05-18-2015, 04:38 PM
We rented a Malibu to go to Florida so i figured i'd write a little something since i've never done one. I forgot to take a picture but it looked just like this
![[Image: 70637478.jpg]](http://images.gtcarlot.com/pictures/70637478.jpg)
Engine & trans: 2.4(?) 4cyl and i think its a regular 6 speed auto
It was pretty good actually. It was appropriate for what it was considering how big of a car it was pulling plus all of our luggage weight. It wasn't fast but i also wasn't complaining. At high speeds it maintains itself really well. I spend more time keeping the speed down than trying to stay up. The transmission RUINS it tho. Its a 6 speed auto that kind of feels like it was trying to mimic the way a cvt works. I don't know how to describe it, but you would accelerate and it would rev up to like 4k rpms and stay there, while the car kept increasing speed, then it would make an obvious switch into the next gear. I googled it and it doesn't say cvt so i have no idea. It was different. It shifted like a 90's honda too. My grandmas corolla has smoother shifts. It only had 9000 miles when we got it so i can't imagine how that trans is going to hold up with even 70k on it.
Size:
Perfect. For 4 people plus a big ass cooler, 3 suitcases it held us all well. No complaints here at all. It didn't feel oversized and cumbersome behind the wheel either. It felt safe and manageable. The steering was super sensitive which was just kind of annoying for highway driving actually. If you have to multitask in the least and your hand makes the slightest movement the car is like "left? you wanna go left? by two degrees? LETS DO TWENTY DEGREES! HELLO MEDIAN, WHATS GOOD MAH DUDE?!" The seats absolutely sucked. No support anywhere in either the front or back. We were all uncomfortable it was bad. The seats were leather/cloth combo and the cloth was hard i'm still asking myself if it was plastic or nah. The back seats were benches with the flattest most overused pillows as cushions.
Suspension:
Good! It rode firm but soft, I was very pleased, handled bumps in the road well. Not an unnecessary amount of body roll either. It was very comfortable. Weird fact, when driving behind it you can clearly see the control arms in the rear at work.
Other things:
It had the touch screen and cluster controls like the fords, that was cool. Nothing to really report, if you've them before its exactly the same in this. Oh! Gas mileage. It sucks. I've never seen something blow through half a tank as fast as this. This one also had the auto stop feature. So when you come to a stop (with the AC off) it'll shut the car down, off the brake, and car the cuts on. It was unusual but i don't think bad. I wouldn't mind it if it they figured out how to make it a smoother transition. You can very obviously feel the car shake and shut off and same for turn on. If you take your foot off the brake and press it again it'll just leave the car on for you and if you turn the AC on it'll also cut the car back on, same if you move the shifter.
Overall i think this car just needs a v6, a better trans, better seats, improved auto stop and it would be a bomb family sedan. Its not a bad car, I liked it a little but not enough to spend my money on it...or do 12 consecutive hours in those seats again haha.
Engine & trans: 2.4(?) 4cyl and i think its a regular 6 speed auto
It was pretty good actually. It was appropriate for what it was considering how big of a car it was pulling plus all of our luggage weight. It wasn't fast but i also wasn't complaining. At high speeds it maintains itself really well. I spend more time keeping the speed down than trying to stay up. The transmission RUINS it tho. Its a 6 speed auto that kind of feels like it was trying to mimic the way a cvt works. I don't know how to describe it, but you would accelerate and it would rev up to like 4k rpms and stay there, while the car kept increasing speed, then it would make an obvious switch into the next gear. I googled it and it doesn't say cvt so i have no idea. It was different. It shifted like a 90's honda too. My grandmas corolla has smoother shifts. It only had 9000 miles when we got it so i can't imagine how that trans is going to hold up with even 70k on it.
Size:
Perfect. For 4 people plus a big ass cooler, 3 suitcases it held us all well. No complaints here at all. It didn't feel oversized and cumbersome behind the wheel either. It felt safe and manageable. The steering was super sensitive which was just kind of annoying for highway driving actually. If you have to multitask in the least and your hand makes the slightest movement the car is like "left? you wanna go left? by two degrees? LETS DO TWENTY DEGREES! HELLO MEDIAN, WHATS GOOD MAH DUDE?!" The seats absolutely sucked. No support anywhere in either the front or back. We were all uncomfortable it was bad. The seats were leather/cloth combo and the cloth was hard i'm still asking myself if it was plastic or nah. The back seats were benches with the flattest most overused pillows as cushions.
Suspension:
Good! It rode firm but soft, I was very pleased, handled bumps in the road well. Not an unnecessary amount of body roll either. It was very comfortable. Weird fact, when driving behind it you can clearly see the control arms in the rear at work.
Other things:
It had the touch screen and cluster controls like the fords, that was cool. Nothing to really report, if you've them before its exactly the same in this. Oh! Gas mileage. It sucks. I've never seen something blow through half a tank as fast as this. This one also had the auto stop feature. So when you come to a stop (with the AC off) it'll shut the car down, off the brake, and car the cuts on. It was unusual but i don't think bad. I wouldn't mind it if it they figured out how to make it a smoother transition. You can very obviously feel the car shake and shut off and same for turn on. If you take your foot off the brake and press it again it'll just leave the car on for you and if you turn the AC on it'll also cut the car back on, same if you move the shifter.
Overall i think this car just needs a v6, a better trans, better seats, improved auto stop and it would be a bomb family sedan. Its not a bad car, I liked it a little but not enough to spend my money on it...or do 12 consecutive hours in those seats again haha.
2013 Honda Fit, 1991 Mazda Miata, Princess Blanca, Mystery, 1993 Volvo 940 - sold, 2003 Mazda Protoge5 - carmax'd, 1996 BMW 328is - sold, 1996 Honda Accord - sold