Fit and finish is still a big disappointment. Although infinitely better than the Lumina and the other mongrels, it is still no match for the imports--even the low-priced Tercels and Civics--in this department. GM, however, claims to have paid closer attention to the Japanese players and, astonishingly, I believe it. Ignoring the wimpy tension in the door handle springs, open the door of a Malibu and feel around the edge of the sheet metal. Observe a little strip of rubber, glued in a somewhat amateurish fashion, for they are still new at this. This little trick, first used by the Japanese since the early eighties, is responsible for that quality 'thunk' one hears when the doors of a Camry or a Maxima are shut. It took the engineers 15 years to note such minutiae but it proves that the General has a pulse. The rest of the interior doesn't live up to Chevy's propaganda. Acres of hard plastic drape the door panels and much of the trim could be pulled off easily by restless kids. Sometimes the trim just disassociates without human help: The driver's side window seal dangled lifelessly after I rolled down the window to take custody of a sandwich at a drive-in during the test drive. Seats front and rear are quite uncomfortable and geared towards straight-line touring.

The Malibu does ride well, soaking surface aberrations with sufficient aplomb; however, the brake pedal and the steering wheel are reluctant communicators. The interior is reasonably quiet when the gruff motor isn't pressed. The structure is solid and the cockpit nearly rattle free, although GM's track record in this area suggests that this quietude is ephemeral.

Chevy's shot at the Camry, a fair effort, is, nevertheless, still a work in progress. Its affordability, given its technical foibles, is deceptive. For around $20, 000 (the price of a nicely loaded Malibu LS), a sophisticated and robust 1996 Camry V6 XLE (the smashing Collector's Edition) with low miles or a Lexus ES 300 (1994, 50K miles) could be bought. Several pre-owned luxury models such as Infiniti's J30 and Acura's Legend fall in the same price range and would offer more cachet, reliability, and value.

Remember both Honda and Toyota are going overboard with excellent lease deals on new, filled-to-the-gills Accords and Camrys, which Chevrolet dealers cannot match. With the current Accord scheduled to bow out to its successor, expect Honda sales associates, particularly, to be overly accommodating.

Malibu in Numbers:

Engine: 6
Transmission: 10
Acceleration: 7
Braking: 5
Visibility: 8
Handling: 8
Ride: 9
Steering: 8
Ergonomics: 7
Interior Accomodations: 9
Cargo/Utility: 9
Structural Integrity: 7
Styling: 7
Fit and Finish: 3
Safety: 9
Reliability (Predicted): 5
Value for Money: 6

Copyright©1997, "Ride On", Mesmer Productions. All rights reserved.