Used 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx LT 4dr Hatchback (3.5L 6cyl 4A) Consumer Reviews
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12 yrs and still going strong
Paul, Idaho Falls, ID, 08/21/2015
updated 08/25/2017
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx LT 4dr Hatchback (3.5L 6cyl 4A)
29 of 30 people found this review helpful
We bought this Mailibu Maxx in August of 2005 and the only issues have been with the steering and one tierod joint. GM made good on the steering issue and beyond that it has been a rock solid vehicle. The gas mileage is always around 24-26 MPG. The V-6 engine gives this car the power to really get up to speed fast and is smooth and quiet. The hatch back design makes for a real hauler of just about everything you can imagine and with the rear seat down we used it as our ski car for years. It has great traction in snow and ice. We now have about 85,000 miles and the only thing besides the steering issue that was taken care of by GM is we replaced the battery. Not bad for 10 years of service. My only complaint is the amount of road noise when on the freeway. They could have done a better job of noise isolation. My only regret is they don't make this car anymore. I would like to find something like this other than a Cadillac CT-S that has all the features and functions of this wonderful car. We found this car to be a real value when we bought it and looking at the prices of used Maxx's they have held up over time. The 3500 V6 is a lot of power in a car this size. You can't help but be impressed. Also, it handles the curves and hills quite well. I hope GM will eventually bring this car back we have tried newer cars like the Subaru Outback and found it lacking in power and acceleration we are used to with our Chevy Maxx. update 2-23-2017: We have now had our Maxx for nearly 12 years and over 100k miles. I just put my second set of tires, replaced the brakes, spark plugs and wires, and drained and replace transmission filter (scheduled maintenance items). This car gets garaged every day and washed regularly with that said the paint, a metallic champagne green still looks like new. We have had no mechanical surprises with this car. It gets great mileage at around 24-26 mpg on a regular basis. My wife loves this car with its hatchback for all the things she transports for her church. She also has to child protective seats installed in the rear seat as she babysits our grand kids 3 days each week. We really like the power of the V-6 engine and would not consider a new Malibu unless it has the V-6 option. Mpg is one thing but under-powered is not something I would consider. All in all, we are still very happy with the decision to buy this car. update: August 2017... The CD changer quit working a couple of weeks ago. Found a factory new radio on ebay delivered to my door for $118. Now all I have to do is either install it myself or hire it done. The whole dash has to come apart in order to change out the radio. I t appears to be pretty straight forward but will take some time. Other than the radio issue the car remains rock solid.
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maximum contentment
webber1, 05/06/2014
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx LT 4dr Hatchback (3.5L 6cyl 4A)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Have had many cars and makes over the years. The Malibu Maxx is one of the best I've owned (into my sixth year with 80K). Normal maintenace only, couple of wheel bearings, tie rod, ball joints, new steering rack and tail light assembly. Car is into its ninth year and still drives and looks great. (I have treated it with rust proofing every other year) Would consider moving up except there is nothing out there to replace it, so I keep driving this one of a kind car and loving it still.
Not total happy with my Maxx
laurie28, Atlanta, GA, 05/09/2014
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx LT 4dr Hatchback (3.5L 6cyl 4A)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
I bought my Maxx in late 2004. Steering issues every year. GM kept replacing steering. Finally used a "redesigned" component that solved the problems. Tire rods replaced. Recently had loss of power steering. started working after I stopped the car. Chevy will not check it out at no charge. New brakes after 1200 miles. Back seat lever broke off. Driver seat power adjustments broke. Remote start quit working. Key fobs with new batteries still won't open or lock doors. Hatch back won't open and when to Chevy 3 times to get it fixed. One thing. Great handling and acceleration!! I won't buy another GM vehicle. Ever.
Perfect Compromise
Mark, Overland Park, KS, 12/18/2018
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx LT 4dr Hatchback (3.5L 6cyl 4A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
The perfect compromise: the car that is the jack of all vehicle types. I get 24 mpg in my suburban area, but it has decent pick up when I step on the gas. The cargo allows 10' boards to be stored when the seats are laid down and put between the driver and passenger. The front wheel drive does well in the snow. This car is also very easy to work on. With a basic set of metric wrenches and sockets I have done all the general maintenance and changed rotors and pads for the brakes. Now the bad part; the car makes a vibrating noise from loose trim at high speeds, the ac vents are cheap plastic and don't work well, when you floor it the torque steer locks the steering wheel and sets off the powersteering alert. Another problem is the daytime running lights literally melt the lamps on to the bulbs. Although it has these problems I love this car. It is the perfect compromise.
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MAXX vs PRIUS
MAXX, 12/03/2004
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx LT 4dr Hatchback (3.5L 6cyl 4A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I did my extensive homework on the Malibu Maxx LT, Civic and Prius hybrids. I test drove them all. I was fighting the fuel economy thing so you would think one of the two hybrids would win me over, well for the power, safety, standard features, and available options, the Malibu kept on winning me over. The 2005 model has all the safty features my family needs, and rear DVD, adjustable foot pedals, sunroof, moonroof, reclining rear seats, remote auto start, XM Radio, On-Star, and of course the great fuel economy. The sticker on this car said 22 city/30 hwy, but I feel like I am getting at least that. That is good compared to the price and options on the other two.
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