you.

It fires up when you need it; it sits in the driveway when you don't. It chimes when it needs gas; you click the automatic starter when you need a ride. The windows go up, the windows go down. XM on, XM off.

The most controversial feature of this car is the over-assisted power steering, which tends to move the wheels at the touch of a finger. But this only stands out because there is nothing else to think about.

In the end, while the Malibu won't be challenging the reign of the Accord or the Camry in the midsize sedan category, it's likely to become a favorite on the rental circuit. It's a quality attempt at the vanilla middle-class sedan. The only major thing separating it from the segment leaders is its much lower residual value. And with time, as people realize the Malibu is as boringly dependable as it looks, that might just change.

Current Odometer: 17,754
Best Fuel Economy: 27.1 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 22.2 mpg
Average Fuel Economy (over the life of the vehicle): 22.8 mpg
Body Repair Costs: None
Maintenance Costs: None
Problems: None