2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx LT 3.5L OHV V6

Summary:

A spacious sporty hatchback

Faults:

Nothing at all. Quality has been excellent.

General Comments:

I love this car, I got the fully loaded version. It has leather seats, automatic climate control, rear audio, sunroof front and back and a DVD player.

I like its versatility, the rear seats slide forward or back and recline for comfort. Also, the trunk is very versatile and makes hauling items much easier.

The 200 HP OHV V6 has lots of get up and go and gets wonderful fuel economy, which I monitor while driving as it has a trip computer integrated into the radio.

I would recommend this car to people who need the versatility of an SUV or Van, but with the handling of a sport sedan. I also like how it shares the same platform as the Opel Vectra, but is a bit bigger to make passengers more comfy.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th June, 2004

30th Jan 2005, 00:29

Hi there. Wondering about the Maxx's build quality being the first model in this series. Is there wind noise when driving on the highway? How does it handle in the turns? Have you noticed any "little things" that might become concerns later on? I really think Chevrolet has created a sporty family wagon that can compete with the imports, but not sure I have the courage to be a buyer in its first year out. Additional details are appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

RTK

2004 Chevrolet Malibu LS 200HP 3.5 V6

Summary:

A pleasure to drive

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong to date...

General Comments:

I've had the car for a little over 2 months now. To date it's been nothing, but perfect!

The car handles like a dream. It takes curves beautifully and feels solid when you drive. The ride is pretty smooth considering the car. It's no Cadillac, but it is much better than previous model years.

Fuel efficiency is very nice. For my daily commute I average around 24mpg, but when I got it out on the highway for it's first road trip it was doing 32+mpg. At one point it was actually doing 38mpg. That's pretty darn impressive considering it's a V6 and I was driving 85mph the whole trip!

The interior is a bit plain, but well laid out. Controls are very intuitive and I've managed to learn everything without reading the manual. Materials are all very high quality and look nice. The sound system is great. Only two real complaint: 1) The seats are a bit to hard for my liking 2) No tape player.

A word of advice. Skip the base model and go for the LS. Not only are there a few extra features that make the car feel more upscale, but the main reason is to get the V6. The new styling of the GM epsilon platform scream sporty mid-size so make sure you have the power plant to back up those claims. The 145hp V4 ECOTEC just can't compare.

I just have to say, if you've overlooked the Malibu in the past take a look again. You'll be surprised at what you find. It may be Malibu by name, but it's nothing like the Malibu's of old!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 15th April, 2004

16th Apr 2004, 06:56

I have the 2004 Malibu Base. I love my car as well. What an improvement over the last model. I average 30MPG with the 2.2 Ecotec with a high of 42 on the highway, according to the trip computer. There are times I wish I had bought the LS, but the 4 cyl is generally enough for me. Enjoy your car!

17th Aug 2004, 13:59

I drive the 2004 Malibu LS sometimes because we have them in the fleet at work. It seems to drive well and be really reliable, I'm worried about this loss of steering that some people have been experiencing. This year's Malibu is a lot better then the previous editions. But still a far cry from the early 80's late 70's models.