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2008 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ Road Test

For the second year in a row, GM has won the coveted North American Car of the

You've never seen a Malibu like this before. Ever. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

Year award. The twist is that it's reigned in the victory with what is essentially the same car. The 2007 winner, the Saturn Aura, shares more than just its Epsilon architecture with the Malibu, it also shares its aluminum front and rear suspension system, powertrains and the list goes on. So while the Malibu has traveled down the same path as the Aura when it comes to awards, there is a critical difference: it is performing much better when it comes to sales.

Sales targets for the Aura were high, as GM expected to sell about 100,000 units in the car's first year, but when 2007 came to an end they were at just over half that. While this is still great for any midsize Saturn, contrast that with Chevrolet dealers who can't keep the Malibu in stock, as demand is far outweighing supply. The Malibu is by most accounts a rousing success for a brand that many of us often forget still makes cars, not just trucks.

But is it worthy of the praise heaped upon it? Without a doubt, yes. Settle into the soft leather seats - which actually feel like leather - and caress the

Taillights remind us a little of those fitted to the VW Passat. They're neat, and give flair to the car's backside. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

leather wrapped steering wheel. Instantly, you'll know that you're in a Malibu like none before it. I was immediately struck by the consistent panel gaps and the quality of the materials. Of particular note are the rubber-covered paddles that fell to my fingertips to control the manually shifted six-speed automatic transmission. Never would I have expected to find myself touching the smooth rubber surfaces and getting rather excited, just for the sake of it. If you are worried that I have developed some sort of rubber fetish, don't be, since this a family-friendly article about a family-friendly car. But then again, those paddles are a sign that it doesn't drive like your average family car.

Then again, I wish I was as impressed with the functionality as the quality of the paddles. GM's TapShift has a different setup from most of the paddle-shift cars I've driven. To shift up you push away with your thumb, a movement that isn't as natural as pulling the paddle towards the steering wheel. More than a couple of times I pulled it towards me only to have the car's engine scream into the higher rev range, because I

Wow! Interior is a huge improvement over just about anything with a Chevy badge. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

had actually downshifted. This is, however, the same setup as you'll find on paddleshift-equipped BMWs and Minis, so if you're coming from that camp, you'll be right at home. I also took issue to the transmission itself. Left on its own, the six-speed automatic shifts very smoothly, but even when using TapShift correctly the transmission takes too long to upshift. It's as if the transmission says, “Look pal, I'm just here because people think it's sporty to have such a feature, please don't bother me.” So I just left the shifter in drive.

It's not just the rubber of the paddles that I enjoyed, but for the first time in my life I was amazed to be in a GM midsized sedan where everything felt substantial and well-built, from the muted, solid clicks of the signal stalks to the rubberized rotation of the radio buttons (hmmm... that rubber issue keeps resurfacing). Hard, cheap plastics are kept to a minimum, and even then they're allocated to spots you're rarely likely to touch them. The curved dual cowl dashboard that seems inspired by 1950s Corvettes looks great,

It's the details like the small slivers of chrome, and the two-toned, soft-touch dash that make the difference. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

and is available in four color options, including a couple of two-tone variations on the LTZ, such as my test car's Coca/Cashmere. There is also a lot of room in the rear for full size adults, thanks to a wheelbase that's longest in class, and deeply scalloped front seatbacks.

And while the Malibu represents a giant step forward with all the right fundamentals, I found a couple of foibles. The auto climate control didn't seem to want to keep things at a consistent temperature, either blowing too cold or too hot, and the seat heater switches were in an odd place, on the leading edge of the seat. I found myself having to look down to see whether they were on or not. There are also a lot of switches and controls that are common to other GM vehicles, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as GM has upgraded its switchgear to near-premium levels in recent years.

My top tier LTZ sedan tester was powered by GM's wonderfully smooth DOHC 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing that incidentally only requires regular fuel to produce 252-horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque. This

Six-speed automatic is best left to its own devices. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

engine is also offered as an upgrade on the 2LT model, at a cost of $2,060. It's no slouch either, taking just under 7 seconds to get to 60 mph and running the quarter mile in the low 15 second range, faster than just about any Malibu ever made. The downside is that torque steer can catch you off guard if you are too quick with the throttle from a stop or while executing a quick passing maneuver. Then again, there is great steering feedback from the hydraulic, speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering setup and the wheel controlling it tilts and telescopes for the optimal driving position.

The suspension is independent all around with struts in the front and a multi-link setup in the rear, so the car seems to float over bumps with ease and offers an isolated, quiet ride. The handling is great with understeer kept to a minimum, quite surprising for a full-size, front-drive, four-door sedan wearing the Chevrolet badge. The ABS assisted four wheel disc brakes are excellent too, the best I've ever experienced in a GM sedan.

Contrast piping is another high-end touch. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

What's more, the Malibu looks good. I prefer its design over the Aura, as it seems more coherent from front to back, and is the best execution of Chevrolet's twin slot grille yet. I also think it looks better than Honda's Accord and Toyota's Camry, the LTZ especially, thanks to an upscale appearance with bejeweled taillights and chrome trim that doesn't look cheap. The LTZ is also fitted with an attractive set of split spoke 18-inch alloy wheels that are pushed to the corners of the car for an aggressive look.

And what about its price? At $28,215 my LTZ model is as optioned out as a Malibu can get, thanks to a $800 sunroof and $250 for a 110-volt rear power port and rear window shade. I was a bit surprised to see that the "Tintcoat" paint cost extra at $295. With a base price of $19,345 for the entry-level four-cylinder LS, and a price of $26,795 for the

2008 North American Car of the Year - an award well deserved. (Photo: Steven James Day, American Auto Press)

LTZ without every option, there is a 2008 Malibu to fit just about anyone's budget. It's also much better than the car it replaces in every way and then some. As a bonus, the weird Malibu Maxx model has been discontinued, as with the bigger Malibu sedan there isn't really a need for it to be around.

The one question I have to ask is whether or not Chevrolet can sustain the public's interest for this new car. The Malibu's demand has outstripped supply since going on sale, but will this continue? Only time will tell. On the other hand, what will the success of the Malibu mean for the rest of the Chevy lineup? Bigger, roomier and more spacious, I can't think of a reason to get into an Impala unless you're with a Police force or a cab company. Well, the Impala was already mostly a fleet car anyway, so few retail losses there. In reality, the new Malibu will shine a brighter light on Chevy as a brand, and that can only be a good thing for anything else wearing the bowtie logo.

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