On Earth Day, I drove a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid to Huntington Beach’s Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort. I felt kind of proud when I pulled up to the resort’s lovely beachside porte cochère with the word “HYBRID” prominently displayed in graphic style on the car’s windshield.
Plus, I was now in Huntington Beach, which is trying to market this authentic beach village as Surf City USA. Known here as HB, this edgy beach town is super green as the city is famed for its almost nine miles of uninterrupted sand and surf.
Besides having some of the best waves and best weather in Southern California, HB is also proud of its almost nine miles of Pacific Coast Highway. I reflected again on this low-priced, mid-sized American hybrid, legendary PCH and California’s car culture while sitting on the resort’s balcony (my eighth floor room with killer view was perched right above the highway).
Yes, moments before pulling up to the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, my girls and I were blissfully driving our matte silver 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid down PCH, admiring the soaring views of bright blue sky, gleaming white sand, pounding waves and endless blue Pacific. I certainly felt like an American princess cruising down PCH in the good-looking, environmentally-friendly, fun-to-drive 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid.
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Performance
At a wine dinner that evening in The Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort’s Shades restaurant, I chatted with other journalists about my 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid road test. They all wanted to know about performance. Is it fun to drive? Is it worth the price? Will GM survive?
I took another sip of an amazing 2009 Graham Beck Ridge Syrah (South Africa) and exhaled. Overall performance, I told the group, is actually rather good. I was impressed in all driving dynamics, including acceleration, handling and braking. As for steering, I did find it way too belabored for my tastes as I prefer less drag and a more car-drives-itself feel.
I also told that group, who were now drinking a delish 2007 Graham Beck Brut Rosé, that I was impressed with the quiet ride of the 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid. GM engineers have somehow found a way to rid hybrid cars of those dreaded whiny and clicking noises associated with early hybrid DNA like the first-generation Toyota Prius. Bravo GM!
In addition, the 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid’s 2.0 liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine gets a whopping 34 mpg highway and 26 mpg city.
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Exterior
The exterior of the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid also reminded me of my surroundings. Huntington Beach may be a sophisticated international beach village, but it also has an edgy youth culture vibe. The 2009 Chevy Malibu is definitely a fusion of modern Euro and Asian sport sedans, along with a generous smattering of American brash.
The nose has a handsome girlle with its nice-looking chrome. The swooping side lines are more sporty Euro sedan while the back has a slight retro 40s gansta style. The rather slender booty gives the 2009 Chevy Malibu an even more refined look, especially at fast highway speeds.
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Interior
Good wines (like the next pour: a 2007 Angela Clawson’s Creek Pinot Noir) and car interiors are constantly evolving. I am hoping the interior of the 2009 Chevy Malibu morphs sooner than later. That is to say, I think the interior still has way too much of that American dullness and not enough Euro sophistication and Asian minimalism. But overall, the 2009 Chevy Malibu does bring a good sense of American style to this mid-sized sedan.
The cockpit-style dash curves around nicely with handsome two-toned dark gray and cream textured plastics. The burnished chrome accents that flow into the central console make this rather inexpensive car seem more well appointed. I also enjoyed the chic stick shift, lots of cup holders, fairly good mobile device niches and the great legroom in the back seat. Cargo space in the rather vast trunk is big enough even for long family road trips.
However, I felt like the huge steering wheel on the 2009 Chevy Malibu is way too old school for my tastes. And, I’d like to see a more race-driven design to the instrument gauges, although the chrome detailing lends some sophistication.
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Trims and Features
The 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid has one trim level. Standard features include full power accessories, keyless entry, automatic climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, driver power height adjustment, tilt and telescoping steering wheel and six-speaker audio system with CD, MP3, auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio connection. Buyers can also opt for a sunroof and a six-way power driver seat.
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Safety
The 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid is tops in safety. Standard safety features include stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, OnStar and lots of air bags like full-length side curtain air bags. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration gave the 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid five stars for both front and side impact tests.
Perhaps GM will survive if they keep designing and building quality hybrid cars at a great price like the 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid.
Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande