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We have the Malibu LTZ V6 home now....below are my thoughts vs. the 9-5. Keep in mind that this is the top of the line V6 version, so it has the nicest interior and has a different steering rack than the 4 cyl Malibu. Also, keep in mind that the 9-5 is a 10 year old design, and the Malibu is an all new design. I really loved the 2 9-5's we had. I'm just trying to present an honest comparison.
Malibi Pros vs 9-5:
-Build quality inside and out. Panel gaps outside are much tighter (although the 9-5 was not bad by any means). Inside feels better put together than the 9-5 (the 9-5 was not terrible in this area either, but our '02 9-5 had better materials than our '06).
-Steering Feel. (Again, remember the v6 has a different steering system than the 4cyl (hydraulic vs electric). Very nicely weighted steering, and great on center feel. No dead spot on center. The 9-5 had a bit of a dead spot on center.
-Interior storage - Malibu has more thoughtful little interior storage spaces.
-Powertrain refinement - no surprise here. The Malibu has a much smoother engine, which is expected since it is a modern V6 vs. an older design 4 cyl in the 9-5. There is no vibration at idle in the Malibu compared to the 9-5. The 5 speed auto in the 9-5 shifted nicely, though the Malibu is slightly smoother still.
-Insulation/Isolation. Malibu is MUCH quieter and vibration free, even with the 18 inch wheels. GM went to great lengths to insulate the cabin, even using acoustic glass for the windshield and front side windows. No buzzes, rattles, road noise or wind noise. The 9-5 had all of these noises, even when brand new. The Malibu has a much better ride than the 9-5, without being sloppy or floaty.
9-5 Pros vs Malibu:
-Unique Style
Malibu is a great looking car, and should age well...but the 9-5 has a classic look and beautiful lines. The 9-5 still looks good on the road today, a good tasteful design. 9-5 just edges out the Malibu here.
-Rear seat shoulder room. 9-5 has a slightly wider rear seat...although Malibu has more foot room.
-Trunk space - 9-5 has a deeper, more useable trunk.
-Cachet - the SAAB clearly has more cachet than the Malibu.
Anyway, that's basically it. For $24.9k after discounts, it feels like we got a LOT of car with the Malibu compared to our $36k '06 9-5. In the 9-5's defense, tyhe 9-5 is a 10 year old design. The engineering and quality of the Malibu bodes well for the next generation 9-5. Hopefully GM puts a similar effort into the new 9-5. If they do, I think we will be graced with a really great SAAB.
posted by 69.112.163...
, Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:04:06, Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:10:18
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