2009 Chevrolet Malibu Consumer Reviews

Best choice among midsizers

Written by: Malibu Owner on 12/28/2008

Vehicle

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

Review

Traded in our 2006 Chevrolet Impala LT for a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu LS, what an improvement. The Impala's a good car, but the Malibu is an excellent car. It rides really smooth, feels well put together, is designed well inside and out and is a good value. It comes with ABS, traction and stability control, six airbags, OnStar with turn- by-turn directions, Sirius-XM radio and so much more all standard. Ours had no options. We love the golden pewter metallic color which looks light blue sometimes and gray/silver others, depending on the light. When driving, the car feels planted, don't be afraid to hit the gas around a curve. Brakes that could stop a train are great too.

Favorite Features

Comfortable, good looking and well- bolstered seats. OnStar with turn-by- turn directions. Sirius-XM radio. Design inside and out. Quietest car I've ever driven. Smooth and powerful four cylinder and four speed automatic. New car smell!

Suggested Improvements

Excellent car, I wouldn't change a thing. You'll see what I mean when you test drive one. Even the base model is excellent.

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Best Car Chevy has ever made.

Written by: Jeff B on 12/28/2008

Vehicle

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

Review

Mine is a LS with 4 cyl engine. Gas mileage is okay at about 25 mpg average, but this car handles better than any GM car I've ever driven, and seats are comfy too. If GM made more cars like this, they would't be on the verge of collapse. This is a fleet vehicle for me, and while I like it a lot, I would choose an Accord, Mazda 6, or Altima if I were buying with my own cash. All in all, a very nice vehicle though.

Favorite Features

Handling is really good. Seats are supportive & comfortable.

Suggested Improvements

Stereo is awful. FM signal is poor, and speakers have boomy bass. GM has not advanced in this area (audio) and it really shows. Car should be standard with a 5 or 6 sp trans. A 4 speed is not competitive.

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A pleasure

Written by: jj on 12/24/2008

Vehicle

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

Review

Purchased an LTZ with the 6 cylinder engine after testing the 4 and finding it a bit sluggish. While only in the first month of ownership, I've been delighted. The cabin is comfortable, pleasing to the eye, and very quiet. The sound system is a joy. Last night I heard low frequencies in the Saint- Saens organ concerto I'd never noticed before. The leather seats are very supportive, especially in the back-- where I appreciate the firmness. The six comes with hydraulic steering that gives just the right feedback. Mileage so far is satisfactory--19.7 mpg on short hauls around town. Glad I got the six--it has pickup that reminds me of my Dad's 65 Chrysler 300. It's eager to go.

Favorite Features

Seats, power and handling, the quiet and solid feel, strong headlights, sound system, OnStar. Great car for the money.

Suggested Improvements

Trunk opening is small and awkwardly shaped. I have a wagon in addition to this car, so I can live with it.

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Love it - (the 3.6L V6 model)

Written by: BB on 12/21/2008

Vehicle

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

Review

I owned a base model Malibu previously - and knew that they were reliable cars. This time, I wanted the nicest car I could get. Heated leather seats, remote start, and sunroof were on the top of my list. I expected to pay $30K for this car. Husband got it for $24K. It's quiet, looks classy, and is fun to drive. A good choice all around.

Favorite Features

Love the radio. You can mix and match AM, FM and XM on the presetsI also love the auto climate control - set the temp you want and forget about it - no adjusting when you get too warm or too cold. And somehow it 'knows' when the windshield needs to defrots/defog.

Suggested Improvements

Dual climate control would be nice. I miss the adjustable pedals on my old Malibu - why'd they get rid of them? But really - I've never been this happy with a car. It's terrific!

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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.

13 out 15 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 16 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.)

23 out 24 people found this review helpful

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