http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/ Autoblog Comments for Consumer Reports (mostly) hearts new Malibu http://www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
The domestics made, on average, medoicre cars for a long time. That's changing. Hopefully fans of thiers can lose the chip on their collective shoulders as well.

]]>Feb 1st 2008 1:37PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/Feb 1st 2008 1:37PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/Feb 1st 2008 1:42PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/Feb 1st 2008 1:49PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/]]>Feb 1st 2008 1:53PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
I think you have to get there through the "Cars A to Z" link, or something like that.]]>Feb 1st 2008 1:55PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/Feb 1st 2008 2:01PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
GM's best move with it was creating an interior wwith actual style and offering it in interesting combinations for those who want them instead of just grey or barf beige. The Fusion isn't comparable and Ford's badly designed corporate headunit and switchgear make it look awful.

The actual quality of the materials is comparable to the competition but it won't impress people acustomed to European luxury cars. It's got some shiny hollow stuff that's par for the course in family cars both American and Japanese.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:07PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
Of course, if you're the slightest bit critical of an American car then, instead of just observing simple fact, you're automatically labeled somebody who hates all American vehicles and probably put on the Homeland Security watch list...

Consumer Reports tried very hard to find things about it they liked because nobody likes to hear how the Accord and Camry are consistently at the top- but they're there for a reason. Sorry. This Malibu is cheap and ugly. It's better than previous generations, but it's still not a very appropriate McHonda and Toyota fighter. As for the Altima... maybe- and only on the inside.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:08PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/Feb 1st 2008 2:16PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
Only a tool could love a tool like the camry or accord.
and we should respect someone, reputedly an automotive fan, who cannot spell engine?

accord doesnt even play in midsize market since it bloated into the large car arena. interested how it compares against the competition there. a 4cyl Accord against the Taurus?

camry has definitely become the car for aging baby boomers and up. not necessarily a bad thing. it does what it purports to do very well. its just never going to be a car that inspires anyone. its an appliance.

nissan is definitely the sports car of the group.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:18PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
geo.stewart, excuse my typo, I am imperfect. I can see you might be as well, considering numerous capitalization errors in your comment. Moving on, I do not love the Camry and Accord. They are better than the Malibu, however. It is that simple.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:24PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
If you want to help your economy, you buy where the operating and production costs go, not where the profit does. If a Toyota is built in your home state, the costs of producing that go to local workers and suppliers. The jobs that the factory and it's suppliers, plus the ripple effect into local business (where workers spend their paycheques) and local tax coffers (which bankroll your community) is what matters.

Not the tiny sliver of profit that goes back to Japan. The "where the profit goes" mantra is one of the greatest snowjobs that American auto execs ever pulled on their fanbase. Do you, the small guy, ever see these profits?
No, they go right into bonuses, dividends, head office costs and R&D, regardless of country of origin.

If the bulk of the cost of a Ford Fusion goes to benefit the citizens of Hermosillo, Mexico and the profit goes to Ford executives in Dearborn and Ford shareholders, what good does that do you? If a Toyota Camry, built in Kentucky, sees the bulk of it's costs go to workers in Kentucky, you can bet that it's going to have a more postive effect on you, especially if you live there, despite the 5% of the cars total price that went to some rich guys in Toyota City, Japan.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:33PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
What struck me sitting in several new GM cars is the uniformity of design. Dark plastic dash, smattering of woodgrain, chrome rings around the dials, broad swaths of psudo-metallic trim and some shiny bits spread around. After looking at the new CTS, Lucerne, Silverado and Malibu I began to loose track of which one I was in. If I had only looked at one it would have been great, but after looking at all of them it was a bit formulaic, almost mundane.

Then again my taste might be out in left field. I like the simplicity of the interior in my Magnum RT and dislike the busy dash design of my dad's Acura TL. Personal taste I suppose.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:39PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/Feb 1st 2008 2:51PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/For you import biased folks lets not forget the Toyota engine sludge problems, or the Honda automatics in the honda van and early v/6 accords. They all make a few bad ones. The main difference seems to be Honda and Toyota try to make it the best they can all the time, where as with previous NA manufacturers the company seems to say lets see how bad we can make and and still have people buy it.
On the other hand we have Honda and Toyota to thank for the great new mailibu, it is these benchmarks
for quailty relability that have changed the automotive indusrty.Good competition is the best motivator for improved quality.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:52PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
psarhjinian, wow, I should do some more research, and check into this, and check up on what you are saying. What are you using as a basis.]]>Feb 1st 2008 2:57PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/

LMFAO. 0/10 for trolling.]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:07PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/
And it sucks that replies are broken.]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:12PMhttp://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/01/consumer-reports-mostly-hearts-new-malibu/Nail - head. Whack. Nice summary!]]>Feb 1st 2008 3:31PM