Article From Motor Trend Magazine
1997 Chevy Malibu - Long-Term Wrap-Up
| PERFORMANCE/CREATURE COMFORTS AS RATED BY OWNERS |
| | EXCELLENT | GOOD | AVERAGE | FAIR | POOR |
| Overall | | | | | |
| performance | 51.4% | 31.9% | 9.7% | 2.1% | 4.9% |
| Fun to drive | 48.4 | 34.3 | 12.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 |
| Acceleration | 54.0 | 34.9 | 8.7 | 1.4 | 1.0 |
| Braking | 43.3 | 40.1 | 11.1 | 2.1 | 3.5 |
| Handling | 49.8 | 38.1 | 7.6 | 2.1 | 2.4 |
| Overall comfort | 37.5 | 45.8 | 11.5 | 3.5 | 1.7 |
| Rear-seat comfort | 32.5 | 44.5 | 18.4 | 2.1 | 2.5 |
| Cargo capacity | 54.0 | 36.0 | 8.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| Overall quality | 35.3 | 41.2 | 8.7 | 6.9 | 8.0 |
| DEALER PRACTICES AS RATED BY OWNERS |
| | EXCELLENT | GOOD | AVERAGE | FAIR | POOR |
| Sales practices | 40.2% | 37.4% | 16.1% | 4.2% | 2.1% |
| Service practices | 42.0 | 33.1 | 12.1 | 4.6 | 8.2 |
| OWNERS’ VITAL STATISTICS |
| Surveyed group, | |
| percentage M/F | 33.7/66.3 |
| Average age of owner | 47.6 |
| Average purchase price | $18,246 |
| Average monthly payment | $350 |
| Average total mileage | 12,458 |
| Average fuel economy, mpg | 25.0 |
| Percentage buy/lease | 95.5/4.5 |
| Average vehicles per household | 2.6 |
| OWNERS’ PURCHASE |
| CONSIDERATIONS |
| What influenced you |
| to consider a Malibu? |
| Looks/style | 76.7% |
| American made | 56.9 |
| Prior Chevrolet ownership | 54.8 |
| MT's Car of the Year award | 50.2 |
| Price | 49.1 |
| Value | 48.8 |
| I would buy another Chevrolet | 90.0% |
| I would recommend the Malibu | 85.0 |