Used 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Consumer Reviews
LT: Great Value
Had LT since Oct 04. My main concern in choosing the LT over Camry and Accord was quality. So far, my concerns were unwarranted. You get a lot more for less money than you do with Camry or Accord. Especially like ABS brakes included. Like the ability to fold front and back seats. Gas mileage is 30+ on highway. I like the styling of the car and the brushed leather seats add a nice touch of elegance.
SUV to Car
I went in looking for another truck or SUV and came away with this great car. I think a lot of people once they see the new Malibu are going to jump on this hot little band wagon!
Malibu LS V-6
The car is really peppy with the V-6. Absolutely LOVE the remote start feature on the cold winter mornings.
2004 MALIBU VIEW
COMFORTABLE CAR FOR ME TO DRIVE TO WORK, 35 MILES ONE WAY. PLENTY OF POWER TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. QUIET CABIN FOR A CAR PRICED UNDER $20,000, MANY STANDARD FEATURES FOR THE PRICE TOO. MY FUEL USE HAS BEEN GOOD, 34 MPG WITH AC ON. THE DEALER HAD TO TURN THE FRONT ROTORS AT 3000 MILES DUE TO A VIBRATION IN THE BRAKES.
Best Ever
This is my best new car ever. It looks great,handles great,lots of power. Other people love the looks of it.the only change I would make-leather interior on the next one.
Malibu.......Reliable Fiamily Car?
I had my malibu for a month before i traded it in for more than perfect Toyota Camry. I visited the dealership 3 times within that month to fix an annoying problem with the electronic steering. After being told to come the fourth time i decided to visit a Toyota Dealership. I brought a new Camry LE V6 the same and i don't have any problems within the last 2 months. Buyer beware!!
great redesign
it is fun to drive, handells very well especially in the turns. Great move to put the body on the Saab chasey. Great bang for the buck especially comparing it to a camry.
Good family 4-door sedan
The new 2004 'Bu has excellent steering (electronic assist), lots of room, convenient dash instrumentation, and the remote start feature kicks &ss! It isn't a "flashy" car, but I'm sure some aftermarket products can spice it up, if that's your thing. I recently sold a '02 Honda Accord and can say that I prefer the handling of the Malibu. However, Honda has a lot more interior style. The ONLY knock I have on the '04 Malibu is luxury. There is limited luxury. But for me, a family sedan is what I needed, and wanted. Great work - take one for a spin!
2004 Malibu Maxx LT Model
Overall the quality of the workmanship was very good interior & exterior. The 3.5 engine was a little slow on the pick up in lst gear range, but the second range was very satisfactory & smooth. Engine is very compact & every unit (battery--air filter--water reservoir ETC) was easy accessable & not crammed at all. One nice feature is the electric steering. Mileage overall combination Hwy & city average was 23.5. I imagine a long mileage highway trip will produce more.
Sold on the Malibu '04
Drove most every mid-sized car before I came around to the Chevy dealer. I travel alot and need comfort when I am on the road. I was shocked at the new Malibu and the total redesign of it. And all for about 20k. Pick up is excellent, as well as comfort and mileage. I average around 28 mpg and the trunk space is amazing.
'04 Malibu - power steering problem
I liked the look of the redesigned Malibu. The interior is roomy and comfortable and the car came very, very nicely equipped compared to comparable import models. However, with only a little over 1500 miles on the vehicle, I encountered a problem with the power steering and the car is now sitting at the dealer awaiting repairs and the required parts on backorder.
excellent vehicle
excellent vehicle has plenty of power stay on the road in turns and is built in the untied states by the uaw
Good Domestic Car
This car is solidly built. It wont pass for a beamer but its a nice attractive car. The interior is comfortable and the 3.5 L V6 is smooth and quiet. Overall a solid car.
Great Value
We have had our LT for about six months. It is a pleasure to drive and for the money is tough to beat. It is quiet, responsive, and easy to drive. We had over $8,000 in rebates from our GM card, Olds loyalty, GM loyalty, and Driver's Edge card. The LT comes with remote start, leather, spoiler,heated seats, information center, 16" tires and side air bags. All we added was the sun roof. No problems. We considered the Grand Prix but my wife felt the visability was better in the Malibu.
My Malibu Baby
This is my first Chevorlet vehicle. I have owned nothing but Saturns since 1995. I was impressed by the look of the 2004 Malibu, compared to the other models of the car. But the test drive is what truely sold me on the car. It is roomy, with having three kids, I need alot of room in a vehicle. It handles like a dream, takes corners easy. And parking in tight spaces is easy too. The 2004 Malibu is truely a pleasure to drive and ride in.
What Happend
I like the new body style. I think its a vary nice car. And the only complaint I really have is the dic driver info center. The car has some pep not much would've liked to see a 2.4l and OnStar on the base, but all in all it's a car to point a to point b, nothing unique about it.
THIS is a CHEVY?!?!?!
What a pleasant surprise this was! I thought, OH it's a malibu BIG deal... I was shocked and amazed by its quality, solid structure, and comfort. More personality than the Accord or Camry. It reminds you of a european sedan with it's outward visibility and interior layout. Very nice.
2004 Malibu
I bought my fisrt new car from this dealer a 2001 Prizm LSI, I liked that car very much! but this car, summed up in one word, Unbeleivable! Chevrolet deserves a huge pat on the back for this one! Excellent Car! and a job very well done! Look Out Ford! Chevy is #1 Now!!!!
A Lot of Car for the Money
A truly "American" car. Plenty of power from the V6 and a quiet, roomy interior. This car is built for the freeway rather than hairpin curves. Just set the cruise control at any sane or relatively insane speed and those interstate miles quickly melt away. The electric power steering offers very little feedback and the suspension is somewhat soft, although I always felt in control of the vehicle.
Superb car!
The redisigned Malabus are great, as long as you get the bigger V-6 engine. The extra features are great too, like remote starter on a cold day and the way the seat fold down.
My experience with the 2004 Malibu LS
I have had so many problems with this car that it is not funny. I have had it for 7 months and it has been into the dealer 5 times totaling 25 days since the end of Jan. 2004. It is experiencing problems again. The last time I had it in at the beginning of June it had a fuel injector go out, this is pretty bad considering it only had 10000 miles on it.
My new Malibu
I use this car for "around town." It has a hugh trunk space that fits 4 sets of golf clubs and assorted gear with room to spare.I have a bigger car but I feel just as safe in the Malibu.Pick up and speed is geat especially with the V6. The car magazines mention the "plastic' interior but I see no differencce in the plastic dash on my friend's Toyota.I have the LS that has all the comforts and extras found in the more expensive cars.I have put 2200 miles on it so far with no problems.
Chevrolet Malibu 2004
I love this car! Although, I am disappointed with the gas efficiency and the recent recall, I have experienced no problems with my Malibu. I have received numerous compliments from strangers regarding the styling and have found that it is a fun car to drive. The little features in the car are wonderful. Would highly recommend this automobile to a prospective buyer!
first domestic in 15 years
Test drove the Malibu several times and came away more impressed each time. Solid ride with absolutely no rattles or sqeeks. Impressive list of extras. More pick-up than the Mazda Millinia it replaced with great millage, 23/32. Very good handler with room inside. Only complaint is the headrest is tilted slightly more forward than I was used too. Got used to it very quickly.
New Malibu everythings better...
Just traded in our 00 Malibu LS for a new Malibu LT, WOW! Silver Green with all the options. Sharp, quick comfortable car. Drove to families house (3 hours away) and don't have one complaint. Improved in every way from the old bodystyle. In my opinion better than the Camry and yes even the Accord, in my opinion. If your looking at a mid sized car make sure you look at the new Malibu.
Oh My God!
is it really 200 horses..seems like more. My uncle has a camry and it seems the mali has better handling. My neighbor has his BMW just to show off to the other neighbors. The day i pulled into the garage with my malibu I swear i saw his head turn when we was washing his car and he thought it was a volvo i think he got bitter when i showed him the remote start at a car that is $21,000. The speakers are good too. enough said.
excellent choice!
A great car to drive and handles very nicely. Only downfall is there are no child safety door locks. Like the idea of three should/lap belts in the back seat. It's very roomy in the back even for tall people. I love the care and glad we purchased it instead of another make we were looking at. Great value for the price!
Definitely a Contender
I'm not going to say that this car is the best car in the world. But I will go so far as to say that it is one of the best cars on the American market. It is fun to drive, has a great power plant and the ride and comfort are excetional. Fuel economy is also pretty good, although I have yet to see the actual EPA numbers on the expressway and the on-board computer's fuel economy estimates are usually a little exaggerated. I would unhesitatingly reccomend Malibu to anyone seeking a mid-size sedan. I am only driving one car, and I'm sure some disgruntled people have gotten some worse than I, but I still think it is as good as anything out there.
Uh Oh......
I bought my new malibu at the end of March and was extremely pleased with it till a couple days later when the break light came on when I was driving on the highway.took it to the dealer and thought it was fine till a couple weeks ago when it happened again. Then a few days ago something weird happened to the steering,the wheel all of a sudden would pull slightly to the right, then wiggle back when driving at speeds under 25m/hour. Took it to the dealer.they didn't know what was wrong with the car since the system is new. They had to call GM and have an engineer walk them through the problem. Car was in shop for a couple days so they could fix it.please tel
The New Chevy is Here!!!
The new Malibu has great handling, style and comfort features. I love the auto start and heated seats. The car I purchase did have a problem with the side view electric mirrors, but the dealership took care of it without difficulty.
great car!!!
I love my chevy malibu. i did have to have the power steering replaced, they re-designed it, all malibus built before january 15, 2004 are suppose to be replaced and my brakes got re-done too.there where also 3 re-calls but i still love my car the dealer has fixed everything.
I never was a Chevy man until....
At 6'7'' I don't have the luxury of being picky about which cars I can drive. Many auto makers both foreign and domestic seem to have forgotten the "large" market of car buyers. With a telescopic steering column and six- way power seat option I found no problems on entry and exit as well as driving comfort. When I found this car and sat in it and I thought "this is great room but how does it perform?" I was pleasantly suprised at the acceleration in this vehicle, very peppy in the 0-60 range under 8 seconds. All of that with an average fuel economy of 28mpg city/hwy, this is one of the most value minded car choices in America!
Still good
I traded in a 1999 Malibu for a 2004. I did have an issue with the brakes making a strange sound. However the maintance team fixed it right away. I am loving driving this car. It handles so well.
Great Car
This car is truly amazing. Took it to Florida and back, and averaged over 65 MPH with 34,5 Miles Per Gallon. I also own a 2002 Camry XLE V6 with navagation. This car was equipted with every option that the Camery has except it has Onstar instead of Nav, and it was almost 8 grand cheaper with all the discounts.
Kudos to the new Malibu!
It is awesome. My wife and I hated the old Malibu! We love the new one!
Chevy Malibu 2004
Good American built vehicle - it is about time. Hopefully it will holdup over the long term as well as it is now.
Well worth the price.
Had my Malibu for about a month and a half now. Very happy with it. Only two minor things wrong with interior trim pieces and squeaky breaks that were fixed by the dealer. I would recommend this care to anyone looking at a Camry or Accord but wanting to buy an American car instead. I traded in a Nissan for this car, and I can say the build quality is exceptional. I'm satified in many ways, most by the price and feature content, and also by the cars driving dynamics and road manners. Very smooth ride.
You have to drive this car!
I've driven Malibus before, but the new restyled 2004 had some pleasent surprises. Great new body styling. I'm a big guy and found lots of head, leg and shoulder room. The pedal adjust for shorter drivers. I love the telescoping steering wheel. Fits like a glove. Interior comfort, all the bells a whistles I have enjoyed with larger, more expensive models. I got the XM/On-Star option, nice. Extremely smooth, quiet drive. Large truck. Split, fold down rear seat, and front passenger seat that fold down for transporting. Even my 22 year old son thinks it's "fly". (He said that means it's a nice car.) A great car at a great price!
Great Car
This is the first new car I have purchased and couldn't be happier. Great design, smooth ride, lots of pickup. Also, surprising amount of storage space for a mid-size sedan. Only thing I would change about this car is the interior...not a fan of the looks of it, nor the feel.
ITS GREAT
WE COMPARED TO OTHER SEDANS IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE AND DECIDED THE NEW 04 MALIBU WAS THE BEST VALUE OF ALL. ITS A GREAT CAR.
Not a happy camper!
I have only had this vehicle since June of 2004 and already it has been in the shop 3 times!!!(Recalls, bulletins) I have had a rough idle from the first week I brought it...I took it in the dealer and they of course cant find anything wrong with it. I am not happy with the performance of this car....AT ALL..but the style, comfort etc is excellant.
Everyone Needs To Drive It !!!!!!!!!!!
Like they say everyone should drive it. My wife had a Camry owner approach her to find out what it was all about. He was looking for a new car. Fast powerful easy to drive these are a few of the things that make me enjoy it.
2004 Malibu
This vehicle has a number of features which make it very desirable. Malibu has comfortable seats, excellent head and leg room for tall drivers, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, height- adjustable brake and gas pedals. Malibu is built on a Saab frame and provides a tight ride with no under- or over-steer. The ride is quiet and smoothe and the vehicle accelerates well in the 50 mph to 75+ mph range. Good visibility for the driver. Dash board instruments are well designed and easily readable. Heating, cooling, and ventilating knobs are within easy reach. Good trunk room. 16" wheels. Understated lines - fun to drive.
Great Vehicle
Rides well. Great mileage for a new car. Quiet interior and minimal road noise at all speeds. Really appreciate the "remote vehicle starter system" from inside the house, especially on those very cold days. Should be great for the hot summer days. Exterior design has improved over prior years styles. Chevrolet has right with their heated leather seats - almost instantly.
Chevrolet Malibu
I absolutely love my new Chevrolet, Malibu. It handles excellantly. I couldnt be more pleased. It is compariable to a Toyota Camry. Toyota has got some definite competition on their hands. In my opinion, the Malibu is much nicer all around than the Camry.
Great Car
This is my third Malibu. This new version is by far the best one yet. In over a year, I only had it back to the dealer for the required state inspection. I paid 70% of the sticker price - quite a deal and car. Are there better cars? Sure, but you'll pay a lot more for them. This is an excellent value for my money. I like the idea of the SS and will buy one if the price is reasonable.
my new Malibu
I've had my new Malibu for 4 days. I traded in a 1998 Malibu with 104,000 miles. So far, it has been a delight to drive the car. The car is totally different from the '98. I cannot believe that Chevrolet can deliver a car with so many extras for $21,000. The owners manual could be a little more clearer as far as the electronics. Because the car is so new, the dealer had trouble figuring out how to program an extra key. It finally took 10 seconds to program the extra key; one downside - I cannot believe that an extra key costs $61.00.
Love my Malibu
This is the second review I give now that I've owned it 2 1/2 months longer than the first review on 12/14/03. I absolutely love the car. I was interested in an Impala until I saw the Malibu. I have a very small problem with the seats but this has gotten better. I would definitely recommend the Malibu.
Owner Chevrolet malibu 2003
I tested a few cars from renting them all new all kinds.some had 140 mph some had 120 This one has 120 but has more pick up than the ones I drove that had 140 on it and fuel wow it is had to belive this auto 4 speed really saves me fuel and I use to rent a car for a week all kinds For style room fuel. pick up this will really get up and go and and saves you money ever time you drive it
2004 Malibu
The 2004 Malibu is a delight to drive. The 3.5 liter, 200 horse power engine provides more than enough power for hills and passing. The sleek exterior design is attractive and easy to wash.