Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Safety, Chevrolet
2008 Malibu "good" in frontal offset crash test
click above image to view a new high-res gallery of the 2008 Chevy Malibu
Results of the first crash test of the new Chevy Malibu are in and they're good. After analyzing the results of tests conducted by GM, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says the car came out of the frontal offset crash with "good" in every category but one. An "acceptable" grade was given in the leg/foot right category because "Forces on the right tibia indicate that injuries to the lower leg would be possible." It's an improvement over the previous model, which got two "acceptables." We'll have to wait and see if the ratings hold up when IIHS crashes the new 'Bu in its independent test regimen.
In any case, it's a good, safe start for Chevy's new mid-size sedan and we look forward to seeing its performance in side and rear impact tests.
[Source: IIHS]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
HD 9:44AM (11/14/2007)
Does anyone else dislike the look of most new Chevy cars? The big gold bowtie medallion and grill openings are not working for me. Come on GM designers...put some thought into the details. Show some signs of refinement as you evolve you product lines in this area. Otherwise, the body shape is improved and somewhat attractive.
Well...at least it was built to take a hit. I can commend them for that.
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HD 9:53AM (11/14/2007)
I meant to say "the front (grill area) of most new Chevy cars". That's what I dislike.
upirons 9:53AM (11/14/2007)
To me the car looks a bit like a Volkswagen Jetta but then you see that grille and you know it's a Chevy. The grille is really the only thing that lets you know its a domestic car. Good or bad I guess.
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VP 10:01AM (11/14/2007)
It has to be good that it looks like a Euro car right? It seems that these days the perception is firmly rooted in many people's mind that a car is worthless piece of junk unless it comes from either Japan or Europe.
k.w.a 10:07AM (11/14/2007)
VP,
that may be the perception, but it's not like they came from nowhere. Japanese cars have quality (Toyota, Honda) and Euro cars have the looks (BMW Jaguar, Mercedes)
There's hasn't been a positive "claim to fame" for american cars in quite some time; only the truck segments have done really well in recent history . so if an american car wants to shine above the rest, it'll have to have Quality that trumps toyota, and freshness that emulates a European design
FThorn 10:32AM (11/14/2007)
That's funny. Euro cars are good looking. They are some of the oddest looking cars today. Hardly any of them are attractive.
BLS 10:42AM (11/14/2007)
FThorn
I agree with you. The European cars we have in the US are not amazing looking. Like you said they look odd. My dad told me he thinks the new Accord looks like a more expensive car, he compared it to Audi.
I agree it looks like a more expensive car, but not in a good way. It has all kinds of expensive car looking character lines and maybe in profile but I do not see a coherent design.
The Altima looks like a more expensive car in a good way as does this car (Malibu) and to a lesser extent the Aura.
It will be interesting to see what happens to the Impala now that this car is almost as big and better looking. Impala has done very well for a car that is an extension of the Lumina.
Tool 10:20AM (11/14/2007)
It's great that the new Malibu is getting such high marks from 3rd parties. The buzz on this new product is very strong and is backed up with a pretty good marketing campaign.
The new Malibu is a terrific looking vehicle. I actually stopped at a Chevrolet dealer to look at one. They only had one and it was already sold. Looked pretty nice; great presence and what-appears-to-be good build quality.
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alero3 10:42AM (11/14/2007)
I too went to see the new Malibu. A neon streaming sign said "Drive the NEW Malibu" etc. In the show room there were none but the salesman said "it" was out for a test drive. I waited 20 minutes then was told that he was mistaken and it was in the garage. I was disappointed in the look and interior compared to the months of hype. The salesman knew nothing about the car except that it was a "4" I was told that the V6 I wanted to drive would be in in 6 weeks. No other customer entered the showroom in an hour.
I went to see the new Accord to compare..too large for me but the showroom was full of cusomers signing deals.
GM has a difficult road ahead and it would not surprise me if Malibu sales are lower than expected. There is too much wrong with GM marketing from spending millions in advertising and then having the dealer with one lonely Malibu to see .... and so on...
SGV 10:22AM (11/14/2007)
The Malibu is an impressive effort by Chevy that is cursed with the ugliest designed and most absurd looking rear end in the history of the modern automobile.
I guess it should get "outstanding" in rear end collision test because quite frankly, who would ever want to collide with such an horrendous rear end?
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Tool 10:43AM (11/14/2007)
Good point. The new Malibu looks great from every angle except the rear.
It seems like the design team lost steam and just slapped together something that would work. But this is also the case for many otherwise terrific vehicles. The Chrysler 300C, for example.
SGV 10:47AM (11/14/2007)
I know. But the biggest fault in the 300's rear design is lack of imagination while in the Malibu case I can't even think why they did like they did. Is a nasty poison pill that butt. Disgraceful.
RobZ4 10:46AM (11/14/2007)
I am happy to see the good results of this crash test and I hope this will help GM bring in more customers to look at this car. Go Chevy !!
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levent 11:13AM (11/14/2007)
when scion got all good and one average headline said it got average, good. when malibu got all good and one average headline says malibu got good rating. why is that?
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S 12:37PM (11/14/2007)
Yay, so the Malibu earned the same score as everyone else.
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