2005 Chevrolet Malibu in Olympia, Washington

The Chevrolet Malibu was launched to compete with the mid-size imports from Japan. Like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, the Malibu emphasizes civilized road manners, quality construction, and buttoned-down practicality wrapped in innocuous if not anonymous styling.

The driving performance of the Malibu exceeded our expectations. We were surprised by the acceleration performance from the V6 and delighted by the crispness of handling on winding roads. It feels firmer than the Camry, but softer than the Accord, a good balance, in other words. Malibu's solid structure is based on GM's new Epsilon platform used by a couple of highly successful European sedans. Along with its compliant suspension, this gives the Malibu a smooth, comfortable ride, yet allows for spirited driving. This is no mush-mobile. Steering effort is light at low speeds, so the Malibu is easy to maneuver through crowded parking lots and park.

The cabin offers roomy accommodations for five passengers with comfortable seats and logical controls that are easy to use. It's quiet underway. And you can start the car remotely, a great feature on cold, winter mornings. No question, this is a highly competent sedan that's practical and easy to live with.