It was simple. Chevrolet didn't have amodel to compete with the Ford Contour, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and Dodge Stratus. That's a big, lucrative market and a player the size of Chevrolet has to be in the game. Creating a model that could make the lineup was not an easy assignment. These are formidable competitors with good records. Chevrolet would have to hit the proverbial home run if it was to stay in this component of the midsize game. Going, going, gone. The Malibu easily clears the center field fence. The Malibu comes in two competitively priced models. The base Malibu comes with a 150 horsepower, 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine. The LS uses a 3.1-liter V6 rated at 155 horsepower. The V6 is an option for the base car. A comparably equipped four-cylinder Accord will be in the low $19,000 range, a V-6 Stratus around $20,000, a V-6 Contour also around $20,000, so the Malibu is priced right. When speaking about target audience, Chevrolet talks of people in their mid-30s and 40s looking for quality, safety, reliability, durability, and practicality. That's a something-for-everybody philosophy that a little time behind the wheel reveals the Malibu does indeed offer.
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