2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx Review

Specifications

Lots of Surprises from This Bowtie

I have to come clean in saying I really didnt like the Malibu sedan a heck of a lot when I last tested it. Like many, I can quickly be turned off, or for that matter turned on by a cars styling, and the Malibus pudgy truck-like front end, swoopy fender accent lines and bulky butt end left me flat. Its interior is also a little too “plasticky” for me, while I didnt find its handling as exciting as those European-style TV ads make it appear.

So why did the new 5-door Maxx seem to work so much better for me? Im not really sure. Maybe the hatchback cum sport wagon configuration fits its truck-like styling more coherently? Maybe it was because the interior was swathed in extremely nice perforated gray leather, or perhaps that back seat passengers get their own limousine-like glass sunroof? GM calls this fixed unit a skylight. Whatever, it includes a sunshade to block rays when the sun is at its peak, important for infants and toddlers especially. The driving experience was most likely helped along by the optional 17-inch 5-spoke wheel and performance tire upgrade, along with the sport tuned suspension. Yeah, probably all of the above added to the equation, making my week with Chevys highly functional new Malibu Maxx especially enjoyable.

It still features an interior design that doesnt do a heck of a lot for me, covered in plastics that arent up to my fastidious tolerances - remember that Im a snob weaned on imports. But the added flexibility and European flair of the liftback, combined with front passenger and split rear bench seats that fold completely flat for loading in long, otherwise awkward items, made the new Chevy an easy car to live with. And I use my test cars for regular life activities, loading them up with up to three kids and two child seats, hardware store goodies, massive wholesale supermarket “shopathons” of groceries and impromptu jaunts to Ikea to pick up absolutely necessary what-have-you-on-sale-items.

Getting back and forth to the various stores, plus a trip to and from the airport and a dozen or so meetings that I attended throughout my test week were made enjoyable in the Maxx for a variety of reasons. Firstly, it really goes when you step on the throttle. A reaction to input from the right foot is paramount for any car to consider itself performance oriented, and the get-up-and-go the Maxxs 3.5-liter V6 delivers is more than adequate. Altogether, 200 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque motivate the front wheels. If youre used to the sophisticated sound of a dual-overhead cam, multivalve engine, you might be disappointed though, as the Chevy mill packs only twelve overhead valves. Still, what may be considered old-tech in todays high-revving world, translates into decent fuel economy at 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, just the same.

Again, the 4-speed electronic transmission that connects to it isnt quite as up to date as some of its competitors latest five and even six-speed automatic gearboxes, which are now starting to become almost commonplace in the midsize class, but dont discount the autobox at first glance just because its missing that extra cog. GM has a great reputation for building smooth, reliable automatic transmissions, and the unique Malibu unit deserves recognition for its direct, purposeful shifts. Whats so unique about it? At the thumb position it features a back and forth toggle switch to row it up and down the gears, probably the smartest placement of such driver-actuated shifters other than those located on the steering wheel. As great as it was to use, it only worked if the shifter was pulled back into 3rd gear. So, you can shift it all you want up to 3rd gear, but then youll need to push the entire gear lever forward to engage the “D” or final drive position. How odd? After querying a GM engineer on this strange setup he assured me it was being modified to work from the Drive position for 2005 models as we spoke. Thats good.

But he couldnt answer why the traction control system didnt work? Or for that matter, why most GM traction control systems show no difference when engaged or when the defeat button is pushed. With the Maxx, no matter the road surface condition, wet or dry, the front wheels would break pavement and spin to their hearts content, laying down rubber and squealing like my 3 year old - yes, oh so annoyingly. Passersby would snap their necks around to sneer at the juvenile behavior, and I would put both hands in the air, shrug with a stupid “I didnt mean it” grin on my face and shrink down behind the wheel. Hey, there was a time I would have thought such activities were cool, but I was beyond that over a lifetime ago. The said engineer assures me that the Maxx uses an engine-managed traction control system, which by the way retards the engine when wheel slippage is sensed instead of engaging the ABS system to add braking, the usual method used for traction control systems. The engine-managed system allows GM to offer traction control on cars that dont feature ABS, but I ask why. Most buyers would much rather have antilock brakes included than traction control, because if you cant get going due to slippery conditions then you wont have ABS to keep the car under control when you need to brake. The Malibu Maxx, by the way, comes standard with antilock brakes so this latter issue is moot. But still the fact of the matter is, the traction control systems on most front-wheel drive GM cars that Ive tested, ABS-equipped or not, dont work worth a darn. Ive used engine-managed traction control in a variety of Ford products, dubbed AdvanceTrac by that automaker, and it is easily the best of its type available.

So, enough on traction control, what about the rest of the car? I mentioned that the Maxx handles quite well, at least better than the 4-door sedan version that I previously tested. Id go so far to say that my test model handled near the top of its class, but dont get too excited as that would put it among Toyota Camrys and Hondas much softer Accord. At the bottom end of the handling scale are the Koreans, and the Maxx far exceeds these. It only makes sense that it should though, as its Epsilon architecture also underpins the sensational Saab 9-3. While the Maxx isnt as nimble as its Swedish cousin, I still enjoyed taking on the twisting stretches of roadway between my house and just about everywhere else. The domestic car offers a pretty compliant ride too, due partly to a fully isolated powertrain cradle with tuned bushings, a feature usually found only on upscale cars like the Saab. The Malibu suspension is made up of fully independent MacPherson struts up front and a 4-link setup in the rear. NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels have been reduced further via a cast foam-rubber barrier covering the dash panel, a modular noise dampening plate inside the same panel, a compression-molded fiberglass-composite hood and insulator, and back and front “glove-fit” carpet modules. Pretty impressive stuff Chevy!

What impressed me even more was the cars functionality. I like the way the rear seats can slide back and forward, a total of 7.0 inches incidentally, either increasing legroom or cargo capacity depending on what was needed at the time. The rear seatbacks are split, of course, 60/40 in this case, but in order to allow passengers to add legroom separately, the seat cushions are split too. The seatbacks recline as well, ideal for tall passengers who might otherwise have to put up with their hair brushing the headliner. Altogether the Maxx offers 106 cubic feet of passenger volume; thats a lot by the way. Cargo volume is also impressive, at 22.8 cubic feet, which is about forty percent larger than most midsize sedan trunks. The solid cargo shelf offers multilevel positioning to allow a variety of loading configurations, while as I mentioned previously, the front passenger seatback folds forward to create a flat loading surface. This will accept long, awkward cargo of up to 9.0 feet - try that in a Camry or Accord. Chevy has thoughtfully included a 12-volt rear power outlet, which can turn the rear shelf into the ideal camp cookout area, somewhat sheltered by the tall liftback.

Another feature I like is the heating and air-conditioning controls in the rear, which feature individual ventilation to the feet. The dual vents on center dash are effective for rear passengers too.

On a less practical note, unless that is you cant drive without tunes, the Maxx sports a pretty decent audio system. The one in my tester was the top-line 6-speaker system featuring an ICDX tuner, dash-mounted 6-disc CD changer, XM Satellite Radio and automatic volume and tone controls. It delivers quality sound no matter the genre youre interested in hearing, from talk radio to dance, classical to metal, and everything in between. I would have liked to try out the optional rear DVD entertainment system, as my little guy loves his “Wiggles” on the road, but GM didnt add it to the test car. It includes a 7.0 inch flip-up monitor integrated into the rear console, an unorthodox setup but one that works as long as theres no third row seat attempting to see it. The system incorporates two sets of infrared headphones, video game inputs, a remote control and independent audio selection. The only other car that I have tested with an OEM DVD system is BMWs top-line 7-Series. Pretty lofty company you keep Chevy.

The Maxx also features a pretty comprehensive driver information center (DIC), which also integrates into the audio systems display. You can personalize warning messages if youre so inclined, including such detailed “emergencies” as low key-fob battery life. While hardly threatening to life and limb this would definitely be handy. On a more safety conscious note, the system also provides notice of icy road conditions plus engine oil change recommendation info, just three messages among a total of fifteen. Optional equipment includes XM satellite radio, OnStar communication and most important in colder climes, heated front seats.

I guess that fact that Im not exactly “Mr. Environmentally Conscious” allows me to really like GMs remote start option. I mean I
recycle and all that but Im hardly chained to an old-growth Douglas fir on weekends. Why does the remote start pose environmental concerns? One of the worst things we can do, from an automotive standpoint, is leave a car idling for long periods of time. While the Malibu will shut off after five minutes if the key is not slid into the ignition, its still not the greenest technology to come along in recent years. But if you live in the prairies, where in mid-winter you dont dare venture out without an emergency hypothermia blanket tucked into your glovebox, the remote start is a Godsend. Depending on how you left the HVAC system, either set up to heat or cool, it works at up to a 200 foot range.

On the safety front, the Maxx offers dual-stage front and optional head-curtain side-impact airbags, 3-point shoulder belts at all seating positions, front seatbelt pretensioners, the LATCH child safety anchor and tethering system, 4-wheel ABS equipped discs and traction control as standard equipment - an impressive list of goodies.

Other standard equipment includes a power driver seat that also adjusts for height, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and power adjustable brake and accelerator pedals. I personally have no use for power adjustable pedals, but Ive met some height challenged people that Im certain make full use of them.

After a week with the new Maxx I have to say Im pretty impressed. It offers a lot for what seems like a pretty decent price. Its a lot “cooler” than the 4-door Malibu, reinforced with items like the 5-spoke 17-inch rims, rear glass sunroof and 5-door configuration. As for price, the base LS starts at $21,600 which seems pretty reasonable until stacked up beside another new 5-door, Dodges ultra-hot rear-drive Magnum that starts out at $21,870. Still, the base Magnum is a bit of a slug compared to the Maxx, and offers fewer features. My LT tester started out at $24,100, but if all options were added on the price could potentially climb to $27,355. While not outrageous by any means, it does come mighty close to a Magnum RT priced at $29,370, which if you havent already been informed includes the already legendary (albeit through some pretty slick marketing) modern-day 5.7-liter HEMI V8, that puts out just 140 additional horsepower and 170 more lb-ft of torque than the Maxx, albeit at a fuel economy disadvantage despite its sophisticated cylinder deactivation system. The Magnum RT comes pretty loaded at that price too, and considering its Mercedes E-Class derived components is an impressive value.

But other than the Dodge sport wagon, or sport tourer as they like to call it, theres not much to compete with the Maxx in this market. Probably the most obvious is the Mazda6 5-door or wagon, the latter my favorite of the 6 family that also includes a 4-door sedan. Its a real jewel of a midsize entry, truly sporty, with a gorgeous interior and even nicer exterior styling, that starts off for a reasonable $22,525 with a powerful V6 and 5-speed manual-shift automatic gearbox included. Almost ready to bow out of the category is Fords Taurus wagon. At about the same base price, $21,765, its hardly cool but highly functional. Subaru also has a Legacy wagon thats worth looking at, but in 6-cylinder form and with anywhere near the Maxxs features youll be paying a heck of a lot more.

Ditto for the Volkswagen Passat wagon, really nice but really pricey. Theres a bunch of compact 5-doors available too, but they dont directly compete in the Maxxs midsize market.

Factor in the price, performance and upscale features that come standard on Chevys Malibu Maxx and its extremely competitive. Its styling may turn off some but nevertheless is completely original in the midsize class, which to a great deal of prospective customers bored with the same old, same old, will be a positive attribute. An even stronger selling point will be interior seating and cargo flexibility, where it wins hands down over its rivals.

But lastly, Chevy has one card up its sleeve that will be sure to woo fence-sitters, the highest ranked placement in the 2004 J. D. Powers and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) in the Entry Midsize Car category. While the study surveys owners of 2001 model year cars, which in the case of the Malibu was an entirely different generation, its a good indication of potential reliability, especially when factoring in that the Malibu won the award in the 2003 VDS as well. Backing up the VDS test, the new Malibu rated in 3rd place in the Entry Midsize Car category in the same analyst firms 2004 Initial Quality Study (IQS), beat out by another GM product, the soon to be defunct Oldsmobile Alero which came in 2nd, and the Hyundai Sonata that placed 1st. The two previous years prior, when the Malibu was still in its previous generation, it won the category outright, which shows that the first-year model is most likely going through some teething pains.

Chevrolet as a brand just squeaked into 16th place out of 37 nameplates for a better-than-average ranking - the average being between 16 and 17 places. The story gets repeated for this years Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI), which placed Chevrolet just ahead of the industry average, at 21 out of 39 nameplates. What does all this mean? Chevy, and especially the Malibu model, whether in 4-door sedan or 5-door Maxx trim, are pretty good bets for reliability and general satisfaction. In the end, its worth a serious look.