CHEVROLET MALIBU test drive since 2012 sedan
Test drive Chevrolet Malibu: Car for the whole world
An American car designed on the European platform, produced in South Korea and the pre -blessed in Russia, is a set! When the leaders of the Chevrolet company said that their new model would be global, I did not think that they should be understood literally.
Moreover, production and constructive features are not the main thing. The real Cosmopolitanism of the Chevrolet Malibu is that this model will be sold in a single image almost throughout the world. That is, despite the differences in the mentality and perception, as well as the features of the market, and the Americans, and Europeans, and Asians, and, of course, we will be offered the same car. But to make a car for everyone is still the task.
The appearance, in general, was a success. The exterior is a collective image of all designer schools included in the GM concern of brands. But this does not interfere with the large carcass of Malibu to be pretty and proportional. And yet, despite its considerable dimensions, the silhouette of the sedan lacks characteristic American monumentality and pathos.
The inherent chevrolet chewing is diluted by the contours of slanting headlights, in which the features of related insignia are guessed. The same smoothness of the lines and in the plastic of the body's sidewalls swollen with fat, under which the relief of the pumped muscles begins to appear only to the stern.
When looking at three quarters from behind in Chevrolet Malibu, you can catch the features of American masquers. But in general, an average neutral design without a pronounced national color that does not cause violent emotions. Probably, this is exactly what the car should be for the whole world.
But the features of the exterior noticeably conceal the size of the American sedan. But in its external dimensions, the Chevrolet Malibu surpasses classes such as Toyota Camry, Nissan Teana and Skoda Superb. But, unfortunately, this did not affect the expanse inside the car.
This is especially true for the rear sofa from which I began to study the interior. No, the place here is enough even for a person above average height, but there is no question of a closed landing with elongated legs. But in the above competitors, you can even lay out sun loungers from behind. Malibu cannot be played the role of the personnel of the personnel also because for the rear passengers, except for the armrest, neither the heating of the sofa or a separate adjustment of the climate control is provided. There are no simple blowing deflectors.
The 545-liter Chevrolet Malibu trigger cut by recesses is inferior only to Skoda Superb. Moreover, the cover of the cargo compartment opens with electric fluid. Of the shortcomings, the absence of a hatch for long -termers and a dock instead of a full -sized spare wheel.
The entire architecture of the rounded front of the cabin is fashioned along the global stencil to the side. The central console in order is a complex from the navigation screen, radio and two-zone climate control. Starting the engine with a button to the right of the steering wheel, control of the puck on the left. It seems that in any car of any brand you can already sit down with blindfolded eyes, globalization in all its glory. The only chip is a reclining display behind which is a secretary.
Horizontally divided into two parts, the front panel with masked side deflectors of blowing, the abundance of chromium in the decoration of the salon and the instrument shield a la camaro, apparently, should inspire memories of true American cars. Eh, if the assault rifle lever was fixed on the steering column, and so
It is almost useless to look for flaws of ergonomics or, conversely, any advantages in such a standardized salon. The only complaint to the driver's seat is a short pillow and the adjustment range in height is insufficient. Otherwise, the description of a solid interior can be reduced to as standard as the salon, the phrase is functionally, ergonomically and quite convenient.
The creators decided to compensate for the lack of originality with equipment. The Chevrolet Malibu is delivered to the Russian market in the only and richest LTZ configuration, in which everything is without exaggeration. Although it was not without savings. For example, the electric drive helpfully pushes the driver’s seat when the ignition is turned off, but it does not know how to return it to the last position saved in memory or you have to press the button or regulate it by a new one.
The multimedia complex with beautiful graphics and a logical interface was surprised by the absence of not only the rear view cameras, but also by any graphic accompaniment of the parking process of a five -meter sedan only by ear. In addition, the radio tape recorder through the Bluetooth protocol perceives the mobile device only as a phone recorded in memory of the mobile phone will not be able to reproduce the music. Although such a function is even in Renault Duster.
An attempt to get from home to work on a regular navigation card also caused a problem in the memory of the device was neither the number of the editorial office or the rooms of the next five buildings. All this, of course, could be easily forgiven for Chevrolet Malibu, if not for the price and segment in which the manufacturer itself positions the car. But more on that later.
Like a complete set, it will not have to choose a power plant either. This is a four -cylinder engine of a 2.4 -liter with a capacity of 167 horsepower, pairing with a pair exclusively with a six -speed automatic. For the 1793-kilogram crossover, this engine is frankly weak. And I make an ordinary fifteen-minute test drive around the car dealership, I would probably say the same thing about Malibu.
However, after a hundred kilometers that I managed to wind the dough during the day, we can say that the engine is fully consistent with the habits of the flagship Chevrolet. Despite the suspension reconfigured in the European firm, the Malibu movement on the road is smooth and measured.
He clearly holds the straight line, but does not dive into the turns, but rather imposingly swims, leaning slightly on his side, but accurately and obediently, without losing the trajectory. Together with a leisurely engine, a quick automatic machine, a light steering wheel and a good level of sound insulation, Chevrolet Malibu turns into a kind of relaxation-car the most after a busy day of some boss.
For the average fuel consumption of 22.1 liters, you should not pay attention yet. The car without running, half of the test route periodically moved through the traffic jams, and spent the rest of the traffic in a dough-row mode. But something suggests that the declared 11.5 liters per hundred in the city will be very difficult to achieve.
On the same manner of movement, it is worthwhile to tune in advance during long marks: 100-110 km/h on a cruise control, a collection of Romantic Collection in a radio, a peaceful state of the soul and a high-fat sun, abutting into the horizon. As soon as the idealistic American picture in the imagination breaks about the realities of the Russian highway, the Chevrolet Malibu will begin to bother with excessive informational suspension, unpleasantly voiced at high revolutions by the engine and, most importantly, the inability to quickly accelerate at the right time.
As on the latest Ford models, manual control of a six -speed automatic transmission is a button on the sling of the gearbox lever. Using the manual in both cases is equally inconvenient. But the message of the Americans is clear manual regime on modern machines nothing more than a toy.
And now it's just the time to remember why Chevrolet Malibu appeared on the Russian market. He replaced the retro -epica retained. Only Epica, thanks to its price, was a unique offer of a large ship of class D, with a good level of comfort and an elastic in-line six under the hood in maximum configuration, was sold a little more than golf class cars.
And Malibu? Yes, the car has become more modern, safer and a little more comfortable, better equipped and more interesting in driving. But does a one and a half -fold increase in price justify such an upgrade? For example, in the United States, Chevrolet Malibu in a similar configuration, but with a 2.5 engine (192 hp) costs about $ 30,000 or about 950,000 rubles, and in South Korea with a 2.4 engine, the price of the maximum equipped version is recalculating a little more than 900 000 rubles. And for that kind of money, a solid sedan would be an excellent follower of the traditions of the successful ratio of the amount of the car for the spent ruble.
But we have a Chevrolet Malibu costs 1,326,000 rubles. Moreover, Malibu for America is going to America, Malibu for Korea is going to Korea, and Malibu for Russia in Russia. Where did the 400,000-strong increase in price come from? Only from the ceiling.
Yes, of course, the big and solid Malibu looks great as a car crowning the model range of Chevrolet, but only while standing in the showroom. For some reason, driving, each time recalling the cost of the car, you pay more attention to shortcomings than the advantages
Price Chevrolet Malibu in the Russian market
As already mentioned, the American sedan is presented in our market with a single version. Chevrolet Malibu Ltz is equipped with a 2.4-liter engine (167 hp) and a six-speed automatic. The setting is exhaustive: ABS, ESP, six airbags, two-zone climate control, rain and light sensors, sound rear parking sounds, xenon headlights, a multimedia complex with navigation, a leather salon, an electric drive of the positions and alloy 18-inch disks. The only option hatch. Given its metallic color, the price is 1,326,000 rubles.
The choice of the portal kolesa.ru
In general, there is no choice: one motor, one gearbox, one equipment. If the car, as they say, looked, and there are no doubts that can still be purchased for this money, then the purchase is unlikely to disappoint. For everyone else, the next section of this article.
By the way, in neighboring Belarus, Chevrolet Malibu is offered in three trim levels with automatic and mechanical gearboxes at a price of a million rubles.
Competitors of Chevrolet Malibu in the Russian market
You can buy any classmate for the price of the American novelty in Russia, and in comparable equipment, with the exception of the premium segment models.
So, the Opel Insignia contrast in the COSMO configuration with the options added to the level of equipping Malibu will cost 1,291,500 rubles. Only under the hood of the German will be a turbocharged 220-horsepower engine, accelerating the machine to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds. But in the room in the rear places, insignia is far from a leader.
The Toyota Camry mentioned in the article with a 2.5 engine (181 hp) in a comparable configuration of Prestige will cost 1,321,000 rubles. For this money in Camry, there will be no hatch, but on the back sofa it will be noticeably more spacious.
Nissan Teana for corresponding money offers three alternatives at once. Having donated a complete set, you can buy a sedan with a powerful 250-horsepower V-shaped six for 1,341,000 rubles. If you equalize the equipment, but choose an 182-horsepower engine, then the price of the Thean will be 1,312,000 rubles. And you can also choose a 167-horsepower, but perfectly equipped version with all-wheel drive (!) For 1,353,000 rubles.
The Czech Skoda Superb sedan, which has an unprecedented supply of space on the back sofa, also offers alternative versions. For 1,346,300 rubles in Skoda there will be a 200-horsepower engine, but there will be no standard navigation and hatch, but for 1,315,500 rubles with the same level of equipment as Malibu, Superb will offer a 1.8-liter turbo engine (152 hp) . True, with the last engine, the dynamic characteristics of the Czech sedan still turn out to be better than the Chevroletov news.
The French competitors, primarily due to the possibility of establishing an economical and burdened diesel, are also interesting. So, the Peugeot 508 2.0 HDI in the maximum configuration with the hatch will cost 1,319,000 rubles, and the fellow Citroen C5 2.0 HDI without a hole in the roof and without navigation support, but with branded air suspension - in 1,338,000 rubles.
And there are Volkswagen Passat, Ford Mondeo, Mazda 6, Honda Accord and Kia Optima models, each of which is somehow more interesting, at least from the point of view of engine selection and equipment.
Source: Wheel magazine [November 2012]
