2009 Chevrolet Malibu Consumer Reviews

Excellent Vehicle -Drive one!

Written by: formerChryslerEng on 12/02/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

Excellent vehicle - good fuel economy, power (for a 4 cylinder), rides and handles excellent, comfortable seats, and is quiet! Drive one - see for yourself how nice it is! 4 cylinder engine and 6 speed auto rans are matched well - vehicle shifts smoothly and is very quite for a 4 cylinder. trans is always in teh proper gear, it don''t hunt like other competitiors I drove. Radio controls are very intuitive, I didn't even have to read the manual to program the stations - which by the way you are not limited to one set of AM, one set of FM , and one set of XM - you can mix and match your presets in the order you want- very nice!

Favorite Features

Two-tone leather interior! 6 speed automatic with manual tap shift. Fuel ecomony. Did I mention it is quiet - no engine drone! Bluetooth phone connection. 36 preset radio stations that can be randomly selected from AM, FM, or XM. Can set equalizer for each individual station.

Suggested Improvements

USB port (the sales brouchure said it was availible, but I could not find a vehicle with it). Navigation system linked to OnStar turn-by-turn directions. Dual zone climate control instead of single. Ability to select the CD player from the steering wheel controls.

12 out 14 people found this review helpful

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So far, So good.

Written by: RJ on 11/26/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LT2 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

I did a lot of homework and drove a lot of cars before purchasing my Malibu. I am very pleased so far with most everything. It doesn't ride or acclerate like my Caddy, but it is fun to drive, and I can afford to drive over the mountain without taking out a loan for fuel. I don't know what to expect over the long haul with the 6 speed, it does a lot of shifting, but I have 100 K to decide if I want to keep it. I spent more on it than I intended, but I couldn't find some features that I wanted on the LS. Overall, a nice American product.

Favorite Features

Love the red jewell coat. Lots of leg room, I am over 6'2" and I can stretch compared to the Lacrosse, (my other candidate. Great interior design in general, and looks great on the outside. Circular dash trim reminds me of the Park Avenue. Great wheels.

Suggested Improvements

From the drivers perspective, I can not see front or back of the car, so I have to guess how much room I have. The headrest, and rear visibility are an impediment to backing up, and I really would like a padded armrest on the door.

16 out 16 people found this review helpful

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Try it you'll love it.

Written by: Malibu Owner on 11/24/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

This has to be one of the best cars I've ever owned, including a Cadillac CTS. Everything is just perfect on this car. The V-6 has real go power, and I'm averaging 23 MPG in mixed driving. The fit and finish is wonderful. The car is so quiet that I sometimes have to look at the tach to see if it is running at stoplights. All of you import buyers are really missing out on a great car. I tested Toyota and there is no comparison.

Favorite Features

Quietness, handling, and peppy V-6 engine.

Suggested Improvements

Offer air-conditioned seats, especially here in Florida.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Dissapointed

Written by: Tex on 11/16/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LT1 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 4A)

Review

Purchased car to support American economy and ingenuity after 25 years of foreign purchases. Found that the car has hidden flaws. Rear side panels become detached by a slight push inward. Took it back to dealer and I was told it was designed to come apart at impact. Cannot believe engineers would think this way after decades of safety improvements. The dealer also found out the most of its other Malibus on the lot had the same defect. I am very dissapointed, especially after what I had heard about the vehicle. I am very hesitant to buy "American" again, especially after the local dealer has been very deceptive after discovery of this problem.

Favorite Features

Love the design, the quiet ride, spacious roominess and the warning devices.

Suggested Improvements

Improve quality of interior plastic. Keep the side signal light. It gave a more expensive and European look. 2009 didn't have it.

5 out 15 people found this review helpful

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Would only change one thing so far

Written by: swt_h on 11/13/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LT2 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

Owned for a little over a month. Love almost everything about it, except - the seat hugs me, love the heat options in the seats and I haven't been able to all the station preprogram radio options. it seems that my legs are too long for the design of the seat and the height of the steering wheel. Getting in is not as comfy and quick. I have to sit and swing in. I have tried to adjust everything every which way. Also it's a little tight for car seat behind me.

Favorite Features

Sleek looks and MPG.

Suggested Improvements

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Love my Malibu

Written by: afs1234 on 11/12/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LT1 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 4A)

Review

I switched to Japanese imports because of the poor experiences I've had with US car models. After reading the JD Power review on the new Malibu, and test driving every import model in this class, (Accord, Camry, Altima, Mazda6), I decided to take a chance again on a Chevy. The car is great! I love the quiet, smooth ride. The interior is well designed and very comfortable. And I was able to buy the features I wanted without having to upgrade to expensive features I didn't want. I also spoke to someone who use to work with GM and found out GM put a lot of work into making the Malibu a top quality car, which sold me on the concept that this car would last as long as the Asian imports.

Favorite Features

The quietest car in its class. Has the smoothest ride. Better gas mileage with the 4 cyl. 6 speed automatic trans. Lots of leg room front and back. Deep trunk. Dashboard compartment. (I keep my tollway pass device in there. Works great!)

Suggested Improvements

Some nasty blind spots, but I'm adjusting. Wider trunk opening. Larger rear window. Should include a cargo net. Make OnStar an option, not a mandatory feature to reduce the cost of the car. (I never use it and I'll have to live with buttons I don't want.)

22 out 23 people found this review helpful

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Great car

Written by: D Basney on 11/10/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

Why pay more? This is a great car. It has a terrific sound and communications package, rides quiet and smooth and is fun to drive. I've had cars that cost twice as much that couldn't hold a candle to this car. Well done GM! A great value.

Favorite Features

Electronics and communication features, ride and handling.

Suggested Improvements

The radio could use a USB port!

4 out 6 people found this review helpful

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Happy American

Written by: happy american on 11/07/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LT2 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

I have brought a few American cars that have left me disappointed. After reading the reviews for the Malibu, I decided to give them one more try. Well I am extremely satisfied as well as impressed that it looks like Chevrolet really got it right. This car is loaded with plenty of cool options, is extremely fun and comfortable to drive. The looks are really nice as well. I got the jewel red color and it really sets off the car nicely. I am getting around 28 mpg avg which is great in the current economic times is really great. I highly recommed you at least test drive one of these cars if you are in the market for a mid size sedan.

Favorite Features

Integrated bluetooth.

Suggested Improvements

None at this time

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Love it!

Written by: BP on 10/31/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

Have only had the car a week, but so far I am very pleased. This is my first American car in 30 years. In interest of full discclosure, I did begin the decison process wanting to "buy American" this time, as long as I did not have to make too many concessions to quality, drive experience etc. that I have come to expcet from European and Japanese cars. No compromise in this vehicle I can detect so far! Thanks for getting this vehicle right GM!

Favorite Features

6 speed automatic transmission- allows for reasonable performance by the 4 cylinder engine while providing good fuel economy. Execution- whole vehicle just seems well conceived and well executed. Bluetooth

Suggested Improvements

Connection for iPOD that controls iPOD thru radio in addition to simply having audio in port that supports any device. Need either a standard USB port on audio system or available accessory for dealer to add at reasonable price

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Exceptional Mid-Size Sedan

Written by: Alan on 10/27/2008

Vehicle

2009 Chevrolet Malibu LT2 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A)

Review

I was an import owner for 20+ years before purchasing a Malibu. I was skeptical, even after a lot of research. But after 1500 miles, I'm really amazed. GM has done a great job. The interior is incredibly quiet. The interior styling is wonderful, especially in beige with suede seats. There's wonderful attention to detail everywhere inside. I especially like the ambient lighting. Controls and switches feel great, better than most imports I've driven. Performance is surprisingly good given the fuel economy. The suspension is a bit soft but ride is great. The engine is as refined as any 4 cylinder I've driven. The Malibu feels more like a luxury car than a family sedan.

Favorite Features

Quietness, especially interior sound insulation and engine refinement. Sound quality and features of stereo system (XM, MP3 input jack, built-in bluetooth) 6 speed transmission with paddle shifting. Fuel economy (getting 33 MPG + on hwy)

Suggested Improvements

Some interior materials are not up to import standards especially the shiny plastic on the lower portion of dash/doors. Would like to see firmer suspension option for 2LT w/ 4 cyl. Front seat styling/shape is really bland, especially for such a stylish interior.

4 out 4 people found this review helpful

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