2006 Malibu Maxx SS Road Test

Not exactly a muscle car then, eh? So it must be a bit of a handler then, right?
The SS version is certainly less of an understeerer than run-of-the-mill Malibus, mainly due to the meatier rubber. A five-door hatch with torque

2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS (Photo: John LeBlanc, straight-six.com)

steer would normally have you thinking Saab, not Chevy, but that's what you get with the Maxx SS. When not being asked to steer and drive at the same time, the front wheels actually provide quite a bit of steering feel. Chevy notes that the SS gets a hydraulic steering system instead of the electronic version in non-SS Malibus, and it makes a positive difference. As with Pontiac's G6 GTP, the Malibu Maxx SS's suspension setup feels under control at initial turn in, but then bails on the driver when pushed further. The ride is smooth when the pavement is as well, but like the Pontiac, there's a lot of noise from the suspension over bad pavement giving the sensation that the shocks are done for.

You've mentioned that the Maxx's interior is quite hospitable for those in the back, but what's the driver's cockpit like?

2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS (Photo: John LeBlanc, straight-six.com)

The front seats are a mix of leather and cloth and are fairly supportive. The three-spoke leather steering wheel is chunky with indents at the proper three and nine positions. The driver instrumentation is straightforward and clear. Adjustable pedals are standard, but the wheel only tilts. That said, having spent time in the Maxx SS, I can now cancel that coal mine visit I was planning--man, there's a lot of black, hard-edged plastic in there.

Decision time. How does the Malibu Maxx SS rank with other comparably priced sport wagons?
Granted, the five-door, cute-ute Saturn Vue Redline is not a sports wagon, but it does come with 10 more horsepower from its much smoother,

2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS (Photo: John LeBlanc, straight-six.com)

Honda-made six and is priced $530 less than the Chevy. A Mazda6 Sport GS-V6 has a much more refined cockpit, livelier handling and offers a stick. And all you Chevy dealers can stop reading now, because let's not forget Dodge's forthcoming five-door Caliber SRT-4 sporting 300 h.p. for well under $30k. Priced identically with the more luxury-oriented Malibu Maxx LTZ, the SS is definitely the choice for drivers. In fact, the Maxx SS gets my vote as The General's best mainstream car. Nonetheless, compared outside the GM family, the overall package doesn't excel in any particular area. Whereas historically, the SS badge meant gobs of tire burning rubber, 240 horses in a family car is nothing to get excited about these days, let alone a so-called performance model.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com