By John Davis, Host of MotorWeek
(Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM)

by John Davis

By now you have probably seen the newspaper, magazine and television ads proclaiming the all-new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is "...the car you can't ignore." While it's easy to dismiss such new car hype, this time the Chevy boasts are right on target.

The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is perhaps the best mid-size family car a Detroit automaker has ever fielded. In most ways the Malibu is either comparable or superior to sales leaders Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. With its upscale looks and quality, and excellent all-round performance, including a thrifty hybrid model, the four-door Malibu just might make Chevrolet a genuine family car stalwart once again.

The new Malibu shares its Epsilon front-wheel drive architecture with the award-winning Saturn Aura. Malibu's sophisticated and forceful appearance will turn heads. Contemporary headlamps flank Chevy truck-inspired two-tiered grille. The Malibu's flowing profile includes long rear doors and a decidedly European influence, while the stubby rear deck and round taillights loosely echo the Chevrolet Corvette.

The Malibu features all twin-cam power, starting with a 169-horsepower 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine. Optional is the Aura's 252 horsepower 3.6-liter V6. The Malibu Hybrid uses the same mild-hybrid 4-cylinder gasoline-electric motor drivetrain found in the Aura Green Line Hybrid. Government fuel economy ratings are 24 MPG City and 32 MPG Highway.

During our first drive in the Malibu we were impressed with its extremely competent feel. The compliant all-independent suspension offered an agile drive without compromising comfort. ABS brakes, stability and traction control are all standard. But it is inside where you will find the biggest changes and revelations in the new Malibu. No longer looking like a rental car, the spacious cabin has a sweeping twin-cockpit theme with the same attention to quality and detail as other recent GM efforts such as the new Cadillac CTS.

Premium standards include noise reducing laminated "quiet glass," OnStar, and a compliment of six airbags. For a complete review of the impressive new Malibu, be sure to catch MotorWeek's road test on Saturday, February 16 at 8:00 AM.

Domestic brands let their dominance in passenger cars slip away over decades of offering uncompetitive designs, while putting too much emphasis on trucks and SUV's. Finally, Detroit is taking cars seriously again. The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is the latest and best evidence yet of that welcomed new attention.