And so, the results are as follows:
5- 2013 Chevrolet Malibu (71.48%)
We searched back nearly two years to the first time we laid eyes on the first official pictures of the new Chevrolet Malibu, and are wondering what happened.
The images promised a dynamic, youthful car that was to shed the old-man rental-mobile persona of the previous generation but by and large, it hasn't. From head-on, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is intriguing, but the rear is reminiscent of a bespectacled Boston terrier. Sadly, the finished product was not appreciated by any of our testers, even those north of 60 years of age... Thankfully, its profile is attractive, but that's about it.
The cabin is a mixed bag of equal parts good and bad. GM's MyLink provided all the techie interface we could have desired. We did take issue with the number of controls below the large hide-away screen, and were especially displeased with the steering wheel: We seriously think that GM should return to the drawing board on this point.
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu's dashboard itself is large and bulky, and not especially attractive even though it is meant as a style throwback from a bygone era. The seats could also use a modern touch as they are oversized and provide insufficient support.
It is important to note that GMÂ is currently hard at work on a revised-for-2014 Malibu which we suspect will address the majority of these issues.
As this 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is ECO trimmed, the trunk holds a 120-Volt Lithium-Ion eAssist battery pack which takes up a good portion of its useable space. We performed the stroller test with all of the cars and as you can see, once in, the 4moms Origami stroller takes up what is left. The regular Malibu does not have this issue.
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu ECO uses a direct injection 2.4L ECOTEC I-4 that produces 182 hp. A belt-driven induction motor/generator unit and lithium-ion battery system contributes 15 hp. To it is mated a 6-speed autobox, and together they do an appreciable job. The powertrain is very smooth and provides more than adequate power.
Overall, we liked the Malibu's calm nature and comfortable ride, that is until speeds picked up later in the day and roads were cleared. The sometimes overly soft ride had us reaching for the keys to any other car when swap time came. As well, none were keen on the spongy brake pedal feel with delayed braking performance.
What happened here is simple, in fact. The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is a good car on its own, but when carefully measured against its most direct competitors it falls short. It reminds us of the 2008 Malibu which impressed us tremendously until the back-to-back comparo test...
5- 2013 Chevrolet Malibu (71.48%)
We searched back nearly two years to the first time we laid eyes on the first official pictures of the new Chevrolet Malibu, and are wondering what happened.
 |
| Thankfully, its profile is attractive, but that's about it. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour) |
The images promised a dynamic, youthful car that was to shed the old-man rental-mobile persona of the previous generation but by and large, it hasn't. From head-on, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is intriguing, but the rear is reminiscent of a bespectacled Boston terrier. Sadly, the finished product was not appreciated by any of our testers, even those north of 60 years of age... Thankfully, its profile is attractive, but that's about it.
The cabin is a mixed bag of equal parts good and bad. GM's MyLink provided all the techie interface we could have desired. We did take issue with the number of controls below the large hide-away screen, and were especially displeased with the steering wheel: We seriously think that GM should return to the drawing board on this point.
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu's dashboard itself is large and bulky, and not especially attractive even though it is meant as a style throwback from a bygone era. The seats could also use a modern touch as they are oversized and provide insufficient support.
It is important to note that GMÂ is currently hard at work on a revised-for-2014 Malibu which we suspect will address the majority of these issues.
As this 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is ECO trimmed, the trunk holds a 120-Volt Lithium-Ion eAssist battery pack which takes up a good portion of its useable space. We performed the stroller test with all of the cars and as you can see, once in, the 4moms Origami stroller takes up what is left. The regular Malibu does not have this issue.
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu ECO uses a direct injection 2.4L ECOTEC I-4 that produces 182 hp. A belt-driven induction motor/generator unit and lithium-ion battery system contributes 15 hp. To it is mated a 6-speed autobox, and together they do an appreciable job. The powertrain is very smooth and provides more than adequate power.
Overall, we liked the Malibu's calm nature and comfortable ride, that is until speeds picked up later in the day and roads were cleared. The sometimes overly soft ride had us reaching for the keys to any other car when swap time came. As well, none were keen on the spongy brake pedal feel with delayed braking performance.
What happened here is simple, in fact. The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu is a good car on its own, but when carefully measured against its most direct competitors it falls short. It reminds us of the 2008 Malibu which impressed us tremendously until the back-to-back comparo test...
 |
| The cabin is a mixed bag of equal parts good and bad. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour) |