KelleyBlueBook, the leading provider of new and used vehicle
information, announces the Chevrolet Malibu as the winner of the “2008
Best Redesigned Vehicle” award. According to the kbb.com editorial
team, the newly redesigned 2008 Chevrolet Malibu is being honored for
taking the important mid-size car category to a new level of overall
refinement. Specifically, its stylish sheetmetal, attractive interior,
well-sorted ride-and-handling characteristics and quiet – all in a very
affordable vehicle – combined to produce a value equation that set it
apart from the pack.
More than 30 vehicles were redesigned for the 2008 model year. Kelley
Blue Book's kbb.com editorial team reviewed the complete list to
identify vehicles that demonstrated the greatest improvement relative
to their predecessors and competitors. Factoring into the final
decision were judgments on exterior and interior styling, technology,
comfort and convenience features, performance/capability, driving
dynamics, safety, fuel economy, overall refinement and value. A major
factor contributing to the Malibu’s 2008 win is the vehicle's market
significance.
“The 2008 Malibu solidified its case for kbb.com’s ‘2008 Best
Redesigned Vehicle’ with a top-to-bottom, inside-and-out remake that's
nothing less than game-changing,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive
editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book
and kbb.com. “The new Malibu has earned its place at the top of one of
the toughest and most competitive categories in the industry. It can
take on any competitor head-to-head.”
Rounding out the top 10 finalists for kbb.com’s “2008 Best Redesigned
Vehicle” were (in alphabetical order) the Audi TT, Cadillac CTS, Honda
Accord, Infiniti G37, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Mitsubishi Lancer, Porsche
Cayenne, Saturn Vue and Toyota Highlander.
“As we've come to expect in recent years, each vehicle on this year's
list of finalists represents a huge step forward versus its
predecessor,” said Nerad. “The presence of the CTS and Vue along with
the Malibu marks a significant resurgence in product offerings from the
domestic manufacturers. The domestics have proven they can play in the
big leagues again with no excuses.”
|
Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
“Best Redesigned Vehicle” History |
|
2004 |
Ford F-150 |
|
2005 |
Ford Mustang |
|
2006 |
Honda Civic |
|
2007 |
Chevrolet Silverado |
|
2008 |
Chevrolet Malibu |
The
year 2008 is the second time in the award's five-year history that a
manufacturer has taken the title in back-to-back years. In the 2004
and 2005 races for the “Best Redesigned Vehicle” award, Ford took the
top prize with the complete redesign of its flagship pickup, Ford
F-150, and with the retro-styled Ford Mustang (respectively). Honda
broke the streak in 2006 with the redesigned Civic coupe and sedan, and
Chevrolet won in 2007 with the Silverado full-size pickup.
“The pace of change continues to accelerate, with each new redesigned
model offering greater and greater improvements over its predecessor,”
said Nerad. “More power combined with better fuel economy is one
welcome trend, as is the rapid proliferation of technologies like
Bluetooth® phone connectivity, push-button start and navigation systems with real-time traffic information.”
Vehicles
usually are redesigned every four to five years, although some brands
wait longer to redesign their models. When a model is redesigned, the
value of the previous generation often declines sharply.
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