Chevy Malibu Maxx, 2005 model

[hjr]

I have not test driven one yet(probably will within the next month, when I am bored), but, it looked at least avg mateirals inside of the thing, and a 5 door hatch, which despite being odd shaped, to me, is better than driving a "Sports"(to me: Station....) Wagon"(and I read on a review by Jed Delicka that this design is better handling than a wafgon? he is on autos.msn.com....auto reviews..think it was he, or Ann Jobs, who said this?).

Anyhow, it is a good car, BUT, to get a car ALMOST as loaded up as an XG350.... but sizeof current Sonata(read, "smaller than Amanti/XG350?")///it is 25K !!!

The Sedan can be had for about 181K....but for a say comparably loaded Malibu maxx( hey, it has 5 doors, VERY useful..Here me Hyundai? lol) vs say Sonata GLS... about 3,500-5,000 dollars difference when you bargain pricing down.

To be "fair", a "bottom line' Sedan, msrp of 19K+ change.
Hmmm, Bottom line V6 Sonata from Hyundai is less than that, correct? (look, I got our 04 sonata gls V6 for barely over 16 grand, dealership had 1,500 off msrp, then there was like another 2,500 off, plus we got a few more dollars off that 21K msrp).

Chevy guy(place was closing when I went there) dude said that for say midlevel Maxx is 23K and change, and dealers invoice is a bit over 20K...sounds liek maybe could get the base sedan for 17,500 orf so)...still, 1,500 difference, and read malibu's reliablity is avg, to poor, No is the answer for me trying one down the road(as a purchase).... now, Maybe if they were HyundaiKia priced, and better warranty.

Hyundai has nothing ot worry about, but probably Malibu will outsell Hyundai Sonata for the next year or two because( from my personal observations):
1) Brand Loyalty(throuhgout a family for generations)
2) Only "big 3" sell new cars in my area..to get aany foreign brand, ya gotta go about 37 miles ot HyundaiKia dealership, and about 40 for Toyota/Scion or Honda.
(people are "lazy" here, I know one dude who NEVERS leaves the county! Dunno why not, but lotta older people like that...the ones over 40 are, anyways. Work, sleep, eat, shop 3 miles away at "big 3" because it is easy).




See ya.

[thejoyof6]

Funny how regional differences are with cars. Here my local hyundai dealer sells chevrolet, subaru, and volvo and hyundai outsells them all, even chevrolet. Of course just like where you live their are people who still consider imports as crap. If only they knew.

The malibu is a great entry into the midsize class but its not as good as the camry or accord but thats good enough cause its leaps and bounds better than the previous generation. The interior materials and headroom are better in the malibu than in the ef sonata. In the sonata you feel like the seats are really high and the door sill is very low...almost like people outside the car can see your legs and hips...very odd feeling that seems to have been improved from the 99-01 models. If i had to choose i would probably take the malibu over the ef sonata just because its a newer design with more features but the malibu's 3.5 pushrod engine has nothing on the delta 2.5/ 2.7.

I find the delta to be one of the smoothest V6's that ive ever sampled. It may be down on power and MPG but it is a refined unit.

[hjr]

yeah, I read it was quiet ride.
I am hoping to go for a test drive soon, I read decent things about it.

Maybe after alla this snow/rain nonsense goes away a day or two, and roads are dry for a change..... I will seriously go for a drive.

My big gripe is msrp. This may sound silly, but for us, we have a hard time paying out over 19K for a vehcile(unless we hit the lottery).

I am hoping the new Sonata comes out in March, so i can see it in early April at the local autoshow(supposedly, 237+HP, 3.3 litver VVT V6, and 25% bettter MPG?)
I am also interested in the new Rio coming out(uh-oh, forgot, not supposed to talk HyundaiKia here on Lounge! ).

Honda may have a 10-12K car out next year...and Nissan also... may have to at least check out the Honda.

Too bad ya can't just go somewhere, drive the car(alone) for 20-30 minutes, return the keys, and go home.
(that is car test driver job).

[hjr]

went to a local chevy dealership and tes dorve the "base"model(w/ automatic)...4 cylinder*think 170HP 2.2 liter, kinda like cobalt.

Likes:
Handling was good, IMHO...not a sports car, but handled liek a say large compact, to me.

Not bad design... clean looking, not 1000 differnet angles, or "egg-shpaqed' like the old Geo Storm, for examples.
Color was great(green that was not garrish).
Adjustable pedals are a decent concept. I can do w/o them though.

Stereo would have 4-5 setting(Jazz, Country, Rock, pop, and one other) and would "hunt" your favorite typ of music, or news(would hunt for Talk Radio, or rock,etc).
Back part of drivers seat comfortable(held you in liek a smaller sporty car...may have been an inch too narrow, but it felt good on the back).

Dislikes:
Not a big negative, but the plastics are below HyundaiKia(not the "soft touch" paint/feel of HyundaiKia's plastics).
Stereo: Double -edged sword here; great for finding setting, etc(as mentioned above), BUT, sound reproduction is "ok"(the Suzuki Reno had as good of stereo sound).
Some sound from trunk area(as if not enough sound deadnening material) on some surfaces(even mainly smooth secondary roads. Not enough to disqualify it from my list, though).
NO DEAD PEDAL for left foot! AHHH>what is that all about?
No 8 way way seat adjustment.
(that helps a lot for us short people, lifts ya up 1-2 inches to see better out of the vehicle).

final saying on this vehicle:
for 20K, NO, I would not consider it.
they have a sale, 3,500 -4000 off msrp(he said I'd pay around 16K, before taxes).
At THIS PRICE, I might consider one.

IF they say add the 8 way seat deal, and a slightly better stereo(I may be able to "get over" the no left foot/dead pedal thing), and had another sale for this at say even 17K, yeah...I would consider it.

The 4, btw, is just fine. No problems with it.
Overall, a decent car.


The Sedan is the bargain. thye had it on sale, but, not the Coablt, and it was 18,000+, versus 16K for Sedan/Base Malibu.

If I had ot buy a "American" car, it'd be this one.

Maybe if Chery*chinese cars, get here in 07, Chevy might also put V6's from their Shanghai() affilitaiion into the Malibu then, and keep pricing low?
They put a chinese engine in the Equinox....
Why not the Malibu? It is currently from Mexico(the engine).