Watch Out Toyota!

Chevrolet and the rest of American automakers have been constantly trying to compete with the well designed Japanese family sedan models. For many years they have been trying to create a bonafide competitor to the Accord, Camry, and Altima. Finally there is a American "knight in shining armor," and this is the Chevrolet Malibu. Chevy has got this one right, and many other car companies will probably try to follow suit in this important part of the market.

The Malibu comes in three variations: Sedan, LS, and LT. These are in the order from base model to the ultra premium, and my experience is with the LS. I have driven it in all road and weather conditions, and it is a confident performer. The LS retails for $22,000 without a lot of the options such as sunroof/leather package, etc. This is what it comes with: 3.5 liter 200 horsepower 6 cylinder engine, four wheel disc ABS braking system with traction control, cloth seats, power adjustable pedals, remote keyless entry, AM/FM CD stereo with 6 speakers, 4 speed automatic transmission, A/C, cruise control, cargo trunk nets, airbags(front), daytime running lamps, power windows, power mirrors, power locks, 205/60/15 touring tires, and a rear defroster.

I love the power in the vehicle, and it can more than keep up with the majority of vehicles on the road. The old Malibu's engine was boring, and lacked life of any kind. This engine lets you know you have 200 horses ready to do your bidding as you lay down the acclerator. The accleration is fast and furious compared to most sedans of this type, and it will almost throw you back in your seat at full speed. The engine has a nice muffled roar that balances sophistication and power, and the shifting is absolutely smooth. It goes from 1-4 gears without any problems, and the cabin noise is kept to a minumum. This is probably mostly do to how well the Malibu is built, and Chevy did not allow any cheap plastic parts to be incorporated in the design. The power windows and mirrors work with ease, and there is no difficult adjustments to be made like in some other vehicles. All of the knobs/buttons are of big enough size to make ease of use right, and the seats are extremely comfortable. I feel that these seats could be slept in, as they have the perfect level of firmness and support. Legroom is excellent, for all people in the front and rear. There is plenty of room for a family of four adults, or 4 teens/adults and a small child.

The steering is excellent, and has the refinement of European/Asian sedans. The electronically powered steering column allows for easy manuevering throughout tough city conditions, and in making parallel parking a breeze. There are no blind spot issues, and overall visbility is outstanding. Braking is very good, as the ABS system and traction control system does extraordinarily well in wet pavement conditions. I cannot overstate this-the Malibu allows you to drive confidently as its road manners are perfect.

I also like the console controls, and the stereo system rocks. This is an excellent AM/FM CD player stereo, and much better than a lot of ordinary base models. It has seek-scan controls, along with auto-tone and volume control as well. There is a easy to read digital clock on there, with an outside temperature display that is very accurate. I like how the controls are all within drivers reach, so there's no fumbling around while on the road. My only complaint is the heating and AC system is a bit weak. It takes a while to heat or cool this car. The air seems to come out at a not very strong level, even at full volume setting. Other than that, Chevy has a winner here that is fully up to the levels of the Asian cars that the Malibu is competing with. I really like it, and if Chevy continues to make cars with this high quality control, they should be able to continue their legacy in the automarket.