The Malibu in the wild

With the 2008  Chevy Malibu now making its way into the hands of the automotive press,the overall impression seems to be that the car has made a dramatic leap forward in quality and execution while still remaining one of the better values in the crowded and competitive  family sedan market.

As before, this puts the bottom line of the Malibu a couple of thousand under the competition, yet the surprise is that the Malibu no longer feels a couple of thousand less good than its rivals. As it stands, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu deserves a place alongside the class leaders on the shopping list for mainstream sedans. And real greatness is within reach if Chevy puts just a few dollars more into refining one or two specific areas, like the steering.
We'll know the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is a hit when it starts to be a common sight in, er, Malibu.

While the Chevy  matches its competitors in overall refinement and features,it leaps ahead in design and takes a comfortable middle of the road stance on ride and handling. Chevy seems to have found an ideal balance of virtues with its latest Malibu and this is no longer a formula that's exclusive to Honda and Toyota.

Joe