The Malibu looks masculine, brawny, yet clean and crisp. In our opinion, this is one of the best overall designs that GM design boss Ed Welburn has supervised since he's had the top design job.

The new body design is bold, long and sleek, with an especially appealing roofline that looks like it belongs on a luxury car. The bodysides are completely clean and uncluttered, and the twin round taillamps pay homage to the Corvette. The dual-port grille is a contemporary Chevrolet design cue. We think it works better on the Silverado, but it gives the Malibu a distinctive look, and distinction is the goal of the midsize sedan designer. Look closely and you'll see tiny bowtie emblems imbedded in the headlights, one of several small surprise-and-delight features the designers included in the hope owners will discover them one pleasant day while washing the car.

Malibu rides on the Epsilon platform, with MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars of varying diameters, depending on model.

The four-cylinder models will likely represent 70 percent of sales. The mid-level LT trim levels are expected to be the most popular, say GM executives, though the entry level LS-2 is also expected to be popular. Naturally, our favorite is the LTZ, perched at the top of the line.