The 2008 Toyota Camry vs. the 2008 Chevy Malibu

Before buying any car, you need to do some comparisons between different makes and models. The comparisons between the 2008 Toyota Camry and the 2008 Chevy Malibu will not surprise the consumer. The best car for gas mileage, price and features is going to be the 2008 Chevy Malibu. When you start comparing the two cars, you want to look at the overall appearance first. The Malibu is a luxury car, but the Camry has a sporty look that is appealing to the younger buyers. However, the Camry still cannot hold its own against the Chevy Malibu.

The fuel consumption is another comparison that consumers look at when choosing a car. The Camry and the Malibu both have a V6 2.4 liter engine with 16-valves double overhead cam. The Camry will get 31 miles per gallon with highway driving and the Chevy will get 30 miles per gallon with highway driving. The one mile per gallon difference will not make that much of a difference when comparing the two cars. The Chevy will get 22 mile per gallon in the city while the Camry will only get 21 miles per gallon. Still this is not that much of a difference. The Camry has a 18.5 gallon fuel tank while the Malibu has a 16 gallon fuel tank.
The engine performance will decide which car comes out ahead.

The Camry offers 158 horsepower with 6000 RPM. The Malibu comes with 169 horsepower and 6400 RPM. Comparing the engine performance, without a doubt puts the Chevy Malibu out in front of the Camry. The optional engine block heater is offered for the Malibu, but not with the Camry. If you live in a place where winters are cold, the heater is ideal.

The overall comfort of the Malibu is what the consumer is looking for next to the engine performance and fuel consumption. The Camry with its sporty look lacks the head and legroom of the luxury Malibu. The interior of the Malibu sports comfort while the interior of the Camry leaves one feeling too confined. The interior features of the Malibu stand out when compared to the Toyota Camry. The Malibu offers OnStar, six speakers with the AM/FM radio and CD player and the Camry does not offer OnStar, but has the AM/FM radio with six speakers and CD player.

The price of the four speed automatic transmission Chevy Malibu starts at $19,900 while the five-speed manual transmission Camry comes in at a starting price of $18, 570. Add an extra $1,000 for the automatic transmission in the Camry. The difference in price is only $1,330. The manual transmission of the Camry might not be the car for everyone. The automatic transmission will be the selling point between the two cars after everything else.

The Chevy Malibu offers more safety features than what the Camry offers. The Malibu has a vehicle diagnostic feature that the Camry does not. The diagnostics monitors the tire pressure, air bags, antilock brakes, transmission, engine and more while the Camry relies on human response to these areas. The Malibu and the Camry come with six airbags. However, another safety feature that Chevy provides is the remote anti-theft alarm system, which Camry does not offer.

The fit and finish of the Toyota Camry is inconsistent while the Chevy Malibu offers a quality fit and finish in every car. The inconsistencies with the finish and the fit are what to look for when comparing the Chevy and the Camry. The Camry has a higher resale value, but once you buy the Chevy Malibu, you will not need another car for a long time. This alone makes the Malibu top on the list of cars to buy.

After comparing the 2008 Camry and the 2008 Malibu, one can see that the best car will be the Malibu. The gas mileage might be off by a mile, but the comfort of the ride is what drivers are looking for after fuel consumption. The Malibu wins with consumers for safety and comfort. The Malibu might not be able to tow anything, but the Camry with its towing ability will lose gallons per mile on the highway. Malibu is not just a car to own, it is a luxury car with a price you can afford.