When Chevrolet replaced its Corsica with the first front-wheel drive Malibu back in 1997, the one with the chrome wave circling

In the four-door midsize class, the Malibu is one great looking car. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

around the Chevy bowtie emblem, it looked like a Japanese import, drove like a Japanese import, was reliable like a Japanese import and was lauded by the automotive press and owners alike, just like most Japanese imports were at the time. The combination resulted in great long-term success. So good was the Malibu that GM actually kept the same name moving forward to the next-generation Epsilon-based Malibu introduced in 2004, a car that was better than the outgoing Malibu in every way except, depending on your personal taste, styling, and extended the nameplate offering to include a sporty liftback version dubbed Malibu MAXX. GM dropped the MAXX but continued with the four-door’s Malibu moniker into its third consecutive iteration when the current model was introduced in 2008, again to much praise by the automotive press, including yours truly.

I drove the latest 2010

Clean, uncluttered lines are classic Chevrolet. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Malibu recently and once again was reminded of how good this car really is. Not only is it attractive from every angle, especially when placed beside top-sellers in the midsize sedan segment, but its interior quality is better than most from Japan, standard features list is longer, performance at least equal to and highway fuel economy best in class!

Chevy boasts an estimated 5.9 L/100km on the highway when the Malibu is fitted with its 2.4-litre, DOHC, 16-valve four-cylinder and six-speed automatic. That’s how my LTZ-trimmed tester came. Base models come only with a four-speed autobox, however, but it only pushes highway mileage up to 6.5 L/100km, which incidentally matches the Accord’s highway fuel economy rating exactly and bests Ford’s Fusion.

Six-speed auto helps the base four perform well, and benefits fuel economy. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Its city rating is good too, at 9.4 L/100km with the six-speed box and 9.5 with the base transmission, and that’s with an engine that needs no coaxing to get off the line, with 169 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 158 lb-ft of torque available at 5,200 rpm.

Certainly the 3.6-litre, DOHC, 24-valve V6, with its 252 horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque is better at motivating the so-equipped Malibu’s 1,655-kilos (3,649-lb) mass, but the slightly lighter 1,550-kilogram (3,417-lb) four-cylinder LTZ model I was driving moved along without complaint, and doesn’t slurp up 12.2 L/100km in the city and 7.8 on the highway; good numbers when compared to other V6-powered midsize sedans,

Two-tone effect joins high quality appointments to elevate the Malibu above most competitors. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

but not compared to the Malibu’s thrifty four. No, saving money at the pump became a big selling point when fuel prices went wayward a couple of years back and memories of these trying times are still fresh for many, making Malibu’s regular unleaded fuel requirements another bonus to consider.

Fuel economy in mind, some might think it’s strange that Chevy dropped its Malibu Hybrid for 2010, but the economy of its conventional 2.4 without electric boost is good enough for most without the added initial cost and long-term complexity of a hybrid system. Instead, GM has made its 2.4-litre E85 compatible, which is good in the US where it sells most of its Malibus, but here in Canada, unless you

Seats look and feel great! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

live near our three Ontario-based E85 refueling stations or travel to the US a lot, you’re out of luck. Other than the addition of E85 flexibility, Chevy only modified the 2010 Malibu by adding standard power-adjustable driver's lumbar support, replacing manual lumbar across the line, and made 17-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels standard on the Malibu 2LT. Additionally, three colours were discontinued, Dark Grey Metallic, Golden Pewter Metallic and Silver Moss Metallic, while Chevy added Mocha Steel Metallic, Taupe Grey Metallic and White Diamond Tricoat, the latter being the colour of my test car.

Now that we’re talking features, the $23,995

Nice detailing for an upscale premium-like look and feel. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

base LS is well equipped with air conditioning, a tilt and telescopic steering column, power windows with driver's auto-down, powered locks with keyless entry, power mirrors, a powered driver's seat height adjuster, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks, automatic headlamps, cruise control, variable intermittent speed-sensitive wipers, a driver information centre, OnStar with Turn-by-Turn Navigation, and a six-speaker CD/MP3 audio system with auxiliary input.

The $25,795 1LT replaces the base model’s 17-inch painted steel wheels with 17-inch chrome-finished wheels, both encircled by 215/55R17 all-season tires, plus chrome-tipped exhaust, body-colour mirrors, as well as steering wheel-mounted audio controls connecting through to an upgraded stereo with speed-compensated volume control.

Bump your Malibu

Tap-shift lever above each steering wheel spoke allow for convenient control of shifting duties. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

up to 2LT, or Platinum Edition specs at $27,760, and you’ll get the 17-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels mentioned earlier, as well as UltraLux Sheer Suede upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated seats with six-way power driver's adjustment, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with integrated compass, a garage door opener, a remote starter, plus dual rear reading lamps.

My $32,750 LTZ included 18-inch bright aluminum wheels wrapped in 225/50R18 all-season tires, heated leather seats with eight-way driver and six-way passenger power adjustment, automatic climate control, a six-CD/MP3 audio upgrade with and XM satellite radio, a premium gauge cluster, heated mirrors with driver's side auto-dimming, fog lamps and LED taillights premium floor mats, plus a trunk mat and cargo net.

That trunk

The Malibu is extremely roomy in back! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

holds an impressive 427 litres (15.1 cubic feet) of cargo via a wide opening lid, mirroring the Malibu’s extremely roomy interior. The Malibu isn’t only accommodating in size, mind you, it’s also thoroughly impressive in design and quality. There are more soft-touch plastics than any rival, except maybe Volkswagen’s higher-priced Passat, and switchgear is ergonomically organized, while looking and feeling upscale. The two-tone interior in my LTZ is an exquisite mixture of chocolate brown and beige, tastefully applied and highlighted by faux wood grain that actually looks fairly authentic.

If you’re hankering for a V6, you’ll need to order your Malibu in LTZ trim and with the Performance Package, $2,405 over the price of the four-cylinder LTZ. Additionally,

Rear 60/40 split-folding seatback adds a lot of storage space when needed. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

a Protection Package can be had a $300 and includes front and rear moulded splashguards plus all-weather floor mats. The splashguards can be had on their own for $185, as can a block heater at $75, a tire pressure monitor at $65, rear window sunshade at $130, as well as a power tilt and tip sliding glass sunroof with sunshade for $1,195. Lastly the $230 Convenience Package adds a cargo net and organizer tray. Add it all up and you’ll be into the Malibu LTZ V6 for $37,720 plus $1,350 freight and pre-delivery inspection. All of the same options without the V6 is a very reasonable $35,390.

The ride is firmer than you might have guessed, the days of squishy Chevy sedans long gone. Yet still the Malibu, even with the larger 18-inch rims, remains comfortable while

The trunk is large and accommodating. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

tracking confidently over rougher back roads even when pushed hard. Yes, the chassis is very well sorted, with positive response and even decent feedback when charging through the corners, enhanced by the transmission’s thumb-controlled TAP-Shift “paddles.” Braking is strong too, although repeated aggressive application during high-speed romps on steeper grades will induce some fade; very normal in this class. Still, don’t be afraid to let it loose once in awhile, as the Malibu has a penchant for dancing and deserves to be taken for a twirl once in a while.

Most will appreciate the Malibu for its overall practical serviceability however, and to that end it’s

Chevy adds a lot of convenient extras, like a household-style 3-prong plug that's much more useful than competitors' two-prong plugs. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

an excellent family mother ship, ideal for transporting everyone in quick, quiet comfort, not to mention safety. Replete with all the usual standard airbags up front, plus thorax and curtain-types down each side, as well as standard four-wheel discs with anti-lock, plus traction and stability control to make sure those airbags are less likely to ever be needed, the Malibu will protect your family well. Any non-MVI issues and GM’s excellent five-year or 160,000 km powertrain warranty is there to keep you moving; it’s three-year or 60,000 km comprehensive warranty is average for the segment.

Yet, as you can surmise from my review, the Malibu is anything but average. It’s a car that deserves your attention despite not being the newest kid on the block.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(B86) Body Side Moulding

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(K05) Engine Block Heater

(58U) Black Granite Metallic

(UJM) Tire Pressure Monitor

(UPF) Bluetooth

(KT1) Tire Inflation Kit