Chevrolet engineers also gave the Malibu a suspension that's significantly firmer than that of previous mid-size Chevy sedans. That means the Malibu handles more crisply-and minimizes body roll-in corners and during abrupt lane-changing maneuvers. The Malibu feels light and agile. Its steering responds quickly in hard-cornering situations. Overall, the Malibu rewards the driver with good feedback and sporty, predictable handling response. It handles as well as a Toyota Camry and nearly as well as an Accord. It handles much better than the previous-generation Taurus, which felt ponderous by comparison, but we haven't driven a Malibu back-to-back with the new Taurus.

Malibu's independent rear suspension is attached to a rear subframe, which yields a smoother ride as each rear wheel responds individually to varying road surfaces. That definitely made a difference when we took the Malibu out onto some suburban-Detroit dirt roads, which were freshly rutted after a post-blizzard thaw. Ordinarily, this would be a molar-rattling experience, but the Malibu fended off the bumps like a bigger sedan.

The Malibu provides plenty of power for merging briskly onto the freeway. The 3.1-liter V6 boasts 170 horsepower and 190 foot-pounds of torque.

The automatic transmission that comes on both Malibu models shifts smoothly. This highly efficient transmission monitors temperature, altitude and throttle position to determine optimum shift points.

Both models come standard with front disc and rear drum brakes with ABS. In both normal and emergency-stopping situations, the brakes are solid and firm, with no discernable fade or grab. ABS allows the driver to maintain steering control during severe braking situations by reducing wheel lockup.