Models Available
Malibu is one of those cars that seem to fly just below the radar. Chevrolet keeps improving on the Malibu, even adding a hybrid option. Even without the big dollar ad campaigns, Malibu continues to sell well. In these turbulent times, Malibu may well be one of the "bread and butter" cars for Chevrolet as consumers look for the three "R"s of new car buying; Reasonable size, Reasonable purchase cost and Reasonable operating costs (low maintenance and good fuel economy).
One facet of the Malibu order is flexibility. You can order your Malibu according to trim levels and there are four of them. The first two (LS and 1LT) come with a four cylinder and a four-speed automatic as the standard power train. Interiors are a bit Spartan, but you can go to the individual option list and add a few items to make your Malibu feel anything but "basic". As an added incentive to step up to the 1LT, you can order an optional six-speed automatic instead of the four-speed auto.
If you take the not so giant step up to the 2LT, the six-speed automatic is the standard transmission and the standard engine changes to a 3.6 litre V-6 with variable valve timing. Interior upgrades continue in this five-passenger mid-sized Chevrolet. The 2LT also steps up to a seating material called UltraLux Suede and heated front seats become standard. In addition, the driver's seat gets a six-way power adjuster and a series of conveniences such as upgraded stereo, dual exhaust and a performance package that includes Chevrolet's "Tap Shift" manu-matic shift system.
At the top of the list is the LTZ which is both the luxury version and the performance version. Only Americans seem to have trouble figuring this out, so think of it this way. The LTZ combines a well controlled (not stiff or harsh) suspension with acceptable performance in a package that is comfortable to be in for short hops or long trips.
Model Tested
My test unit was the 2LT and I didn't miss the LTZ version. I enjoyed driving it, but I didn't miss it. The 2LT did everything I needed out of a car including having fun. I found that I could make the car work a bit harder than average and get some pretty impressive cornering out of it. There was a bit of body roll and a noticeable increase in G-force so this was something I did on my own.
Malibu is one of those cars that seem to fly just below the radar. Chevrolet keeps improving on the Malibu, even adding a hybrid option. Even without the big dollar ad campaigns, Malibu continues to sell well. In these turbulent times, Malibu may well be one of the "bread and butter" cars for Chevrolet as consumers look for the three "R"s of new car buying; Reasonable size, Reasonable purchase cost and Reasonable operating costs (low maintenance and good fuel economy).
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| The 2LT did everything I needed out of a car including having fun. |
One facet of the Malibu order is flexibility. You can order your Malibu according to trim levels and there are four of them. The first two (LS and 1LT) come with a four cylinder and a four-speed automatic as the standard power train. Interiors are a bit Spartan, but you can go to the individual option list and add a few items to make your Malibu feel anything but "basic". As an added incentive to step up to the 1LT, you can order an optional six-speed automatic instead of the four-speed auto.
If you take the not so giant step up to the 2LT, the six-speed automatic is the standard transmission and the standard engine changes to a 3.6 litre V-6 with variable valve timing. Interior upgrades continue in this five-passenger mid-sized Chevrolet. The 2LT also steps up to a seating material called UltraLux Suede and heated front seats become standard. In addition, the driver's seat gets a six-way power adjuster and a series of conveniences such as upgraded stereo, dual exhaust and a performance package that includes Chevrolet's "Tap Shift" manu-matic shift system.
At the top of the list is the LTZ which is both the luxury version and the performance version. Only Americans seem to have trouble figuring this out, so think of it this way. The LTZ combines a well controlled (not stiff or harsh) suspension with acceptable performance in a package that is comfortable to be in for short hops or long trips.
Model Tested
My test unit was the 2LT and I didn't miss the LTZ version. I enjoyed driving it, but I didn't miss it. The 2LT did everything I needed out of a car including having fun. I found that I could make the car work a bit harder than average and get some pretty impressive cornering out of it. There was a bit of body roll and a noticeable increase in G-force so this was something I did on my own.
 |
| The 2LT version comes with a 3.6 litre V-6 engine and the variable valve timing. |