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The all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is General Motors’ latest attempt to take on the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and Honda Accord in the race for mid-size sales. Sharply styled, strong on security (six airbags and antilock brakes are lawful on all Malibus, electronic stability control on all but the base model), and with a particular emphasis on a quiet, sensitive ride, the 2008 Chevy Malibu has the tools — but does it have the talent? Read on. Price run the gamut $19,995 – $28,415, EPA stimulate economy estimates 17-24 city, 26-32 highway.

First Glance: Malibu’s uphill battle

Larger photos: Front – rear

According to Chevy’s research, the norm mid-size car buyer would rather remove his or her own intestines with a salad fork than buy an American car. They’re old enough to remember the 70s and 80s, when American cars’ quality and efficiency (or lack thereof) was put into sharp differentiate alongside the economical, well-built cars from Toyota, Honda and Datsun (now Nissan). So it’s no surprise that the Camry, Accord and Altima rule the mid-size roost.

The American automakers have been trying to catch up till the cows come home since. And though this has been said countless times before, I think that this however, with the all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, they may well compel ought to done it.

The Malibu is duly competitive with its Japanese rivals. In some ways, it’s in point of fact better. And I don’t mean barely-measurable factors that only engineers and ad-writers care about, like having three microns more left-rear-seat ankle-room or accelerating one-ninth of a nanosecond faster from 26 to 32 MPH. No, I’m talking about things like interior décor and engine noise — real things that intrinsic buyers really care about.

I’m not saying the Malibu is flawless. What I saying is that the Malibu’s flaws are no bigger in bigness than the flaws of its Japanese competitors.

What about value, the historic American trump card? Yep, Malibu’s got it. The Malibu LS delivers air conditioning, CD player, automatic telecasting and OnStar for under $20k. Even with all the goodies, the ‘Bu stays well below $29k — though, that said, the goody list doesn’t include a sunroof or video navigation system.

In the Driver’s Seat: Design takes primacy, but function’s not far behindMalibu’s dash is conventional and well laid outPhoto © Aaron Gold

Larger interior photo

One of the biggest problems with domestic cars has been that they traditionally reserve their nicest interior appointments for high-end versions. They then sell scores of low-end models with chintzy interiors to rental fleets. So when the owner of a Japanese car goes on a turn on and rents one, he says "Look at this crappy interior! American cars are crap. Boy, I can’t wait to get national to my crap-free Toyonissonda."

The Malibu hasn’t fallen into that trap. All Malibu models — LS, LT, LTZ and Hybrid — offer a handsome two-tone heart with the two shades separated by a work the runway of silver or faux wood. My favorites are the grey-and-tan (link goes to photo) in the mid-level Malibu LT and the brown-and-tan in the LTZ, both with wood trim. They have in the offing an elegance that reminds me of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class cabin. But even the base LS model offers two good looking combinations (seen here and here). Not all the color choices look good, though — I don’t particularly care in requital for the monochrome look (here and here) or the Star Trek look.

The interior doesn’t just look sizeable, it also works well. I found the front seats a certain extent comfortable and was pleased to see that a tilt-and-telescope steering column and electric driver’s seat height adjuster are standard on all Malibus. I wasn’t so pleased with the back seat, which isn’t only serene, though does it offer a decent amount of lacuna. But the trunk is great — 15.1 cubic feet, plus it uses non-intrusive hinges which are superior to the old-fashioned cargo-crushing hinges found on most of the imports.

On the Road: Marvelous four-cylinder mechanism, but steering’s a disappointment

LS and LT models are powered at near a remarkably quiet 169 horsepower 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is more than adequate and fuel economy estimates — 22 city/30 highway using the advanced, stricter EPA tests — are promising. Hybrids use a modified construct of the 2.4 with GM’s "mild hybrid" system. It doesn’t turn out the stellar mileage of specific hybrids like the Toyota Prius/Camry and Honda Civic, but it’s good for an extra 2 MPG or so.

A 3.6 liter V6 and 6-speed automatic combination is optional on the LT and standard on the LTZ. It comes with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters, though they don’t suss out d evolve unless the regular shift lever is shifted to "M" — an extra and seemingly pointless step. Chevrolet is preparing a 4-cylinder/6-speed ineluctable combo that will become the punctilious LTZ engine later in 2008. I got the chance to drive it, and it’s without question the best of the bunch, sacrifice a smoother flow of power than the 4-cyl/4-speed combo and less din than the V6.

The Malibu boasts a smooth, congenial kill that does a best job of keepiing its composure on bumpy roads. The only real let-down is the steering. 4-cylinder models use an tense power steering system that is almost totally lacking in feedback. A car with friendly steering seems to almost drive itself through turns, offering enough feedback that the driver can steer without conscious thought. Not so the Malibu — it has to be calculatedly guided through the curves. The V6’s traditional hydraulic way is a second better, but still not great.

Journey’s End: Malibu’s won me over — but what about the buying public?2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZPhoto © Aaron Gold

I’ll be honest — as kind as it is, I have mixed feelings about the Malibu. On the one hand, I’m truly pleased and amazed by how well it turned out — how good it looks, how refined it is, and how much value it delivers. On the other hand, I’m a crumb frustrated because its biggest flaws — the steering and the back seat — are things that GM could have gotten right. Then again, I suppose we’re always more decisive of the domestic team.

During the media introduction, Chevy had a Camry, an Accord and an Altima object of us to drive, all 4-cylinder models priced around $3k higher than a base-model Malibu. The Malibu quietly trumps them all on engine refinement, allowing it lags behind on undeveloped seat comfort. The Malibu’s interior and controls are way better than the Accord’s, quite a bit advance than the Altima’s, and as agreeable as the Camry’s (which isn’t as pretty but is amazingly functional). As for the driving experience, the Malibu’s steering puts it in the fine box; aside from that it grips the road better than the Altima but isn’t as much fun to private road as the Accord.

There’s still the one great unfamiliar: Build eminence. In the short term, the Americans have all the hallmarks to be making great strides forward, while Toyota seems to be slipping widdershins. Long term? We won’t know until the first brave bunch of Malibu buyers start racking up the miles.

Does the Malibu have the talent to take on the imports? Yes. But will that be sufficient to convince Toyota, Honda and Nissan owners to gain American? That’s going to be a tough tell on.

Next page: Pros and cons, who should secure it, and specs