Drivers Log.(News)(2004 Chevrolet Malibu)(Product/Service Evaluation)

2004 Chevrolet Malibu

Date in fleet: Sept. 22-29 As-tested price: $23,290 Powertrain: 3.5-liter V6; fwd, four-speed automatic Hp: 200 @ 5400 rpm Torque: 220 @ 3200 rpm Curb weight: 3297 pounds

MANDEL: Quick! Someone tell me where General Motors hid its new small car. If I was blindfolded and put behind the wheel of this new Malibu and then had the blindfold removed, I would marvel. Heck, I did marvel at it. Not only was I impressed with the simple, straightforward interior-hooray! GM's figured you don't have to put 35 different surface treatments on plastic to make it look "high-quality''-but while driving I was even more impressed. First, the fit-and-finish: The gaps were even and close. This is a first for GM. There were no squeaks (could it be because it had so few miles on the odo?) at all. The steering wheel was comfortably placed and comfortably sized-again, not always the case. As for steering, the input necessary to get around corners was as it should be. One of GM's great faults is to give the power-assisted steering too much power, deadening the feel of driver to the car and the car to the road. Not so here.

What, you mean the engineers and the interior designers got together and figured something out? Holy Toledo, and hooray! Oh, yes, and here's something that should be trumpeted, too. The new 3.5-liter six is strong from the moment you put your foot on the throttle all the way to redline. There are no dead spots in the acceleration from tip-in and there is no hesitation. Amazing!

Not that all is rosy. As for that blindfold, it would help me to avoid looking at this Malibu's over-the-top schoolmarm exterior "style.'' This design is anything but high art or even elegant finger painting. From stylized edges that start at the front fender to the crisp lines along the rear quarter-panel, the '04 Malibu will go down in history as one of the truly forgettable shapes of the early millennium.

Not everyone is perfect, though the standard-bearers in this segment seem to be, according to their owners' loyalty. But this is dang close. Let's heap credit on GM when it's due. GM said it would build a good, small, competitive sedan, and they did it with the '04 Chevy Malibu.

WILSON: A too-thin rim and cheesy steering ...