Holden Malibu CDX 2.4L petrol 2013 review

The tragics that stick Chevy badges on their Holdens are going to love the new Malibu. Originally designed as a Chevrolet, it probably has more right to wear the gold Chevy bowtie than any other Holden.

Shame about the American name (yet again), but you can take comfort in the fact the Malibu was actually designed by an Aussie stylist. Launched this week in Melbourne, the new mid-sized sedan is a replacement for the unloved Epica that disappeared from showrooms a couple of years ago.

They say the day Holden announced it had pulled the plug on the ugly Korean duckling a cheer went up in the boardroom. But we remember the Epica as a great holiday car with an enormous boot  - especially the diesel one.

Value

Like Epica the Malibu is a car designed to fill a gap in Holden's line-up. Priced from $28,490, it sits between the smaller Cruze and larger Commodore and designed to go head to head with the likes of Camry and Mondeo. At this price it undercuts everything else in the segment, apart from Suzuki's Kizashi which is smaller.

There are two models, CD and better equipped CDX  - both available in petrol and diesel form. But the diesel engine adds a hefty $4000 to the asking price and costs more to service.

Standard equipment includes the MyLink entertainment system that includes a 7-inch touch screen and nine speakers, as well as Bluetooth, cruise control, auto lights, push button start, rear parking sensors, steering wheel audio controls, power height adjustment for the driver's seat, an electric parking brake and 17 inch alloys.

The CDX priced from $31,990 adds leather, dual zone climate air, auto wipers, and heated 8-way power adjust front seats plus 18 inch alloys. Any colour except white attracts a $550 extra charge.

Technology

Explore the 2013 Holden Malibu range

• Holden Malibu CDX Turbodiesel 2013 review
• Holden Malibu CDX 2.4L petrol 2013 review
• Holden Malibu CDX 2013 review
• Holden Malibu CD 2013 review
• Holden Malibu CD Automatic diesel 2013 review
• Holden Malibu 2013 review
• Holden Malibu CD petrol 2013 review

Nothing new here. There's a choice of two engines, both of them paired with a six speed auto. The 2.4-litre four cylinder petrol engine is a lift from Captiva and fairly old tech, with 123kW of power and 225Nm of torque, and delivering fuel consumption of 8.0 litres/100km (we got 9.2).

The 2.0-litre turbo diesel is a lift from Cruze, with 117kW of power and 350Nm, and fuel consumption of 6.4 litres/100km (we got 7.0).

The MyLink entertainment system is being rolled out across the Holden range and includes apps for Pandora internet radio and the Stitcher podcast program, but you need a mobile phone with a sizeable data plan to really make full use of it. Satellite navigation is not available at this stage, but will be added later along with voice control (they're still ironing out the bugs).

Design

It sits on the same platform as the Opel Insignia and recent Saab 9-5. They say Malibu's athletic stance was inspired by Chevrolets of the past including the Camaro that was also styled by the Holden design team.

Exterior designer Justin Thompson said the brief as to design a car that would stand out in the busy and often bland mid-sized segment. The rear end design with its twin Camaro-style tail lights was actually the first draft for the rear of the new Commodore.

The front facia has been totally restyled for Australia to give the car a Holden look and so that it will fit in with the rest of the range. Inside the look is sporty, with lots of brightly coloured blue instrumentation - perhaps a little too bright.

Safety

A reversing camera is standard across the range. Gets the maximum five stars for safety with six airbags and a full complement of safety systems including electronic traction and stability control along with anti-lock brakes.

Driving

The engineers have spent a lot of time and effort "Australianising'' the car, calibrating both the transmission and ride and handling settings at Holden's Lang Lang proving ground. An emphasis was placed on selecting the right tyre for the job.

The suspension and damper settings which are oriented towards comfort are unique to Australia and it shows in the way the car soaks up the bumps, undulations and pot holes that characterise our secondary roads.

The 2.4-litre petrol model is the pick of the pair and works well in tandem with the second generation six-speed automatic. The auto always seems to find the right gear and there is enough in the kitty for overtaking too.

But the sequential change takes some getting used to, with a switch on top of the gear selector that does not fall comfortably to hand. Push left with your thumb and it changes down, right and it changes up again  - but who's really going to bother using it anyway?

The hydraulic steering in the diesel is much too light and not nearly as good as the speed-sensitive electric system in the petrol model, which grows heavier with speed. By the way, the diesel at $4000 more, is much too expensive to be a realistic alternative, especially where  private buyers are concerned. It will however appeal to fleet operators where the cost can be built into the deal.

It sounds and feels too much like a truck anyway. And if you want more power, there's always the Commodore. The boot is large but shallow due to the full size but temporary spare, with a rear seat that folds down for longer loads. The spare is optional - a can of goo to reinflate the tyre is standard. The tow rating of the car is 1200kg.