Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
Chevy's Subaru |
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By Richard J. Newman
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Nits: No roof rack is available, an oversight for a car designed to be a flexible hauler.
G forces: The Maxx starts out more upscale than the basic sedan. Instead of the entry-level four-cylinder engine, the two available versions of the Maxx come with a 201-horsepower V-6, competent and crisp. The automatic transmission is a four-speed, not quite as slick as the five-speed in the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, but most drivers won't notice the difference. The Maxx isn't quite sporty on curves, but it's not disappointing either.
Gizmology: Lots of handy features come standard, like a shelf in the cargo area and three power outlets. Light from the two skylights over the back seat open up the cabin a touch. One turnoff is a plasticky interior, with flimsy-feeling manual seat handles, for instance. But the basic audio and climate controls are solid, if unremarkable. The functional dash layout neither intrigues nor disappoints.
Kidmarks: The Maxx is a nice family car. The sliding and reclining rear seats are handy for kids and grown-ups alike. Unlike some SUVs, the Maxx rests at an easy height for little legs. The back seat has a center console with cupholders and a small storage tray. Another touch parents will appreciate: straps around the seat belt receptacles that keep them from getting lost between the seat cushions, and make them easier for kids to locate.
Hot or Not: Hot. The stubby shape won't please the whole crowd, but it is distinctive.
Envirometer: The EPA rates the Maxx about average for air pollution and above average for greenhouse gas emissions. Mileage ranges from 22 mpg/city to 30 mpg/highway. Details are at www.fueleconomy.gov.
Crash course: The government hasn't crash tested the Maxx. The structurally similar Malibu sedan earns 10 stars out of 10 on the government's frontal crash test, and nine out of 10 on the side-impact test. Rollover resistance rating was four stars out of five. The government did have an unusual safety concern about the results of its side-impact test. For info, go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Price points: Base sticker prices range from $21,950 to $25,380. Sticker price as tested: $24,240. (Prices include delivery fees)
More info: www.chevrolet.com
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Model year tested: 2005
Funny thing: When I drove the 2005 Chevy Malibu sedan for a week, I felt completely anonymous, attracting virtually no unusual attention. A week with the Malibu wagon was a much more interactive experience. Strangers stopped to ask how I liked the Maxx, as Chevy calls the five-door version of its workhorse sedan. Friends and relatives climbed inside to check it out and even popped the hood for a look at the innards. It felt like a week of show and tell.
Maybe better advertising or publicity explains the enhanced public interest in the Maxx. But unlike most variants of basic sedans, the Maxx really does differ significantly from the original. While the engine, chassis, and mechanical parts are the same as the mainline Malibu, the interior has lots of clever innovations useful for families or adventurers or both. The back seat reclines in two sections, ideal for kids' naps. And the seats slide forward as much as 7 inches, which can help scoot a baby in a car seat closer to the parents in the front, or create extra cargo space in the rear. The front passenger seat folds flat, for use as a small work or play space, or to help fit long items like building materials. The Maxx's raised storage area gives the car an odd shape, boxy and blunt, which some will embrace and some will reject. But love it or hate it, the Maxx achieves a kind of Subaru factor: It looks like a car owned by people with active, unpretentious lives. Chevy could use this kind of image boost.
I loaded down the Maxx for a trip to the beach, with two kids in the back and a horde of gear in the trunk. The Maxx's flexible storage options helped keep everybody comfortable–and allowed us to drag along way more stuff than we needed. The Maxx was also a cool car to have at the beach. In an environment where lots of people were trying to show off–be it their bod, their pad, or their car–the Maxx seemed to fit in among the likes of Volvo wagons and trendy SUVs. All this for an asking price of about $24,000, which on the test car included a few convenience options and a DVD system that helped sedate my kids on a five-hour drive. Plus, I could have fit a surfboard inside if I wanted to. Not that I did. But the capability made this suburban dad feel thankful not to be poking around in an ordinary sedan.
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