Consumer Guide's Impressions of the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu

Chevrolet is already redesigning its award-winning midsize car for what looks like a tough decade ahead. Fresh styling, more room and new fuel-efficient powertrains could mean more accolades--and more sales.

What We Know About the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu

Chevrolet execs must be beaming these days. Not only has their midsize Malibu sedan won the 2008 North American Car of the Year award, it outpolled out a key rival, the also-redesigned 2008 Honda Accord. That's an impressive turnaround from the dishwater-dull Malibus of recent years, considering that the NA COTY is chosen by a select group of hard-headed automotive journalists.

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Then again, the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu has been winning rave reviews since it first broke cover, and that's been very good for sales, which must please bow-tie bigwigs even more. In fact, demand is currently so strong that General Motors is talking about more production to keep up.

But awards and buzz quickly fade from memory, and there's no time to rest in today's fast-paced automotive world. That's why Chevrolet is already working on the next-generation Malibu, which is expected for model-year 2012, possibly 2011. Is Chevy rushing things? Hardly. It still takes four to five years for most vehicle makers to take a new model from first thoughts to final assembly, about three years once the basic design is locked-in. With competition so fierce these days, it's never too early to start thinking about tomorrow.

For more inside information on hundreds of new cars of today and tomorrow, check out:

  • C­onsumer Guide New Car Reviews and Prices: Road test results, photos, specifications, and prices for hundreds of new cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs from the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide.
  • Chevrolet: Read Consumer Guide's full reports, including ratings, prices, specifications, and fuel economy.
  • Midsize Cars: The 2012 Chevrolet Malibu will compete in the midsize car class. Here's Consumer Guide's roundup of all the midsize cars on sale today.
  • 2008 Consumer Guide Best Buy and Recommended Award Winners:
    Check out which cars won our Best Buy and Recommended awards for 2008.
  • Future Cars: Step into the automotive showroom of tomorrow with reviews, analysis, pictures, prices, and preliminary specifications on scores of vehicles that will be appearing next year and beyond.