So, enough on traction control, what about the rest of the car? I mentioned that the Maxx handles quite well, at least better than
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| The 5-door Malibu handles better than the 4-door sedan version that I previously tested. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
the 4-door sedan version that I previously tested. I'd go so far to say that my test model handled near the top of its class, but don't get too excited as that would put it among Toyota Camry's and Honda's much softer Accord. At the bottom end of the handling scale are the Koreans, and the Maxx far exceeds these. It only makes sense that it should though, as its Epsilon architecture also underpins the sensational Saab 9-3. While the Maxx isn't as nimble as its Swedish cousin, I still enjoyed taking on the twisting stretches of roadway between my house and just about everywhere else. The domestic car offers a pretty compliant ride too, due partly to a fully isolated powertrain cradle with tuned bushings, a feature usually found only on upscale cars like the Saab. The Malibu suspension is made up of fully independent MacPherson struts up front and a 4-link setup in the rear. NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels have been reduced further via a cast foam-rubber barrier covering the dash panel, a modular noise dampening plate inside the same panel, a compression-molded fiberglass-composite hood and insulator, and back and front "glove-fit" carpet modules. Pretty impressive stuff Chevy! What impressed me even more was the car's functionality. I like the way the rear seats can slide back and forward, a total of 178 mm (7.0 in) incidentally, either increasing legroom or cargo capacity depending on what was needed at the time. The rear seatbacks are split, of course, 60/40 in this case, but in order to allow passengers to add legroom separately, the seat cushions are split too. The seatbacks recline as well, ideal for tall passengers who
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| The overall functionality of the Malibu Maxx was impressive, providing ample cargo and passenger room. (Photo: Shawn Pisio, Canadian Auto Press) |
might otherwise have to put up with their hair brushing the headliner. Altogether the Maxx offers 3,002 liters (106 cubic feet) of passenger volume; that's a lot by the way. Cargo volume is also impressive, at 646 liters (22.8 cubic feet), which is about forty percent larger than most midsize sedan trunks. The solid cargo shelf offers multilevel positioning to allow a variety of loading configurations, while as I mentioned previously, the front passenger seatback folds forward to create a flat loading surface. This will accept long, awkward cargo of up to 2,743 mm (9.0 feet) - try that in a Camry or Accord. Chevy has thoughtfully included a 12-volt rear power outlet, which can turn the rear shelf into the ideal camp cookout area, somewhat sheltered by the tall liftback.
