2008 Motor Trend COTY

[CALL_911]

But the Malibu still doesn't hold a candle to any of its competitors.  It is so far behind everyone in interior quality, it's not even funny.  The interior quality is a joke.

You've sat in a new one?

[CJ]

Yes.  Sat in one at the State Fair autoshow...and we drove one.

[CALL_911]

Yes.  Sat in one at the State Fair autoshow...and we drove one.

Oh, ok.

[CJ]

It's very comfortable, but there are no "oh shit" handles, no arm rests, interior quality is poor, and the 4-cylinder is very raspy and unrefined.

[Vinsanity]

It's very comfortable, but there are no "oh shit" handles, no arm rests, interior quality is poor, and the 4-cylinder is very raspy and unrefined.

I'm not sure what you mean by "no arm rests"



is there no center console on the base model?

[CALL_911]

That looks very nice.

[ifcar]

I'm not sure what you mean by "no arm rests"



is there no center console on the base model?

Rear armrest.

[ifcar]

I agree. COTY isn't necessarily about the best car (check the sig for the winner of the award ), but rather it is about the car that will make the biggest impact on the market (or at least that was their excuse for the Camry). Out of this list the Malibu is certainly the most important.

GM always calls its new cars important, and a lot of people want to believe it. The 1997 Malibu was supposed to have been the game-changer, and it was the Motor Trend COTY for that year. I think the staff will be a little more hesitant to believe the same thing about the same car twice.

[omicron]

I agree. COTY isn't necessarily about the best car (check the sig for the winner of the award ), but rather it is about the car that will make the biggest impact on the market (or at least that was their excuse for the Camry). Out of this list the Malibu is certainly the most important.

If that's their reasoning, that's absolute nonsense.

[SVT666]

I'm not sure what you mean by "no arm rests"

I always take CJ's opinions about cars with a grain of salt because in the past he has called some pretty good cars junk.

[Vinsanity]

Rear armrest.

oh, that's right...I remember sitting in the Saturn Aura at last year's auto show and noticing the same thing. I wonder why they decided against one, since pretty much all the other mainstream midsizers I've seen have one

[USA_Idol]

As much as I like the new Accord, I think the Caddy CTS is more deserving of the COTY award.

[ifcar]

oh, that's right...I remember sitting in the Saturn Aura at last year's auto show and noticing the same thing. I wonder why they decided against one, since pretty much all the other mainstream midsizers I've seen have one

Cost, I assume.

The rear armrest also makes the center-rear position less comfortable, but that's probably not why they made the decision.

[TBR]

GM always calls its new cars important, and a lot of people want to believe it. The 1997 Malibu was supposed to have been the game-changer, and it was the Motor Trend COTY for that year. I think the staff will be a little more hesitant to believe the same thing about the same car twice.

Every new car GM introduces has the potential to be a game changer, it is a question of whether or not MT will recognize it when it finally does happen.

Too bad about the Malibu, another disappointment from GM.

[ifcar]

Every new car GM introduces has the potential to be a game changer, it is a question of whether or not MT will recognize it when it finally does happen.

Too bad about the Malibu, another disappointment from GM.

The 1997 Malibu was a much more drastic improvement over the Corsica than the 2008 is over the 2007. And it was quite a good car for its day, despite the interior quality lapses.

I don't see the new Malibu as any different in the market, although its problem today is powertrains instead of interior quality. What about it makes the competition snap to attention and try to catch up?

[CJ]

The Mal

That looks very nice.

And that's the thing.  All it does is look pretty, but it has poor quality. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

I think the 2008 COTY should be the 1990 Audi V8 Quattro.

[Vinsanity]

I think the 2008 COTY should be the 1990 Audi V8 Quattro.

1998 'st33m

[TBR]

The 1997 Malibu was a much more drastic improvement over the Corsica than the 2008 is over the 2007. And it was quite a good car for its day, despite the interior quality lapses.

I don't see the new Malibu as any different in the market, although its problem today is powertrains instead of interior quality. What about it makes the competition snap to attention and try to catch up?

Nothing. But MT has a history of giving COTY to cars that aren't innovative.  The point is that if the Malibu is a very well designed car that is at the top of the pack in every way, then it would have a major impact on the market, even if it doesn't really bring anything new. Evidently that is not the case, though I fail to see what is lackluster about the 3.6l V6 paired with a 6AT.

[CJ]

Except the Malibu is at the top of the pack in everything except interior quality. 


My vote went to the Accord.

[TheIntrepid]

Except the Malibu is at the top of the pack in everything except interior quality. 

As opposed to

[ifcar]

Nothing. But MT has a history of giving COTY to cars that aren't innovative.  The point is that if the Malibu is a very well designed car that is at the top of the pack in every way, then it would have a major impact on the market, even if it doesn't really bring anything new. Evidently that is not the case, though I fail to see what is lackluster about the 3.6l V6 paired with a 6AT.

Nothing can possibly be expected to be at the top of its class in every way, or even in most ways.

And it's the four-cylinder, the engine most family sedans are sold with, that's the problem. But even the V6 isn't bringing anything new to a market that already has the Toyota and Nissan 3.5-liter V6s. 

[Eye of the Tiger]

It's pretty hard to judge interior quality on pictures alone. Even if something looks good, it might feel like crap.

[CJ]

And that's the Malibu.  It looks fantastic, but feels craptastic.

[Vinsanity]

Trep: I don't want to steal your job as Camry troll, but IMO the interior is the best thing the Camry has going for it. and maybe a soft ride, but not by much

[ifcar]

Trep: I don't want to steal your job as Camry troll, but IMO the interior is the best thing the Camry has going for it. and maybe a soft ride, but not by much

The ride, quietness, space, fuel economy, and V6 acceleration are definitely bigger draws than interior quality. The latest Camry doesn't have an especially opulent interior.

[nickdrinkwater]

As opposed to

I actually think the Chevy interior is the second worst there out of those pictures, after the Nissan (what model is that?)

[TBR]

Nothing can possibly be expected to be at the top of its class in every way, or even in most ways.

And it's the four-cylinder, the engine most family sedans are sold with, that's the problem. But even the V6 isn't bringing anything new to a market that already has the Toyota and Nissan 3.5-liter V6s. 

I should have said near the top of the class.

I am just saying that in the past there have been many COTYs that haven't brought anything new to the table yet have still won the award, there is no reason that a conventional family sedan from GM couldn't be the next one to do so.

[CJ]

Nick: That's an Altima.

[USA_Idol]

As opposed to

If I had to rank those based on visual appeal alone:
1.  Malibu
2.  Accord
3.  Camry
4.  Fusion
5.  Altima