Overview & Reviews

Like, um, seedless watermelon, the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx was the end result of selective, consumer-friendly design. Seedless watermelon was created because consumers love watermelon but hate spitting out seeds. Launched in model-year 2004, the midsize Malibu Maxx was created because many consumers like the utility of wagons but want the cooler look and style offered by sedans.

Most Recent Chevrolet Malibu Maxx

Hoping to avoid any potential stigma, Chevrolet describes the Malibu Maxx as a "five-door extended sedan." Built on a lengthened version of GM's Epsilon platform, the Maxx has a hatch-type rear door and a glass roof over the rear seat. And unlike the sedan that offers both four- and six-cylinder engines, the Maxx comes with V6 power only.

Its hatchback design makes loading the Chevy Malibu Maxx effortless. The rear cargo area has 22.8 cubic feet of space available (about 8 more than the average midsize sedan's trunk) and folding down the rear seats opens up 41 cubic feet. Further versatility is gained by rear seats that slide forward and back -- either side of the 60/40 setup will slide independently with a 7-inch range of adjustment. Other strengths include an agreeable ride and outstanding crash test scores.

All in all, the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx is a great choice if you're seeking utility at an affordable price -- provided you don't take issue with its drab looks and unremarkable handling. Those seeking brisker performance can choose the SS trim (launched in 2006), which comes with a more powerful engine.

Alas, the Malibu Maxx has not been a particularly popular offering for Chevy, and it was announced that the car would be discontinued after the 2007 model year. More information about the Malibu can be found here.

User Reviews:

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  Best Hatchback made - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Drummer182 - November 5 - 2:00 am

  Car is fast as hell, plenty of room, remote start, dvd package.. everyone I know loves it

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  GREAT CAR - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By GINGER - November 5 - 2:00 am

  THIS NEW MAXX IS A GREAT LITTLE CAR TO DRIVE.

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  Surprising Car from Chevrolet - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By TallinArk - November 3 - 4:56 pm

  I really like this car. Plenty of room, good driving position (I am 63") and excellent fuel economy. City driving is 25-27 mpg and highway driving is 35-29 mpg. No lie. I added a K&N filter to my Maxx and got very good improvements in power and economy. Got it through the Employee Purchase program/rebate and got this car gor a great price. Had a couple of problems with it at first (fuel guage and tire) but were fixed by the dealer with no questions asked. Very quiet on asphalt, a little choppy on concrete, but all-in-all quite comfortable. Bridgestone tires will be replaced with Dunlop or Michelin at the earliest possible time. Outstanding safety features!

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  Practical and Sporty - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Maxx999 - November 1 - 12:46 am

  Ive had my SS Malibu Maxx for 4 months and put about 5000 miles on it. I really love the car. I wasnt considering the SS until I sat in one and realized how comfortable the seats are. I test drove it and was hooked. Im not really a performance car guy but Im becoming one. Car handles beautifully and the acceleration is awesome. The regular Maxx is pretty peppy but Id encourage prospective buyers to try out the SS. The tricked out family car is cool. (Even, my friend who is a BMW devotee is jealous!) I was attracted to the Maxx b/c of its room and styling. It feels like a much more expensive European car -- but will be much more reliable.

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  Well Designed Auto - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By gerber - October 31 - 10:00 am

  Strong features include: Comfortable seats--both front and rear; smooth and well controlled ride; relatively little lean cornering at 65-75 mph on the freeway; smooth automatic transmission; good low and middle range torque; good gas mileage; responsive stearing;

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  Love it, love it - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Maxxfan - September 15 - 2:23 am

  Very adaptable for whatever use you need at the time. Much more space to pack things in than you first think. Very smooth and pretty fuel efficient for 6 cylinders. GM has come a long way and has greatly surpassed all other N. American manufacturers. Tougher times for Ford and Chrysler

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  Not Bad for a Chevy - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Hobbie2k - September 10 - 10:20 am

  I bought this car because I needed a new replacement for my 1993 Accord Wagon. It still ran great with 240,000, but with a new job that requires 1000 miles a week, it would have to break down eventually. I stopped at the Chevy dealer because of a 50% off promotion. I figured at 50% off even a Chevy would be worth it. Lets just say, I was pleasantly surprised. Its not as bad as I feared. I was thinking itd be a Lumina wagon, but dare I say, its all-around a better car than my parents Nissan (then again, the Nissan is a 2001 with 135,000 miles). This car is a good bargain after the rebates, but for MSRP there are better options.

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  Sports-sedan - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Manfred-J- Hinz - August 25 - 6:43 pm

  I replaced a 2004 Maxx with this 2007 Maxx SS. I was, and am, totally satisfied with the car. Finally a great eye-appealing sport sedan from GM and Chevy decides not to build this model for the 2008 Line-up. To limit production of this model to 3 years is questionable.

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  Drives like a dream - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By medinamalibu - August 19 - 6:13 am

  After owning the Maxx for 2 days, I concluded that its driving manners were perfect. Three years later, the perfection has been restored by new tires/brakes/steering column. Love the extended warranty! Had a major water leak due to some missing sealant. Instruments freaked out one day and died for my commute, but came back perfect (with updated mileage, even!) the same night. Sunshades, ugh. Nice idea, but not durable enough for any use. A few design miscues havent spoiled how wonderful the car is. Its never left me stranded. Wish I could see 30+ MPG more often. Love the power, though. Rear visibility suffers -- should have been a more square-ish wagon.

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  Maxx SS - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Scuba Steve - July 31 - 10:23 pm

  This vehicle has all the pizazz and good looks anybody could ask for. Performance wise this car is very quick and responsive the auto/manual shifting is smooth as silk. About the only thing I can say is a drawback is the turning radius, it is a long car, but that has its benefits too in the amenities dept. this vehicle exceeds all expectations. If you test drive one of these vehicles be prepared to be impressed, I was, so I bought one and I love it.