The Malibu is Chevrolet’s midsize sedan that receives a complete makeover for 2008 with a new bolder design including a dual-port grille and upscale elements such as an available two-tone interior. The new Malibu continues to be a five-seat front-wheel-drive sedan but is designed to give buyers “more bang for the buck.” With upgrades to horsepower, fuel economy and equipment, the 2008 Malibu is also three inches longer with a six inch longer wheelbase than the previous model. The Malibu name was first used for the top-level Chevelle in 1964 and the name returned for the 1997 model year as an all-new front-wheel-drive sedan.
The redesigned 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is offered in three trim levels, LS, LT and LTZ, powered by either a 169-horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder engine or a 252-horsepower 3.6-liter DOHC V6 with variable valve timing. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard with the V6 and will be available later in the model year with the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder on the LTZ. Side-curtain airbags and front seat-mounted thorax protection air bags are standard. A gasoline-electric hybrid Malibu will be available in the fourth quarter of 2007, powered by a single-mode hybrid system similar to the current Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid which saves gasoline by shutting off the engine when stopped.
The redesigned Malibu is based on the Saturn Aura and Pontiac G6. The base powertrain is a 164-hp four-cylinder with a four-speed automatic, a noisy combination in our tested base model G6. A refined 252-hp V6 and six-speed automatic is also available.
