That, my friends, sums up the Fluffer’s worldview in a nutshell.

1ST PLACE: TOYOTA CAMRY SE V-6
Finest all-around mix of power, handling, room, and bells and whistles-no wonder it was our 2007 Car of the Year.

2ND PLACE: CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ
Great combination of sport and luxury bettered only by Camry. America’s best and segment’s best-looking.

3RD PLACE: HONDA ACCORD EX-L V-6
Vast room, attention to detail, and advanced technology can’t overcome a few obvious faults.

4TH PLACE: NISSAN ALTIMA 3.5 SE
Winner on track and twisties comes up short for lack of polish and refinement.

——————————–

The Chevy’s V6 engine trumps the Accord’s four-cylinder and the price/ content quotient is in the Malibu’s favour. General Motors, however, did walk away with the lion’s share of the hardware, winning four categories in all.
(National Post)
———————-
“This handsome car is a sharp contrast to the new Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, which seem dowdy by comparison.”

and

“But the Malibu offers more than great styling and build quality.”
and

“GM is charging Wal-Mart prices for a product with Nordstrom elan.” (Seattle times)

Comment by jackjimturkey, posted on December7 at 8:31 pm
Today, some of the family cars the Detroit Three offer are as good as anything on the road. Convincing buyers of that is a formidable task, however.

“People have very, very long memories,” said Michelle Krebs, editor of AutoObserver.com. “They had bad experiences with domestic cars in the ’80s and ’90s.

“Things have changed, but they are reluctant to believe it.

“It’s like a Super Accord, but from GM” — the New York Times.

• “Camry beware” — Car and Driver.

• “With its handsome Audi-esque design and good engine choices, it’s the next big thing in midsize cars” — Motor Trend.

Comment by jackjimturkey, posted on December7 at 8:33 pm
New Accord no longer leads the pack
Lansing State Journal, MI – Dec 3, 2007

I’ll admit it: I went into this year’s Motor Trend Car of the Year competition fully expecting the all-new 2008 Honda Accord to walk away with the Golden Calipers trophy.

Technical director Frank Markus and I each did brisk back-to-back runs with the Accord EX and Malibu LTZ on the COTY test-track’s handling course. Post-drive, engines off, I looked at Frank. He looked at me. “I think the Malibu handles better,” I said. “Me, too,” said Frank.

Our test gear also preferred the Malibu: Compared with the Accord, it’s quicker, stops better, and wins every objective handling test. On a just-for-fun comparison chart that Markus cooked up, which normalized the performance results for each car in this year’s COTY competition, the Malibu finished sixth overall in handling. The Accord: 10th. Can it be? Is the new Malibu not just better than the vaunted Accord on a car-for-the-money basis but actually better in many ways than the Accord-period? The answer is an unqualified “yes.”

Comment by jackjimturkey, posted on December7 at 8:37 pm
GM just rolled out a redesigned Chevrolet Malibu that has garnered good reviews while sales of its new large crossovers are solid. (cnnmoney.com)

Dollars and Sense
The price of the Malibu has gone up, but the overall design and quality impression has gone up more. Including destination charges, our test LTZ stickers at $27,245: $26,995 for the base LTZ plus $250 for a rear 110-volt power outlet.

As before, this puts the bottom line of the Malibu a couple of thousand under the competition, yet the surprise is that the Malibu no longer feels a couple of thousand less good than its rivals. As it stands, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu deserves a place alongside the class leaders on the shopping list for mainstream sedans. And real greatness is within reach if Chevy puts just a few dollars more into refining one or two specific areas, like the steering. (edmunds)

GM dealers are thrilled by the reaction to the Malibu, which takes aim at the perennially popular Honda Accord and Toyota Camry sedans. Duane Paddock, the owner of Paddock Chevrolet in Kenmore, N.Y., says he has sold 27 of the 30 Malibus on his lot, and 12 more than are being shipped.

(Business week)

After testing the redesigned Malibu it’s safe to say it has joined the Japanese brands in the big leagues. Not that it’s a hands-down favorite, but that it has improved so much neither Camry nor Accord are clear standouts. Add Malibu to your shopping list.

But best GM can do? Has Lutz forgotten the 2008 Cadillac CTS and any Chevy Corvette since 1997?

(Chicago Tribune)

Comment by jackjimturkey, posted on December7 at 8:43 pm
I believe GM’s marketing was a month ahead of manufacturing since GM only delivered like 500 Malibus in November. I did see one on the road here in Atlanta. The only article I saw that was somewhat critical was in USAToday. The 12/7 edition reemed it for steering, transmission glitch, and for some reason trashed the interior because it is susceptible to misalignment although it didn’t say anything was misaligned. All other reviews I’ve seen mentioned none of these accept the love/hate take on the two tone brick color.

Comment by cookie4me, posted on December7 at 8:47 pm
2008 Malibu hailed a ‘winner’
ABC12.com, MI – Dec 3, 2007
The 2008 sedan is arriving in dealer show rooms and is capturing the attention of critics.

What impresses me most about this car is it seems to have leapfrogged a couple of generations of car evolution to land where it is today. It kind of went from zero to hero in 12 months. (Dallas Morning News)

Top of its class
Sedan has high degree of value and style
November 8, 2007

BY MARK PHELAN

FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

You may look at the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu and see an amazingly good midsize sedan at a terrific price.

I, however, prefer to see the lovely new midsize sedan as the perpetual grad student in the Chevrolet family, finally earning its degree and setting out to make its mark on the world. (Detroit Free Press)

Substance, not appearance, is what makes the Malibu an All-Star. Its six-speed automatic is worlds away from the two-speed Powerglides of yore, and it contributes to the relaxed feel of the car. The Malibu’s V-6 gives away sixteen horses to the Honda Accord yet kept up with it effortlessly. This is the kind of car Americans have wanted from Detroit for years. Now it’s here, an Automobile Magazine All-Star.

This much-improved Chevy is the first Malibu to seriously challenge top Japanese rivals in the large mid-size sedan market.

—-DAN JEDLICKA Chicago Sun-Times Auto Editor

Comment by jackjimturkey, posted on December7 at 8:51 pm

“I thought having an asian girlfriend was the last subway stop on the train to gaysville”? Never heard that one before.

i wonder if he drives a corolla to get to michigan and japan fast enough.