Ask the Car People.SM


Chevrolet Malibu Maxx Reviews

19 messages,  Last post on May 05, 2012 at 5:40 PM

You are in the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, Hatchback

    

Messages Page 2 of 3

#6 of 19 Future of the Maxx? by luvmbooty

May 04, 2006 (9:28 am)

I,ve been reading a lot of reviews on the Maxx. At Forbes.com, I read a review: '2006 Chevy Malibu Maxx ss Test Drives' on 12/09/2005 by Steve Kichen. Under the category 'Should You Buy This Car' he states the, "...discontinue of the Maxx in a few years..", once a more stylish replacement is made for Malibu.
 
Also at Autoweb.com, in '2006 Chevy Malibu Maxx SS Driving Impressions', Christian Wardlaw author says in the Overview that,"...and rumor has it that the Malibu Maxx is going out of productionafter the 2007 model year."
 
I find this upsetting since there are very few midsize hatchbacks! Of the few there are Maxx was my favorite! Mazda 6 costs more with less interior volume. What other hatches, or even wagons, are out that has around 106 passenger volume, decent fuel economy (around 22/30), above average crash test rating (IIHS silver rating),JD power overall rating score 5 out of 5, and with a starting price under 25000!

#7 of 19 Re: Future of the Maxx? [luvmbooty] by kurtamaxxxguy

Nov 12, 2006 (10:30 pm)

Replying to: luvmbooty (May 04, 2006 9:28 am)
None, after 2007.
What is really ironic is the Maxx was considered the more innovative and useful version of the Malibu (per nearly every Malibu review I have read).
 
But few people bought them - why?
 
One theory is the Maxx costs more (compared to base Malibu, it does....how many Malibus sold are base models ??)
 
Another is Americans just cannot "get" hatchbacks. Yet hatches sell well as "hot hatches" (the Maxx SS could have been one of those if the engineers had gotten their say).
 

#10 of 19 2006 Malibu Maxx Experience by ricardom

Jun 04, 2006 (8:50 am)

I just turned in a '06 Maxx after a two week rental.
I found it to be a terrific automobile. Unexpectedly lively, smooth power train - engine and transmission. Exemplary ride. Ergonomically best possible controls. Especially useful electronic Driver Information Center.
Incredibly simple and efficient automatic shifter, ingeniously incorporating 'manual' shifting - none of this stupid gate business.
A really good looking car in the parking lot.
 
My one objection is visibility of the instrument cluster and Information Center: daytime visibility of the unlighted instrument cluster, together with unacceptable reflections, is a fatal flaw. The DIC display is faint green requiring flipping of sun glasses to see it in bright daylight conditions. I wouldn't want to live with this year in and year out.

#11 of 19 Re: 2006 Malibu Maxx Experience [ricardom] by kurtamaxxxguy

Jun 04, 2006 (7:59 pm)

Replying to: ricardom (Jun 04, 2006 8:50 am)
the DIC is hard to see much of the time. It's especially a problem when the car starts chimeing at you with a warning message you cannot read.
 
The HHR fixed this by putting the DIC within the instrument console, where light does not wash it out.

#12 of 19 Re: 2006 Malibu Maxx Experience [ricardom] by beedublu

Jun 04, 2006 (9:04 pm)

Replying to: ricardom (Jun 04, 2006 8:50 am)
My one objection is visibility of the instrument cluster and Information Center: daytime visibility of the unlighted instrument cluster, together with unacceptable reflections, is a fatal flaw.
 
Amen. My other complaint with my 04 Maxx is the outside mirrors, which are much too small. Lane changes in this car are a headache. But I agree with all the things you praised...I really like this car a lot.

#13 of 19 Rented Maxx in Canada by buffalonickel

Jun 18, 2006 (6:22 pm)

I rented a brand new Malibu Maxx on our vacation to Canmore, Canada 2 weeks ago. I own Toyotas, but I have to say that I was impressed with the handling, gas mileage, and power this car had. In addition we had tons of storage space. I really liked that security cover in the back. We were able to hide our stuff in there and to the bypasser it looked empty. It also gave us a comfortable ride and I would recommend it to anyone. And I if I were looking at this point for a new car, I would give this a serious look.
 
B

#14 of 19 2005 Maxx LS (white) by derberg

Dec 25, 2007 (9:28 am)

Hi, folks... It's good to see that others appreciate the Maxx as much as my wife and I do. It's a neat car -- distinctive, useful, quick, quiet, economical and fairly comfortable. Ours is an '05 LS, which we bought to tow behind our motor home (it's good for up to 65 mph, according to the manual). We towed it from California to Ohio, where we now live, with no problems, but haven't towed it since. But the car is good for all its other attributes.
 
We get 23 to 35 mpg, and don't have any trouble reading the info display, as some of you apparently have. We've got 25K miles on it now, and the warranty will run out at 36K or 3 years, which for us is next August. I've noticed the brakes juddering above 50 mph, so I suppose it's rotors, and will ask that they be fixed at the next oil change. Have any of you bought an extended warranty? Is there any reason to?
 
I write about commercial trucks for a living so occasionally meet factory car people, including GM types. I have complimented them on the Maxx and then browbeat them about the '08 and its lack of a hatchback. "Oh, we were disappointed in the Maxx," one replied. "We only sold 200,000" (as of February '07). Well, you didn't advertise it, either, I told him. Can you think of one Malibu Maxx commercial? He couldn't. How do you expect to sell it if you don't advertise it? I said. "Well, we don't have a lot of money for advertising," he lamely replied.
 
(The only commercial I recall was from '04 or '04, a silly skit where a Maxx gets hung up on a drawbridge where it teeters on the edge of a span and the guys in the back seat keep it balanced by moving the seat fore and aft. It never showed the hatchback.)
 
I believe hatchbacks are the most useful type of car, almost as useful as SUVs, and adapting more sedans to this style will help auto makers meet the newly decreed CAFE standards (i.e., 35 mpg by what -- 2020?) because they are lighter and more aerodynamic than even crossover SUVs. What do you folks think?
 
--Tom in Ohio

#15 of 19 Re: 2005 Maxx LS (white) [derberg] by maxx4me

Dec 25, 2007 (1:56 pm)

Replying to: derberg (Dec 25, 2007 9:28 am)
Merry Christmas Tom. Warranty: normally a total waste of money, unless you own a GM that is no longer in production, has been redesigned, and may have problems finding parts in a few short years. I'm covered by GMPP for 101,000 miles. It wasn't cheap, but I play on keeping this car for 101,000 miles or until the melting icebergs wash my car away (shouldn't be problem for you in Ohio ). If you want the best rate on GMPP, type black gm pennsylvania (you just might come up with a positive hit ) As I have posted before, I'd have two Maxx's in my driveway if I had it my way (and I needed another car.) For versatility, the Maxx is second to none. Best wishes, and goot luck on your warranty decision.

Messages Page 2 of 3

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement