Question of the Day: Why Do Opinions of the Chevy Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura Vary so Much?

The Malibu, G6 and Aura midsize sedans are corporate cousins from General Motors that ride on a similar chassis. Our questioner of the day asks how each sedan can share so many parts yet evoke different reviews, observing the “Malibu is universally praised, the G6 is universally panned and the Aura tends to fall in the middle of the pack.” See how our editors answer that question.

Why do opinions of the Chevy Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura vary so much? (AskCars)

Comments

What is stated here is correct. Time has allowed GM to improve each new car as it is introduced. All three are light years ahead of their predecessors.

What isn't mentioned here is how GM has been winning the PR battle. Conventional wisdom amongst journalists now allows for occasional praise of GM cars lest they be scorned by GM. (Anyone remember GMs retaliation against the LA Times for a bad G6 review)

Automotive journalists were hearing about how good the Malibu was long before anyone actually drove it. It can and does affect their reviews of the cars.

As the Cars.com writer who handled the Malibu review, I drove it before the reviews were in so that didn't really have any impact whatsoever on my review.

Even if I had read a few I doubt I would have been more positive because the competition was. In fact if you wanted more readers you'd go the opposite direction of the tide.