The all-new Malibu made its debut in Detroit earlier this year. The new midsize family sedan shares its underpinnings with the Aura, G6 and 9-3; the Epsilon platform has already proven itself a favourite amongst the media and the public.
Aesthetically speaking, the new Malibu looks great, much more so than the outgoing model, and on the surface, could prove to be real competition for Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. For starters, the 2008 Malibu is three inches (76 mm) longer than the current which coincides with the extra length the Malibu has over the Camry. Onboard, the Malibu's interior presents a huge improvement in materials, fit and finish and layout over the current one. All 2008 Malibu models will come with the 7th Gen OnStar system which features automatic crash notification service and Turn-by-Turn Navigation.
Engines choices will be between the 164 hp 2.4L 4-pot and the persuasive 252 hp 24- valve 3.6L V6. Both will be mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Higher-end models will have paddle shifters offered as an option. Safety features include standard ABS, traction control and 6 air bags. Stability control will be available on LT and LTZ models. On an interesting note, the 2008 Malibu has a longer wheelbase than the current Impala. We can therefore assume that the next Impala will be considerably bigger in 2009.
Expect to see the Malibu in showrooms this fall.
photo:General Motors
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Aesthetically speaking, the new Malibu looks great, much more so than the outgoing model, and on the surface, could prove to be real competition for Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. For starters, the 2008 Malibu is three inches (76 mm) longer than the current which coincides with the extra length the Malibu has over the Camry. Onboard, the Malibu's interior presents a huge improvement in materials, fit and finish and layout over the current one. All 2008 Malibu models will come with the 7th Gen OnStar system which features automatic crash notification service and Turn-by-Turn Navigation.
Engines choices will be between the 164 hp 2.4L 4-pot and the persuasive 252 hp 24- valve 3.6L V6. Both will be mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Higher-end models will have paddle shifters offered as an option. Safety features include standard ABS, traction control and 6 air bags. Stability control will be available on LT and LTZ models. On an interesting note, the 2008 Malibu has a longer wheelbase than the current Impala. We can therefore assume that the next Impala will be considerably bigger in 2009.
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Expect to see the Malibu in showrooms this fall.
photo:General Motors
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