- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0DT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
117kW, 350Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 6.4L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
She says, he says: Holden Malibu CDX
The car: Holden Malibu CDX How much? $31,990 plus on-road and dealer costs
Vital statistics: 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol; 123kW/225Nm; 6-speed auto; 8.0L/100km; 192g/km CO2; FWD
She
Holden has come up with a pretty nice mid-size sedan proposition in the Malibu. Its loaded with swag for its circa $30k price tag and I like the ballsy styling. Were you a fan, Ott?
He
Well, after Holden’s last mid-size effort - the lacklustre Epica - I'll admit my expectations for the Malibu were low. So I was pleasantly surprised. Its styling has a bit of flair about it and is well equipped. But I wasn't overwhelmed by the driving experience. I thought the engine was adequate but nothing more. You?
She
I love the clever storage that Aussie Yan Huang has designed into the interior, particularly her sneaky stash-hole behind the MyLink monitor, and that pocket on the side of the centre console for charging phones. I think the squared off gauges look good too, and that blue ambient lighting gives it a bit of something special. But I wasn't thrilled by the engine, it was competent but a bit pedestrian. Not particularly fast off the go and a bit slow up hills with a load, yet not impressively economical. Have you tried the turbo diesel variant?
He
Yep, I've driven the diesel and it does give you more low down pulling power which is appreciated. But it is $4000 more expensive so you'd have to do plenty of kays to make your money back on the fuel savings. I agree about the design up front, there's some clever spaces that show a lot of thought has gone into getting it right. Which makes the slightly cramped back seat both surprising a disappointing. I thought the back pews could have done with more legroom.
She
Agreed. Holden is one of the few manufacturers whom I depend on for a roomier rear, and this one was tight. And airless - surely all rear seats in Australia should have aircon vents - it’s hot back there! On the plus side upfront there are lots of electronic tricks to keep you happy and safe. Reversing camera and various sensors are standard but I miss having satnav. Did you have any dramas syncing your phone with the MyLink infotainment system?
He
No, all good for me. I know I've said it before but I'll say it again - I think MyLink is great. It is a really cool system and it puts a lot of luxury cars to shame. The ability to stream smartphone apps like Pandora and Stitcher is very clever and there are more apps on the way. The potential for this type of system is huge. As for the rear seat accommodation and lack of aircon vents, well I guess that's because this is really a Chevrolet wearing a Holden badge. The real question is would you buy a Malibu for $31,990 or consider a Commodore Evoke for $34,990?
She
I too reckon Mylink is one of the most intuitive systems around. What I really like about the Malibu is its value, but once you push up to the mid $30k mark you bring in the Mazda6 and other non-Holden contenders. I'd be choosing Malibu because it has a lot of equipment, safety and capacity for the price. And a bit of style to boot. It's a fairly bland drive that won’t compare so well once we bring in cars from the next price bracket.
He
I agree the value is the strongest aspect of the Malibu. It has plenty of gear and undercuts its key rivals. The driving experience isn’t class-leading and that costs it points in my book. A bit more space in the back wouldn’t hurt either. It would be on my short-list of mid-size sedans, but not at the top.