On the way home tonight I drove past a Chevy dealership and they had a Silver Malibu Maxx SS siting on one of those display ramps in front they should have displayed it behind the service department. Man does that thing look ugly. The front looks ok but the rest of it....geez. I hope the sedan looks better in person.

 

Well, in all fairness, the normal Malibu Maxx is pretty damn ugly too.

 

I seen one too

 

Not really a fan of the Malibu SS, or the new nose of the Malibu for that matter.

The nose continues GM's new "Good looking, non-offensive, but totally forgettable" sedan (and seemingly GMT-900 truck) styling.

 

Actually there's been a new black Malibu parked down the street from me the last few days. I can't stop looking at that car.

IMO the new nose does wonders for it.

 

Ehh, when I saw one stopped, it was ok. When I saw one coming at me on the street, I was thinking, what the heck is that monstrosity?

 

Hey, at least they're trying.

 

Malibu Maxx SS

Hey, they got rid of the gawdy chrome strip across the front. When they started that trend I thought it was the start of the demise of Chevy. The exec who thought that up should've had his house firebombed.

Anyways, I think it's a step in the right direction. For what it is I think it looks really good actually. I mean, its a frickin mini station wagon. Do you want sidepipes and a hood scoop?

Now they just need to do someting about the big gold chevy badge. Bit of an eyesore...

 

Yup, kinda like throwing more crap on a pile of crap.

 

So SS stands for what these days? Slighly Spiffier? Somewhat Snazzier? Similar Styling?

 

uhh...technically, any of those definitions would be similar to the original meaning of the SS package...whichever way you want to put it. It made the car nicer to look at.

 

I think the new front end looks better.... but they did go from "odd" to "anonymous"....

Interesting how such little changes can do that.

 

You know, it's not as bad as it once was. However, it was a train wreck before, so use that as a frame of reference. It's definitely not what I want to see as being the car that defines GM. Unfortunately, one of the largest dealerships (GM or otherwise) in Toledo is right across the street from where I work. And guess what car they have in their front line? Yep, nothing but Malibu's. So their saying to the public, this is GM's flagship car. It makes the Honda Accord look like an exotic. And forget what the new Civic looks like. Even *I* actually like it and I despise Hondas because of their sleeping-pill-on-wheels looks.

I haven't made note of what the next biggest GM dealership in the area has up front, but I believe they have nothing but trucks. A much better idea, IMHO (and I really have no love for trucks either). As the OP said, this thing ought to be in the back, hidden from view.

I drive by both dealerships every single day. They both have notoriously long stop lights in front of them, so I have nothing better to do, but look at what they have. This is definitely the ugliest car GM has in it's stable right now, followed by the Impala (and yes, the SS too). So please save the "you have to see it in person" lines. I have and I'm still reaching for the barf bag.

Time to go back to the drawing board for GM's bread 'n butter sedans. Both literally and figuratively.

 

I know what you mean. Luckily at my local dealership they have Cobalts sitting out in droves in plain view so that casts a better light. I'm waiting on the new Malibus (08s?) that are supposed to look excellent. I'm wondering where Al is at this point though?

 

Yadda yadda....top 10 selling sedan in America, must be because its ugly.

The new front end is nice, but I didnt mind the old front end. Was a touch too much chrome, but all in all its clean.
I didnt buy my car to make a style statement, or for 1/4 blasts down the drag strip.
I personaly like and wish there was an SS as of last year cause I would have gotten one. 18's are a bit much. I am a fan of hatchbacks, and GM hasnt had one since.........
Well, in a long long time, if ever. Now that I have some nice new sporty rubber on it, it handles very very well. I only wish that it had the hyrdaulic steering like the GTP, or have it retuned.