5th & 6th Generation (2002-2006 & 2007-2011)Toyota Camry Discussion for years: 2002-2006 & 2007-2011
Topics of discussion range from fuel economy, safety, modifications, performance all involving America's favorite family car, the Toyota Camry.
...or so the biased domestic idiots on MotorTrend.com say. Accord to them, almost anything coming from the Big 3 Domestics are "Camry Killers". What do you all think? I'm sorry, but I just needed to get some input from you all. Please try not to be biased in your opinion. I think the Malibu SO FAR is a nice offer but to somehow surpass the Altima AND Accord to then surpass the 10 year #1 Camry, seem very overly ambitious and far fetched.
To be a killer, it has to be Camry in every aspect. I am afraid the Malibu fails miserably in many aspects. For one thing, its tank size is only 16 gallons. This is an important buying choice. Although it gets seldom mentioned by the reviewers. Because when they do test drive, they don't drive it for very long distance. But it matters if you are the real car owner.
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2007 Camry XLE V6, metallic silver, Navigation, smart key, heated leather seats, VSC, Tint 35% back 50% front, K&N.
2001 Camry LE V6, sold
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Get out of the fast lane, Toyota Camry. Move aside, Honda Accord. For the first time in a generation, General Motors is back with a game-changing mid-size sedan. And the imports better be worried, when they see the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu pull up in their rearview mirror.
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Here's the short answer on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu: It's good.
You'll forgive us if we were a bit skeptical about the vehicle that GM's car khan Bob Lutz calls "one of the most important in 100 years for Chevy." We've been through this more than a couple times with domestic carmakers, a sequence of over-promise and under-delivery followed by over-promise on the next generation, and so forth and so on.
And so it is with considerable relief that we report that Chevy has broadly hit its mark with the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu.
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Value, comfort, safety, fuel economy and great looks. The Malibu wasn't just hanging out at keggers during its extended schooling. It did its homework, and I now confer upon the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu the advanced degree of M.A.: masterful automobile.
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For the Malibu, GM engineers had another year to refine what was already a fairly good midsize chassis in the Aura-and it shows. The car is exceptionally tight, not just for a GM car but for any car anywhere near this price point. In back-to-back testing with the latest Toyota Camry, we came away impressed at how well the Malibu held its line and stayed planted over bumpy paved corners versus the Japanese competitor. The Malibu's fit, finish and features also compared favorably against the Camry's, and some on staff say the Malibu is better, more in line with a Volkswagen Passat.
On a side note, the all new Malibu beat the all new Accord in Motor Trends COTY award comparison. . . . . in fact the Malibu placed 2nd behind the CTS.
To be a killer, it has to be Camry in every aspect. I am afraid the Malibu fails miserably in many aspects. For one thing, its tank size is only 16 gallons. This is an important buying choice. Although it gets seldom mentioned by the reviewers. Because when they do test drive, they don't drive it for very long distance. But it matters if you are the real car owner.
A 16 gallon tank does not a failure make. . . . .please list the other areas where the Malibu "fails miserably", I curious to hear why you disagree with virtually every auto journalist that has reviewed the new Malibu. In fact, I'd like to see one review that says the new 'Bu is anything but competitive (if not class leading in several areas). I'll wait. . . . .
16 gallon tank, and an average of 26 mpg (I4) is 416 miles. I don’t know about you, but 400 mpg seems to be a common distance that most cars can attain on one tank. Even an average of 21.5 mpg for the V6 would yield 344 miles. . . . . . Will this be an issue to potential buyers? I doubt it.
__________________
-Behind every argument is someone’s ignorance.
-Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
A 16 gallon tank does not a failure make. . . . .please list the other areas where the Malibu "fails miserably", I curious to hear why you disagree with virtually every auto journalist that has reviewed the new Malibu. In fact, I'd like to see one review that says the new 'Bu is anything but competitive (if not class leading in several areas). I'll wait. . . . .
16 gallon tank, and an average of 26 mpg (I4) is 416 miles. I don’t know about you, but 400 mpg seems to be a common distance that most cars can attain on one tank. Even an average of 21.5 mpg for the V6 would yield 344 miles. . . . . . Will this be an issue to potential buyers? I doubt it.
I did a comparison with from toyota.com. I got another surprise about the Malibu. It is not equipped with the cabin air filter that members on this forum have talked so extensively before. Ouch!
About the consideration of tank size, I just completed a 350 miles trip from San Jose to LA. I got 31.7 miles/gallon. Because of this big tank size I have absolutely no worry to refill during the trip. I believe many US big cities are separated by at least 300 miles.
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2007 Camry XLE V6, metallic silver, Navigation, smart key, heated leather seats, VSC, Tint 35% back 50% front, K&N.
2001 Camry LE V6, sold
I did a comparison with from toyota.com. I got another surprise about the Malibu. It is not equipped with the cabin air filter that members on this forum have talked so extensively before. Ouch!
You did a comparison on Toyotadotcom, so that makes you qualified to acuratly compare vehicles. . . . WOW!!! Have you sat in a new 'Bu? Have you driven one? How about compared the Camry and 'Bu back to back?
I just did a comparison on Chevroletdotcom and I conclude the Malibu is superior to the Camry. The Camry does not have an illuminated vanity mirror, does not come standard with heated front seats, nor standard Traction Control, nor On*, nor standard stability control, and the Malibu has a better powertrain warranty. . . . . But hey, the Camry does get a cabin air filter, OUCH indeed. . . .
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Originally Posted by tzeshan
About the consideration of tank size, I just completed a 350 miles trip from San Jose to LA. I got 31.7 miles/gallon. Because of this big tank size I have absolutely no worry to refill during the trip. I believe many US big cities are separated by at least 300 miles.
Virtually any vehicle will make it 300 miles, with fuel to spare. And you drove all highway. The I4 'Bu would take you 480 miles all highway, and an all highway trip in the V6 'Bu will take you 416 miles. Both of these configurations will take you 350 miles (all highway) with fuel to spare, so what's your point?
__________________
-Behind every argument is someone’s ignorance.
-Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
A 16 gallon tank does not a failure make. . . . .please list the other areas where the Malibu "fails miserably", I curious to hear why you disagree with virtually every auto journalist that has reviewed the new Malibu. In fact, I'd like to see one review that says the new 'Bu is anything but competitive (if not class leading in several areas). I'll wait. . . . .
16 gallon tank, and an average of 26 mpg (I4) is 416 miles. I don’t know about you, but 400 mpg seems to be a common distance that most cars can attain on one tank. Even an average of 21.5 mpg for the V6 would yield 344 miles. . . . . . Will this be an issue to potential buyers? I doubt it.
16 gallons is bone empty so it is effectively a 13-14 gallon tank.
and the turning at 40'+ is barge-like!!!!
It may be the best Chevy ever but it has a long way to go.........
16 gallons is bone empty so it is effectively a 13-14 gallon tank.
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Originally Posted by njerald
OK, so the 'Bu has a 14 gallon usable tank (still 364 miles, I4), while the Camry has a 16.5 gallon usable tank (or 429 miles, I4). . . .the numbers are the same (assuming you apply the same logic to both cars).
and the turning at 40.4 is barge-like!!!! Compared to what, the barge like turning circle of the Camry, at 37.4. The Maxima is at 40.0, the Accord is 38.0, the Fusion is 40.0, the Sonata at 35.8, and the Mazda6 at 38.8.
It may be the best Chevy ever but it has a long way to go.........Says you, but the people that get paid for their opinion say it is not only a competitor, but in some cases, a leader. . . . . BTW, these people have driven the 'Bu (and it's competitors), have you?
__________________
-Behind every argument is someone’s ignorance.
-Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
You did a comparison on Toyotadotcom, so that makes you qualified to acuratly compare vehicles. . . . WOW!!! Have you sat in a new 'Bu? Have you driven one? How about compared the Camry and 'Bu back to back?
I just did a comparison on Chevroletdotcom and I conclude the Malibu is superior to the Camry. The Camry does not have an illuminated vanity mirror, does not come standard with heated front seats, nor standard Traction Control, nor On*, nor standard stability control, and the Malibu has a better powertrain warranty. . . . . But hey, the Camry does get a cabin air filter, OUCH indeed. . . .
Virtually any vehicle will make it 300 miles, with fuel to spare. And you drove all highway. The I4 'Bu would take you 480 miles all highway, and an all highway trip in the V6 'Bu will take you 416 miles. Both of these configurations will take you 350 miles (all highway) with fuel to spare, so what's your point?
I guess you live in Texas country side. You have no worry about the air you breath on the road. But please spare us poor souls that live inside big cities. To have a cabin air filter to breath filtered the air from the road is the primary reason I upgraded from a 2001 Camry V6 to this 2007 Camry XLE V6. Without the cabin air filter I absolutely will not consider a Malibu. My life is worth much more.
__________________
2007 Camry XLE V6, metallic silver, Navigation, smart key, heated leather seats, VSC, Tint 35% back 50% front, K&N.
2001 Camry LE V6, sold
I never made it into the previous Malibu thread; might as well dive in here.
Yes, I think Toyota-type people will think of things like gas tank size and cruising range, cabin air filters, and other details. They will think in terms of "decades of Toyota reliability" as compared to "decades of abysmal reliability" from virtually any GM product. Sure, maybe the new Malibu is much better, but I'm not gonna spend that kind of dough to be a ginuea pig.
The car magazines think in terms of handling and acceleration, mainly, with a little thought given to cosmetics and style, but that's about it. They don't look at the kind of "details" I mentioned above -- those just aren't on the car magazines' radar screens. Nor, of course, is anything regarding "reliability."
So, yeah, they will wax poetic at the Malibu, and they'll influence quite a bit of the potential buyers for cars in this segment. No problem there at all -- I just remain generally apalled at people who buy something as expensive as a vehicle without virtually thinking anything about it or researching it whatsoever.
I tend to think that the new Accord might be hurt worse by the Malibu than anything -- whoever "designed" that dog-butt-ugly piece of junk ought to do the honorable thing and jump out of a 20-story window to his death. Dang, that thing just looks awful from every angle.
At any rate, I'm happy to see a competent Malibu on the market. I think Honda's build quality has been abominable lately, and obviously our new Camrys haven't been exactly as bulletproof as most of us have come to expect from Toyota. Both Honda and Toyota need a swift slap upside the head, and maybe losing some significant sales to the new Malibu might help them comprehend that quality and reliability is what got them where they are now.
Of course, it'll be a cold day in hell if I ever think seriously about buying a US-built vehicle -- and that includes Toyotas, too. So trust me, I'm talking about other peope buying the Malibu, not me!
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08 Malibu: A "Camry Killer"??
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