Malibu Wins Car of the Year
By Bob Lutz
GM Vice Chairman
Moments ago, the North American Car & Truck of the Year were announced at the North American International Auto Show here in Detroit. I’m proud and pleased to tell you that the Chevy Malibu just won Car of the Year.
46 independent expert jurors – men and women who review automobiles for a living – judged the Malibu to be the best car available in North America. That’s honor enough, but then you have to remember that GM swept the awards last year with the Saturn Aura and Chevy Silverado. We’ve now won three of the past four awards handed out by this jury. I can’t tell you how gratifying it is to get this kind of validation from the experts – it’s proof that our efforts to bring the best cars and trucks on the planet to market are paying off.
We told you we were going to make the new Malibu the best mid-size sedan on the market — one that wouldn’t just be “as good” as the competition, but would be better than the competition. Well, we’ve done it; critics and consumers have been saying so since the Malibu was launched in the fall, and now the NACTOY jury has agreed.
And speaking of the competition, congratulations to Mazda on the CX-9, a fine vehicle that won North American Truck of the Year honors.
More details to come, but I wanted to share the good news with you while it’s hot.
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I say “honorable mention” to the Buick Enclave, for being nominated for “NA Truck of the Year.” Buick: the bold and the beautiful.
Can’t believe the Enclave Didn’t get it. Hope the CTS Gets something.
I test drove a Malibu a couple of days ago. I purposefully chose a four cylinder model just so I could get a good feel of the chassis (without extra weight and doodads of the v6 models). Folks, this is a great car. The thing is solid as a rock. I know it has been said about other products, but this car is going to save the corporation.
Congratulations! It deserved to win because the engineers paid attention to details. But you need to quickly do something about Equinox too as it shares the same brand name with Malibu and it represents a critical vehicle class. I drove Equinox over the holidays for a week. It has obvious ergonomics flaws that could easily be fixed (e.g. wide blind spots created by A pillar, blinding driver overhead light that is turned on from the back seat, sharp edges on dashboard as it reaches the window, cushiony seats, shiny PRDL etching that becomes invisible, small LED lights for odometer, tachometer dial as prominent as the speedometer dial for a car that does not really need a tachometer, etc.) Looks like the Malibu team should help the folks that are working on the next generation Equinox.
Umm, cigar smokin’, stock sellin’, helicopter flyin’, favorite GM executive of mine?
It was 45 indy journalists…and they all got it wrong on Truck of the Year.
Just sayin’
Mr. Lutz: Congratulations on the Malibu win.
Now it’s time to take the Malibu global and build on the initial success the Chevrolet brand has enjoyed in the markets it has recently been introduced into. Granted the Chevrolet brand has had a good start, but the lineup needs a strong car like the Malibu for future growth.
Let buyers in Brazil, Russia, India and China enjoy the great styling and driving dynamics of the Malibu, and I think the Malibu can improve European sales over the slow selling Epica.
I also think the Impala would do well in China along with the HHR, next gen Cobalt and the upcoming Traverse.
Congratulations Bob,
Hay look you are doing it just like you always dreamed.
Love the two tone interiors keep that up, and keep up the good work.
Welcome back the the head of the class in the family sedan classroom.
Where you been? I know hanging out in the back of the class with the casual folk.
Now you show up on time, in a suit and tie, got your homework done, scored the highest in the class on your last test.
Bottom line…
You see GM jump to the head of the class like that?
Congrats, Bob. The new Malibu looks like a great car. If this one doesn’t leap out of the gate, something’s wrong.
On another note, let’s bring the razor sharp CTS styling to–ta da–Pontiac. A round bathtub shape just won’t fit its image. As nice as the new G8 is, I’d like to see it have more of the “sheer look,” really tighten up the body.
How about a new Fiero?!
Personally, I woulda picked the CTS and Enclave as the winners, but really all the finalists plus some were more than deserving of the win. Certainly a great year from many manufacturers, GM included. Congrats.
I have an interesting story to share regarding the Malibu. This weekend me and my wife visited some friends in San Francisco. I’m 30 and the couple we visited were quite a bit younger. She’s 22 and he’s 25. Anyhow, she drives a 2003 Honda Civic. Somehow the conversation fell into my favorite topic- cars. She actually mentioned that she really liked the new Malibu’s styling per the number of commercials she had seen.
So there you have it- A younger person, living in a highly import-happy city with a Honda that liked the Malibu. Something tells me that GM did a terrific job with targeting this car towards the kind of consumer that needs to be bowled over.
I went and looked at a Malibu a few weeks ago. The quality id by far 200% better than the model it replaced. The award is well-deserved.
The CTS was also deserving but at least the Honda didnt win. The award would’ve lost all credibility if the Accord had won because there is nothing newsworthy about that car.
I wish the Enclave had won but you cant win them all. 50% of the award bounty isn’t too bad. I’ve seen about 5-6 Malibu’s on the road so far and they look premium in appearance. Especially the black LTZ I saw- looked like an Acura.
Congratulations!
Congrats to the new ‘Bu and the fine showing GM is making.
Recognizing that future product plans cannot be discussed, may I encourage the return of a Maxx or wagon varient, please. The Maxx excelled in cargo access, as well as back seat space. My rule is, ‘If it fits in the Maxx, take the Maxx.’ Doing so has saved me countless miles (and gallons) versus my 2500 Suburban. A sedan, for me, is far less useful.
Furthermore, one feature I would like to see return is the flat-folding front passenger seat; this has proven most beneficial! And while I’m at it, a 6-speed manual transaxle would be the icing on the cake.
As others here, congratulations for the win. The new Malibu really looks great and if impacted the midsize cathegory by the point of shadowing completely the Accord in the NCOTY, maybe in 2008 we can see it going at least in the top-10 sellers. A good product to do this you got.
And for the Equinox, maybe the solution is outside: the Captiva, sold worldwide. Seats seven, is more attractive and better finished. It also has a strong resemblance with the new Malibu, so it would only contribute in fixing a Chevrolet identity in the US. Maybe the only thing to do is make all this beauty on the same wheelbase of the Equinox, which I think it isn’t so difficult to do. And also the 3rd-row passengers would thank if well executed.
Congratulations on the Malibu win. My first car was a 1971 Chevrolet Malibu. Very different cars, but it’s nice to see the Malibu name on a desirable car again.
Will the new Malibu be available as a flexible fuel vehicle? I like the idea of owning a car that could run on Ethanol or Methanol, but FFV choices available now are mostly rental/fleet class cars and full size trucks.
Great car! I have NEVER seen one on the road! Plenty on the dealers lots though!! Nuff said!!!
BTW: After “Americans” see the Hyundai Genisis for under 30K you can bet that GM will fall below even Hyundai!! Sad but true!!
My aim is NOT to disparage GM, on the contrary, it is to show the blind HATRED that “Americans” show for ANYTHING made here in the U.S.A.!! Can anybody explain this to me?
I test drove a Malibu LTZ a few weeks ago. For once, the styling, fit and finish lives up to the PR hype along with great performance. I couldn’t believe how small the panel gaps were both inside and out. In my opinion, this car easily competes on an equal footing with the Camary and Accord, and far surpasses the Sonata.
For the LTZ, please add two driver memory function, at least as an option. Also, the Chevy website shows the accent color on the rear door panel, but the LTZ I drove had a solid black rear door panel. It’s a small, but an important detail for the top-line model that shouldn’t be removed by the bean counters.
At my local dealership they can not get enough. The car sells as fast as they get them. It possible they’ll lose sales to Honda or Toyota if that continues.
Good show Mr Lutz.
But now go one step further and give us the option of buying a hatchback or station wagon version of the Malibu.
As the pendulum swings away from SUVs, car buyers will still want a car that actually has some utility and that they can use to haul home a few bags of fertilizer on Saturday morning, or even some lumber from Home Depot.
The best move you could make for the environment is to get people out of SUVs. Give us a Malibu option that will do just that.
As PositiveAboutGM said above, also give us the option of folding flat the right-side front pax seat to make a Malibu hatchback an even better hauler.
I also second his request for a manual transmission.
…and if you ever get to where we can order one with a turbocharged diesel engine, you’ll really be cooking.
V/R
Gary Dikkers
This is a superb automobile.
Bob:
Congratulations on the award for the Malibu–well deserved in my opinion. Keep this momentum going with your future products and don’t get discouraged if sales and profits are lagging behind right now in the industry. Keep up the good work, and the sales and profits will eventually follow.
Again, nice job!
Congratulations, Bob and GM, on the new Malibu and the NACOTY award. It’s well-deserved. I have stopped in to look at the Malibu at my local SF Bay Area dealer and I was very impressed by the fit-and-finish and materials quality. And the four-cylinder engine runs smoothly and quietly. Great job. The only problem I’m having here is that they aren’t lasting long on dealer lots. There was a red 2LT and a dark grey 1LT I saw when driving by my local dealer, and when I stopped in to see them a couple of days later, they were sold and gone. A good problem for GM to have, but having more available for the buying public is nice, too. When GM products are disappearing fast in the Bay Area, you know you have a winner on your hands.
The Aura won COTY in 2007 and it was a big sales flop. The Malibu will probably flop too. Americans just don’t like the Epilson based cars. Even the G6 is not selling up to the level of the Grand Am.
Awards mean little if sales aren’t there.
hello bob it is good news that GM will save $5,000 per vehicle by 2010. The Detroit Big Three should form an alliance with the German Big 3 (Daimler, BMW, Porsche-VW) in an EBT(Everyone But Toyota) alliance to develop BEV, PHEV, two-hybrid, clean diesel, lightweight materials etc. Together you can also negotiate huge discount for aluminum from Alcoa or magnesium from other producers. Economies of scale will yield cost savings.
Bob, Lutz, good stuff. Just a couple of comments put the hhr on the mailibu chasis. motre room. It could replace the uplander then. the hhr is great but needs the next step up.
I am the proud owner of the 07 north American car of the year, the Saturn Aura. I must say it is quite an accomplishment for a company to win the same award now a second year in a row based on the same platform. All of you at GM should be proud, as I am. It truely is a great platform, and two great cars.
Mr. Lutz,
I have heard that the Northstar replacement and the RWD Impala have been canceled due to the new CAFE regulations. In my opinion if Mercedes-Benz and BMW have both V8 and V12 engines and Lexus and Infiniti have V8 engines then Cadillac needs a V8 to compete. Also, General Motors can make an efficient RWD Impala. I have a 2001 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 SS convertible and can get 29 mpg on the highway. Direct fuel injection, variable displacement, and an aluminum driveshaft would improve on this. One of General Motors problems is having too many similar cars. Having a FWD Malibu and a RWD Impala will give Chevrolet good product differentiation. A FWD Impala will take sales away from Malibu like the FWD Buick Century and Regal took sales from each other.
David–I think I can answer your question as to why GM and other American car makers can do no right in the eyes of the American buying public. It’s call legacy.
GM spent years being run by the beancounters (who are still running the show–don’t let anyone tell you otherwise–in this day of billion dollar losses every quarter), and they didn’t give a dang about building quality cars. After a while, we just got tired of our friends telling us how reliable their Toyotas and VWs and BMWs were, while our Cadillacs were dying six months out of the showroom.
Would I buy another Chevy at this point–even a new Malibu? Nope. I simply don’t like it very much. It still feels cheap and slapped together. I fear I could drive it for 3 months and it will have a total breakdown with only 400 miles on the odometer (after all, under the hood, not much is new; it’s still a so-so engine).
These journalists don’t drive these cars for many months. They look and test drive, but they aren’t driving in real world situations. So I’m not taking much stock this year (or any year) in what they say. They judge in a vacuum and we’re supposed to believe them? Not this child. I’ve been a journalist and a critic, and I know just what really goes on.
I’m sorry, but I think GM still has a long way to go before I believe it can build a quality car. Indeed, I think GM has a long way to go before I believe it has any commitment to quality (see my blog on the Saturn Green story to see the latest GM screw-up with a URL).
David–I believe Hyundai over GM (though I’ll never buy another Hyundai, either–nice but bland cars to drive). I believe Suzuki over GM. Remember, GM told us its quality was at its best–five years ago. GM told us since then it has a new commitment to quality because it wasn’t committed to quality (really?) five years, four, year, three, year, two years, and even one year ago. Bob Lutz seems to be a very nice and committed man. But he’s not running the factories or controlling the union workers. He’s not winning the battle with the Finance group. He’s trying to build good cars, but GM fights him every step of the way.
So David, that’s why we don’t believe anything GM says. It has lied to us before and it will lie to us again.
michael,
MT drive a Malibu for 11k miles in a matter of weeks and had ZERO mechanical problems. In addition most online and print magazines dolong term tests of various models to see how they hold up over the course of a year. You are not telling the truth. Edmunds.com currently has a 2007 Saturn Aura in its lineup and its had no mechanical problems after 11k+ miles on the odometer. You have nothing to add here. You are just another GM hater who feels compelled to try and derail their momentum because you are displeased with the positive press they have been generating lately. The public and press are slowly recognizing what they are doing even if you refuse to do so. You are fighting a losing battle and proving that we should ignore most of what you say.
When are GM dealers in the Buffalo New York area going to stop advertising fake low payments? Every ad touting very low lease payments include incentives most don’t get, including putting down $3 or $4,000 dollar, plus taxes to get to that low payment. Most people people $1000 down or less. It just seems the payment parade never ends.
My wift and I just got back from the NAIAS today and wanted to share this with Bob.
We compared a ton of mid-sized family sedans. I purposly put her in the Malibu, then took her immediatly to the Camery to gauge her reaction.
The new Malibu was her favorite!
This car isnt saving the company…Bob and his team are. Great Job!
I enjoy reading the comments but I seem to be the only one who actually owns a 2008 Malibu. I traded in my 1999 Malibu (which had given me zero problems, not to mention the great gas mileage) for the ‘08 when I saw the new body style. We were on a waiting list and when the call came that one had arrived we went and test drove a 4 cylinder and bought it that day! No regrets! It’s a super buy — the price was only slightly higher than it had been for the 1999. My husband and I really love this car!!
When I saw the 2008 Malibu at the State Fair of Texas Auto Show, back in October, I couldn’t believe this was a Chevrolet Malibu. Beautiful car. I sat in it and liked the way it looked and felt inside. Overall, it was the most impressive of all the cars in the show. As Zsa Zsa Gabor once said, “the first attraction is always visual. If you don’t like the way it looks, you’re not going any farther.” Well, I, and I think a lot of other people, are going to like the way the Malibu looks. I’m looking forward to it taking first place sales in the U.S. away from the Camry.
Congratualations, Bob! I test drove a 2008 Malibu at my state’s auto show back in November. I previously owned a 2005 Malibu and must say that the new version of the car is absolutely beautiful! The interior design is state of the art and the seat seems to hug you; they are just that comfortable. I purchased a 2007 Impala (which I am in love with!!) back in April, so I’m currently not in the market for a new car. But folks, if you are, please give the Malibu a test drive. You will be pleasantly surprised. Go Chevy!!!
Nothing comes close to a Honda Accord, nothing .. The rest is all eye wash