Lots of Surprises from This Bowtie I have to come clean in saying I really didn't like the Malibu sedan a heck of a lot when I last tested it. Like many, I can quickly be turned off, or for that matter turned on by a car's styling, and the Malibu's pudgy truck-like front end, swoopy fender accent lines and bulky butt end left me flat. Its interior is also a little too "plasticky" for me, while I didn't find its handling as exciting as those European-style TV ads make it appear.
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| Why do I like the new 5-door Chevy Malibu Maxx when I didn't like the sedan? (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
So why did the new 5-door Maxx seem to work so much better for me? I'm not really sure. Maybe the hatchback cum sport wagon configuration fits its truck-like styling more coherently? Maybe it was because the interior was swathed in extremely nice perforated gray leather, or perhaps that back seat passengers get their own limousine-like glass sunroof? GM calls this fixed unit a skylight. Whatever, it includes a sunshade to block rays when the sun is at its peak, important for infants and toddlers especially. The driving experience was most likely helped along by the optional 17-inch 5-spoke wheel and performance tire upgrade, along with the sport tuned suspension. Yeah, probably all of the above added to the equation, making my week with Chevy's highly functional new Malibu Maxx especially enjoyable.
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| The hatchback cum sport wagon configuration fits the Malibu's truck-like styling more coherently. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
It still features an interior design that doesn't do a heck of a lot for me, covered in plastics that aren't up to my fastidious tolerances - remember that I'm a snob weaned on imports. But the added flexibility and European flair of the liftback, combined with front passenger and split rear bench seats that fold completely flat for loading in long, otherwise awkward items, made the new Chevy an easy car to live with. And I use my test cars for regular life activities, loading them up with up to three kids and two child seats, hardware store goodies, massive wholesale supermarket "shopathons" of groceries and impromptu jaunts to Ikea to pick up absolutely necessary what-have-you-on-sale-items.
