Review: 2012 Chevrolet Malibu LT, or Why the Old GM Sucked

2012 Chevrolet Malibu LT

So, because of my accident, the Spec was deemed a total loss. While the insurance company and I sort it out, I've been given a loaner to drive...the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu LT.

Let's start with the positives, since there are so few. It came with loads of kit, featuring a sunroof, 17" chrome wheels, an AM/FM/CD/Sat Radio player (although the subscription to XM Satellite Radio had ran out). My favourite part about it is that not only did it have an USB port for my iPhone (re: Pandora), but it would charge my phone, even if the ignition was turned off. Other automakers should take heed.

The ride quality was excellent, especially on the highway. I also enjoyed the reduced (compared to other cars in its class) greenhouse, which made for cooling off the interior and keeping it cool easier, plus it felt more intimate and cozy. The two-tone grey interior featured a combination leather/suede seating surface for the driver and all passengers, except the middle one in the back. That's usually the least favourite seat in the house.

Looks are subjective, but aside from the chrome wheels, it has a crisp, tailoured look to it, being equal parts handsome, masculine, and athletic. It is definitely pleasing to the eyes, and I suspect that it'll age well over the years.

Now on to the less than positives:

The combination leather/suede seats: remember me talking about them, like 30 seconds ago or so? Yeah, I'm not sure what they're reasoning was, in regards to putting suede in a mainstream family vehicle. I can't imagine it holding up to kids, pets, and life in general. They were comfortable though, as opposed to cloth.

Seat bolstering in all the wrong places: the seats themselves couldn't figure out what they wanted to be...seats with sporting intentions, or luxury Barcaloungers. Either way, in the General's attempt to please everyone, wound up pleasing no one. I've never sat in a seat that I both sat down into it, and sat on top of it. I know that doesn't make any sense, but try one out, and you'll see what I mean.

Could have used some padding here...

...and here as well. I also managed to turn the car off with my knee, while going down the highway...not exactly a safety feature.

Soft touch materials...in all the wrong places: this is one of my biggest beefs with the car. I understand the need/want to put such materials in a vehicle, but doesn't it make sense to put them where your parts of your body will actually touch them? More specifically, where my left elbow and right knee rests upon is slightly softer than a piece of metal. Yet the dash features two different shades of grey soft-touch plastic. Go figure.

The size of the steering wheel reminded me of a pizza pie. Mmm...pizza...

The steering wheel: was ginormous! It was so big, that it kept pressing down on my right leg, making it even more uncomfortable that I already was. I know that cost-cutting is a way of life in the auto business, but the "one-size-fits-all" mentality does not work well here. It could lose a few inches in diameter...

Steering wheel controls: if the steering wheel controls are not almost instantaneously intuitive, then it defeats the purpose of having them to begin with. Also, shiny, hard plastic belongs in a new Toyota, not in a Malibu...not to mention the top of the cluster of buttons is at the very top of the the steering wheel spokes, making it hard to read what they are. Fortunately over time, you figure out what's what, and where it all is.

For what it's worth, I did like that it displayed the song, artist, and album info...and yes, I was wearing a yellow polo shirt that day, courtesy of Eddie Bauer.

The radio system: From the buttons that were confusing as all get out, to a sound that was both muddled and lacking bass (strange coming from a GM radio), I hated dealing with it the whole time that I had the car. I would just plug my iPhone in, and use the controls on the Pandora. I'll never understand why the knob to change stations was all the way over on the right side, or why the buttons couldn't have been arraigned in a more logical order.

World's stupidest gas cap design

The gas cap: I could never get the gas cap to hang on the designated "hook" on the fuel filler door. Also, no one had explained to me that in order to get the fuel filler door open, you have to press down on the actual door itself. I looked for a button inside the vehicle for 10 minutes before my wife finally broke down and looked it up in the owner's manual.

Cupholders: apparently, these were made for little kid's cups. Forget about putting anything taller and/or wider than a can in here. In the world of supersized beverages, this made trips to Sonic during Happy Hour a little less enjoyable.

Now to the big stuff:

The handling: The old adage of trading the ride for handling was quite pronounced in this vehicle. While it did ride smoothly over most surfaces, it did not tackle corners with poise and confidence, like I'm accustomed to. It felt much larger than it actually is, which is not a good thing.

The ride: again, was smooth over most surfaces (re: smooth ones), but as soon as the car drove over broken pavement of any degree, you immediately felt it, and not communicated in a positive way. On the upside, it would return to a smooth ride almost immediately.

Push button manumatic transmission...it's like having two transmissions in one! Except one of them is mildly amusing, and the other one really sucks...

The transmission: The six speed automatic transmission was obviously tuned for maximum fuel economy. Whenever I first got the vehicle, I did quite a bit of "spirited driving" My reward for that was harsh shifts that were jarring in nature...in fact, the only way that I could ever get smooth shifting, regardless of driving style, was to put it into the "manual" mode, and lazily shift gears around 3500 rpm. A sports car this is not. Not even one with sporting intentions.

I know it sounds like I'm nitpicking, but if this were my car and I had to deal with this everyday, I would grow tired of it rather quickly. A lot of little things really do add up, although in this case, it adds up to an negative experience.

Overall, it was a competent car, and got me where I needed to go, but I never felt completely comfortable in it. I was finally glad to get rid of the car...I guess I can chalk this one up in the Loss column for the Old General. It could have been worse though...my original choice was to be the Chevrolet HHR...

Jessie Louthan is the Editor-in-Chief for Toyota Deathwatch Updates, a website dedicated to exposing the truth about modern Toyotas. He is a nine year automotive industry veteran, having worked for companies such as Ford, Mercedes Benz, and BMW.