Malibu battles against poor US start

Holden's new new mid-sized hopeful, the Malibu, is battling to overcome the lacklustre start of its US twin.

The American Malibu has just been rushed through an early update to add some kerb appeal and extra rear-seat space, setting the scene for a troubled touchdown for the car that now sits between the locally-made Cruze and Commodore.

But Holden says it's not worried about the Malibu, for a very simple reason. "We actually have a different version of the car," the executive director of sales and marketing at Holden, Phil Brook, tells Carsguide.

"Our car was designed to be a Holden from day one. We see a bit of an opportunity for it. We're happy with the way it looks, from front to rear."

The Malibu for Australia is coming from Korea, where Holden designers Justin Thompson - the bodywork expert who also led the VF Commodore work - and interior specialist Yan-hong Huang were involved from the start. Holden has also done a lot of tweaking to the way the car drives, from its electric power steering to the suspension, engine response and noise suppression.

"In the 'states, they had issues with two key things - the frontal look and rear-seat space," says Brook.

"They had downsized the car. And this was the core, bread-and-butter Chevy." He says Holden is not expecting complaints about cabin space because people who want more have an obvious choice.

"You know what it is. For us, we have the Commodore," he says. But what about the negative feedback from the American situation?

"It hasn't been an issue outside the 'states. We don't see it as a problem. There is a different lineup and a different requirement here.

"We've had a lot of input, from day one."

But it's true that Holden has struggled with mid-sized cars in the past, from the miserable Epica that was parked back in 2011 back through the over-priced European Vectra to the re-badged Toyota Camry called the Apollo.

And the situation in the USA paints the Malibu as a loser even before it gets on the road in Australia. "We argue that it's not a failure. It's done well in the 'states," Brooks says. "But is there an opportunity to do better? Yes."

"It's a big, big change (locally). There is no comparison between this car and what we've done in the past."

This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover