My 2004 Chevy Malibu By Jan Mayrhofer on Jul 01, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

For about the past twenty years or so, I have driven a mini-van. With plenty of space for the children and tag-a-long friends besides, it was the perfect vehicle for me.

Having all that space really kind of spoiled me! It made the car I drive now seem cramped in comparison. Now that I have owned my Chevy Malibu for about two years, I am getting used to having less space. And whether I like the lack of spaciousness or not, I'm very thankful to have downsized before the big gas crunch really hit!

The Malibu is basically a four-seater. There is a seatbelt in the middle of the back seat, providing three in all, but it's very crowded back there unless all three backseat passengers are children.

There is a storage compartment between the front seats. And two cup holders next to the gear shift and two more for the back seat. The glove box provides additional storage space along with the side pockets in the front doors and the mesh pockets on the backs of the front seats.

Other features I enjoy are power windows, a remote keyless entry system (I love that!), power seats, power side mirrors, a traction control system for icy weather, and a trunk that pops by pressing a button either in the car or on the remote control.

My gas mileage fluctuates between 22.5 and 24 mpg, depending on where and how I am driving. Maybe it's not great mileage compared to the hybrids or even a four cylinder car, but it's a big improvement over the minivans of the past.

The Malibu handles well and has required no maintenance other than general scheduled and preventive maintenance.

The Chevy Malibu is a dependable and fairly fuel efficient vehicle.