As newer cars go, am I the only one who likes the looks of the Chevy Malibu?

I'm going to assume I'm all alone on this one...

i like it for what it is- a disposable family truckster.

I like it. Bland, but not ugly like most of the segment. Handsome even. If it were RWD, it would be a sleeper (for me at least).

I like it. I think the sonata and maxima look better though.

Yeah I really thought Chevy took the design of this model in the right direction.

Absolutely an improvement over the last two generations.

^^^ While this is definately true, I still think the rear end styling of the newest model looks like an afterthought. Its not all that attractive imo and just looks sort of cheap.

I like it and I wished they continued the Maxx with this style.

As far as looks go, in the most boring car segment of all, it isn't bad. As far as owning and/or giving up my hard earned money for one, I think I'd rather have the clap or hepatitis C.

Nitroracer wrote: Absolutely an improvement over the last two generations.

but nowhere near the coolness of the older generations..

I personally find this car very bland. Too me it just looks like some sort of mashed Intrepid/Camry. Most cars in this segment while not the greatest looking have at least a bold statement, this has none.

I like this a lot

failboat wrote: ^^^ While this is definately true, I still think the rear end styling of the newest model looks like an afterthought. Its not all that attractive imo and just looks sort of cheap.

Current tailights on many cars leave me wondering. Why are they a combination of mismatched shapes?

I liked it when it switched from the previous body style... but now it starting to look boring to me. At least it doesn't look bad.

I like it...

MA$$hole wrote: I personally find this car very bland. Too me it just looks like some sort of mashed Intrepid/Camry. Most cars in this segment while not the greatest looking have at least a bold statement, this has none.

Me, I take the opposite tack. In this Malibu I see a handsome, understated, well proportioned car. Most other cars these days sacrifice clean design and good proportions just to make a 'bold statement' and don't seem to care that in most cases bold = ugly. I'd rather drive a handsome and understated sedan than something that looks like Dame Edna just so it can make a 'bold statement'.

jrw1621 wrote: Current tailights on many cars leave me wondering. Why are they a combination of mismatched shapes?

Can we blame federal regulations?

Look what they did to the new Focus. It used to look, dare I say, awesome. Now it looks.....stupid.

before http://wot.motortrend.com/files/2009/09/25252564.jpeg after http://0.tqn.com/d/cars/1/0/c/S/2/ag_12focus_rearlt1.JPG

sanman wrote: I like it. I think the sonata and maxima look better though.

The new Maxima is pleasing looking from some angles, but from the rear it looks fat. Obese, even. It's really hard to find photos of them from straight on behind them - probably because people know it looks awful from that angle.

Chevy has a talent for designing their cars with inoffensive looks that have decent durability, unlike some manufacturers that design cars that look severely dated in 5 years. Sure, the last two gens of Malibu weren't great looking cars, but they don't look horribly "old fashioned" even now, some 10+ years later. Heck, I've got an '02 Impala (which I HATE!) and I think it's held it's own in the looks department considering it's now almost 13 years old.

But as for the original question... do I like it? Uh, not really, but I'm not offended by it either. Go Chevy... yay! (with sarcasm)

One of the worst tailights on the Chrysler Sebring. I am not sure what is going on here. Some circle, some oval, some triangle. The lines in the "white" sections do not line up. The trunk piece looks like it came from another car compared the the body part.

I think the GM designers hit the bullseye that they were probably aiming for. "Inoffensive" without being utterly and totaly boring. That will give it plenty of appeal in the fleet and rental industry, where they can sell them by the truckload.

I think Klayfish hit the bullseye.

The design is probably pretty successful considering it's purpose in the marketplace.

My personal reaction: "meh"

I don't dislike it. The rear half (quarter panel/c-pillar esp) kinda reminds me of the C5 Audi A6 and other parts of it definitely feel a little like early 2000's german stuff.

American sedans and small cars usually look great to my eye for the first couple years they're around, then horribly outdated. European cars always bug me at first (BANGLE!), but then when they're 5-10 years old they start to look great. Dunno why.

Terribly bland. You could slap a Toyota emblem on it and nobody would bat an eye.

GameboyRMH wrote: Terribly bland. You could slap a Toyota emblem on it and nobody would bat an eye.

Considering the market GM is after - I think they might take that as a complement.

I like it. I think they look much better than others in that market segment.

I can tell you that if you are tall, you will hit your head gtting in them about 75% of the time. They have a very steep rake on the windshield.