Chevy goes to the Maxx with bonus features

It couldn't have been a more perfect week to put a midsize wagon (or five-door hatchback depending on who you ask) through its paces. Sure, I love driving sports cars and convertibles as much as the next guy, but real life often interferes with my Mitty-like fantasy world -- the buzz is usually killed by a screaming toddler, hurled Gerber fruit snacks or the stunning realization that a 40-year-old dude in a silver Malibu wagon is all but invisible to car loads of 20-year-old coeds summering in Southern California.

Clearly, my use of the word "summering" only ups the dork factor. But let's get back to the car. A week full of trips to Grandma's house, garage cleanings, a fence-painting project and out-of-town visitors was the perfect opportunity to see if the Maxx's added versatility is real or imagined.

The Malibu Maxx is hitting the market at just the right time. There are a number of small sporty wagons that have recently hit U.S. shores, but when it comes to midsize and large wagons, only the high-end European brands have much to offer. Ford soldiers on with a Taurus wagon and the Subaru Outback qualifies as a midsize wagon, but still, the offerings are few when compared to sedans or SUVs. The recent addition of cars like the Chrysler Pacifica and Scion xB only confuse the matter more, as it is getting harder and harder to tell what really constitutes a wagon.

So is the Malibu Maxx a true wagon or is it more of a five-door hatchback? Mazda has both a five-door and a wagon version of its 6, and with that comparison, the Maxx looks more like a five-door than a true wagon. Whatever it is, the Malibu Maxx is the closest thing you'll find to a domestic midsize wagon next to the Ford Taurus, which is living on borrowed time. The arrival of the 2005 Dodge Magnum makes things a little more interesting, but loaded-up models cost significantly more than a well-equipped Malibu Maxx.

Built on GM's Epsilon platform, the Maxx shares its lineage with cars like the Saab 9-3 and upcoming Pontiac G6. While the Malibu and 9-3 ride on similar underpinnings, the Malibu Maxx and G6 sedan utilize a lengthened version of that architecture.

We recently added a Malibu sedan to our long-term fleet, and although many of our editors find that car to be surprisingly comfortable, most take issue with the bland styling inside and out, as well as its lack of refinement. For the most part, the same comments apply to the Maxx, but it does look a little better. Road Test Editor Dan Kahn said, "An extended roofline and 16-inch alloy wheels contribute to a more aggressive, interesting look." The Maxx's appeal is more than just skin-deep, as it adds an extra 2.5 inches of rear-seat legroom, thanks to its longer wheelbase. It also has a hatch-type rear door, and a glass roof for the rear seat. And unlike the sedan that offers both four- and six-cylinder engines, the Maxx comes with V6 power only.

Some of that rear-seat room comes as a result of the adjustable rear seats that slide forward and back -- either side of the 60/40 setup will slide independently with a seven-inch range of adjustment. It's an SUV feature that works well in this midsize car. Our test car was a top-of-the-line LT, which gives you standard leather seating. The suede material that covers the middle of the seats provides a little more cush and feels a little more comfortable than the cloth seats.

My previously mentioned out-of-town guests were a 6-foot-4 former high school basketball champ and his wife, who is probably about 5 feet 5. The sliding seats were instantly put to use when these two jumped into the back of the Maxx. While our taller passenger slid his seat all the way back, his wife was content with the existing seat position (roughly in the middle of the range). Those with small children will also appreciate the sliding seats. Sometimes it can be hard to reach a child strapped into a safety seat from the front seat, so having the ability to slide that kid up and closer to the parents is invaluable. The bottom line here is that the Maxx offers more than enough rear-seat legroom even for tall passengers and the fact that you can adjust these seats back and forth is a nice bonus.

The glass roof over the rear seat is a nice bonus as well. It's not the type of feature that could make or break a car purchase, but when traveling through a big city or even the mountains, it is a plus that the rear-seat occupants get a stellar view of all that is happening outside the car. During everyday use, most folks are likely to just leave the sliding shades pulled closed and forget about it.

Same goes for the fold-out table. The rear cargo area comes with a removable hard shelf -- it can be moved forward, and then the extended end can be propped up with a built-in leg that swings down. It's doesn't look like much, but we did make use of it during that fence-painting chore. With the car parked nearby and its XM radio filling the neighborhood with the neo-classic sounds of Peter Murphy and The Call, we used the shelf to hold unused paint brushes, drinks, masking tape, an Exacto knife and a bowl full of Cheez-Its.

This arrangement kept those items out of the reach of a certain two-year-old and kept the adults from stepping all over their lunch and unsoiled paintbrushes. Like the glass panel roof, the table is a nice bonus but will probably not see much action. Luckily, it is simple to remove altogether and can also serve as a hard shelf to help divide cargo. This is especially helpful given that the cargo area is not quite as spacious as in some true wagons. In an effort to maximize what space there is, the front passenger's seat back folds all the way forward, allowing the Maxx to carry something long like a ladder or table.

While some of these features might not seem like such a big deal, the "big deal" becomes apparent when you consider the Maxx's price. At a starting price of about $22,200 (for the LS), the Maxx offers a lot of value. Add such options as OnStar, XM radio, a rear-seat DVD player, side curtain airbags, the remote start feature (standard on the LT) and CD changer, and the price can exceed $26,000. That's still a lot of car for the money.

Unfortunately, there is bad news with regard to the Maxx's driving dynamics. Some Edmunds editors like the new Malibu and some are unmoved by the car. However, both groups concede that the car provides a comfortable ride for commuting and better-than-expected acceleration and fuel economy from its old-tech V6. At the same time, the car's poorly tuned electric steering and soft suspension make it feel clumsy when serious handling demands are placed upon it. And its braking ability is mediocre at best. Far from a perfect car, the Malibu, but not an altogether unpleasant one, either.

Sadly, our Malibu Maxx test car seemed to suffer from what we can only assume were sample defects not indicative of all production models. The car's electric steering seemed particularly troublesome and pulled to the left in almost all driving conditions. There also seemed to be quite a bit of torque steer, and under heavy acceleration, an odd and irritating whistling sound came from the right side firewall area. Finally, the transmission seemed reluctant to downshift and when it did so, there was quite a jolt.

The transmission also felt too eager to get to the next highest gear, which meant that adequate power was frequently unavailable. Normally, these types of problems would simply be reported with no further mention, but the real problem is that our long-term Malibu sedan doesn't exhibit any of these irritating traits. Without driving another Malibu Maxx, we have to conclude that either the Maxx version of the Malibu isn't as well built as the sedan or that the one car we happened to have had a few unique problems. That's too bad because the way we see it, the Malibu and Malibu Maxx have very few marks against them. A negative driving experience has left us thinking less of the Maxx than the Malibu sedan.

If you're looking for a moderately priced midsize car but need the added space of a wagon, there are a few choices. The Mazda 6 wagon is a new option in this price range, while the redesigned 2005 Legacy and Outback and the all-new Magnum are worthy candidates for those who can spend a little more. The Malibu Maxx may not offer the most spacious cargo area in this group, but it more than makes up for it with its roomy backseat that's usable for adults and children alike.

Add a fore/aft adjustment feature for said rear seats and an available rear DVD player and the unassuming Malibu Maxx begins to seem like the most family-friendly wagon in its class. But like the Malibu sedan, the Maxx's interior styling is a little bland, and we're still not sold on the driving dynamics. Also like the sedan, though, the Malibu Maxx is a good value. And that's probably its strongest point -- a well-equipped midsize wagon with V6 power for under $25,000 should be on any shopper's short list.

Copyright 2004 Edmunds.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Originally published on www.edmunds.com and reprinted with permission.