So of the four shown: which do you preffer? Just curious nothing meant by this.

Personally I like the 9-3 the best as it seems more integrated than the other two. Also I know the Malibu does have odd proportions but IMO, and strictly personally, I see some odities in the rear of the greenhouse. Maybe it is to sloped or something but it seems off. I get a similar vibe from the G6 but it isn't as bad because the C pillar is not as thick.

 

9-3 hands down (one of the prettiest sedans on the market, imho). Then the G6. Between the Camry and Malibu, just going by that profile shot, the ugly from other angles Camry looks a little sharper. Of course, that is a more jazzed up picture of the Camry, in a sportier color and in motion, and that is a sport-level Camry (equivalent to the Malibu SS). The Malibu in that pic is a strange color and is a modest LS-trim car with 16" wheels. An LTZ with chrome 17s, or an SS with 18s and the body modifications, would be much more enticing.

But neither of them can touch the 9-3 or G6 in terms of styling, anyway. The 9-3 is just sweet looking. It is several model years old, now, and to me it still looks fresh and good.

 

The '06 Malibu LTZ looks much nicer with its 17"s

 

Saab 9-3 also, G6 a close 2nd. The Malibu looks like a turd in that lineup.

You're right joe, i should've posted an SS version, although honestly it doesn't change my mind much.

 

Gaaaahhhhh! Run for your lives, it is coming to eat us!!

I wonder if that huge round thing above the grill is something contagious?

 

Don't have the numbers in front of me, but don't expect Fusion to outsell Malibu. Malibu is an appliance car that's selling in large volume. When you make a cool car like the Fusion, you are going to have people turned off simply because it's flashy, but will be countered by people willing to pay sticker without waiting for rebates.



Just an opinion here, not directed at anyone, Malibu isn't a bad car. It simply needs a better nose. The last front end was overwhelmed by the heavy "Chevy" chrome bar. It was a good styling idea, but it was overkill and would have looked better on a truck. The new nose goes the other extreme and looks like a Honda. As far as the rest of the car, I don't see anything fatal about it.

The base version looks as exciting as beige paint on a wall, but the SS version, especially in blue (especially the Maxx version) looks absolutely HOT!!

The intrerior looks great (though GM still needs to spend a little more to get better materials IMO), and overall the car is a pretty good performer.

The only reason Toyota is the benchmark is because of it's reputation. I've never heard of anyone buying a Camry because they loved the styling.... even "liked" it. You always hear of it being a well made car. I've never seen a Camry that made me take notice from inside a wine bar, but a Malibu Maxx SS has.

If GM ever manages to get the front end right (2 strikes so far ) I think the looks of the Malibu will be cured.

 

I dont think so . All the the lines of the Malibu are so quirky . Its trapazoid like body lines and flat trunk and hood with a greenhouse on top has no hope and is just plain wierd from some angles ...for any hope of some kind of style . I'll give you the SS version , but with a squint eye . Coming up the road it looks kinda cool . But really look at it , and you just begin to say , ummmm ...no

I do think the Maxx looks about 10 times better than the 4 door .

 

When I went to the local Chevy dealership over the weekend, they had all of the SS models lined up and I will tell you that it looked pretty impressive. They had a Black Cobalt SS, blue Malibu SS, dark blue Impala SS, red Monte Carlo SS, a yellow SSR, black Silverado SS, and a white C6. The only thing that was missing was the Trailblazer SS.

I think the Malibu SS looks pretty damn sharp in SS trim, especially the Maxx. The little changes inside and out really transform that car. I think the interior looks much better in black than that flat grey too, but then again I also love black interiors.

 

agreed! Camry is boring, bland and bloated. I'd take a Malibu SS/Maxx SS anyday

 

Still think the mazda6 looks better than all of those guys. I got an 04 which had a slightly different front end than the '06's. I think it is much more sporty than those 4 cars.

 

I completely agree. there is a lot more wrong with the malibu than the honda front end. ugghhhh....the side profiles above illustrate well the totally craptacular non-effort of a design the malibu is.......imo

guion, i usually agree with you, but the malibu is what it is, a very cheap, unaspirational knockoff of an '02-06 Camry. Tall, flat rear deck, headlights that stretch towards the fenders, similar greenhouse shape.....it's usually pretty obvious to me who GM benchmarks with thier designs

Malibu sells 50% of volume to fleets. no grand achievement in my books, when only 100k are real customers, not "bought" customers.....

next Malibu better be coming a lot sooner than you think it is guion [don't mean to sound harsd]

 

Oh snap, I know what you're talking about for once!

Rutroh... here comes that Suburban again...