By Kate McLeod
Before the Malibu Maxx had the SS (stands for Super Sport) designation, it was a just a normal happy hatchback.
“I love hatchbacks,” says Jack Comerford, musical comedy and random acts of kindness expert who lives with his partner, Ray in San Francisco. “I had a 1987 Nissan Sentra wagon. I loved that car. There were big windows that wrapped around the car and you could see. You know when you look behind you to see if anyone’s coming? You have to see. I don’t know what’s going on with those cars with hump in the back. What is that? It’s all puffed up like a breast implant in the wrong place. You can’t see d**k out of those cars. Another thing: You never have to think about borrowing a truck. I hauled couches in that car. Hatchbacks are handy.”
So there. Not everyone in America is anti-hatchback. Some people, like Comerford, love hatchbacks. I love hatchbacks. In fact, hatchbacks are coming back. (I just drove Toyota’s teensiest hatchback called the Yaris (pronounced Yar-ees), which is named after a Greek god so minor I couldn’t find him on the Internet. It’s coming in the spring and will sell for around $13,000.)
Chevy, in order to avoid any mention of the words hatchback or wagon, calls this car a five-door extended sedan. Call it what you want; wagon, crossover, hatchback, the Maxx is seriously practical and now, with the SS version, performance has been added for when you don’t have to move couches––like most of the time. With the second row of seats folded down, the cargo area has a hauling capacity of 41 cubic feet, which is about 50 percent larger than that of a mid-size sedan.
The Maxx is based on the Epsilon platform, shared by several GM compact and midsize vehicles including the Saab 9-3. It has a wheelbase that is 6” longer than the sedan but it is one half inch shorter because the trunk doesn’t extend beyond the rear wheels. The SS front-end is dominated by big projector beam headlamps, a large black, crosshatched grille and fog lamps. Rear spoilers, dual chrome-tipped 3.5 inch exhaust outlets, 18” performance tires, aluminum alloy wheels and monochromatic moldings and trim identify this as the SS model. And it comes in purple, which in this case is a plus.
Inside the SS wears well-bolstered sport seats, a three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather covered shifter knob. Another luxury-only feature you’ll find is rear seats on tracks that move back or forward about seven inches and fold flat.
Maxx SS is powered by a 3.9 liter V6 fuel-injection engine that delivers 240 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque––plenty of spirited energy for the road with fuel economy rated at 18 city/26 highway. It has a 4-speed automatic front wheel drive with overdrive transmission and a tap-up/tap-down manual shift mode. The fully independent suspension is sport tuned and lowered for the SS; standard anti-lock power-assisted front and rear disc brakes with traction control give the vehicle a solid feel. The handling, especially through the mountainous corners was energetic and capable. You could say this is the best six from GM I’ve driven in quite a while—yes, you could definitely say that.
Safety features include high-strength steel; energy-absorbing front and rear crush zones; front side impact airbags and head curtain side impact airbags; three point safety belts with pretensioners for front seat passengers.
What the Maxx is not: a Bavarian intender or a Japanese technological wonder. It isn’t meant to be. But hear this: the Maxx receives top honors in J.D. Powers 2005 Initial Quality Study (measures problems in the first 90 days) in the entry midsize car segment. And its sedan sister captured top honors in the vehicle dependability study, which measure long term durability.
Maxx is equipped with electric power steering, power adjustable brakes and accelerator pedals, a tilt/telescopic steering column and a power seat height adjuster. A remote engine start option will appeal to those of us who live in cold climates.
Rumor has it the Maxx is getting the ax probably in the 2007 model year so look for a good deal on it. That’s important because the car as we drove it was $25,000 with a $325 XM satellite option, which is a lot.
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Sorry this comment is a little late (over a year), but I just found your website.
My partner & I owned a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS (it has since been traded in for a SAAB 9-7x), and I noticed there are a few things that need to be corrected in this review.
1. The available color is called Laser Blue, not purple.
2. This car does not have projector beam headlamps; it has projector beam foglamps.
3. There is only one rear spoiler.
4. The 3.9L V6 has 240HP with 240 lb-ft of torque, not 325 lb-ft.