| For the past years, the Toyota Camry and the Honda | | | | Schuster also pointed out that the focus on value, |
| Accord have been the undisputed leaders in the | | | | performance and style of the Malibu makes it a tough |
| midsize car market. The reliability of these vehicles has | | | | contender in its class and is evidence that the |
| been known all around the world and in the United | | | | automotive brand is taking a step in the right direction. |
| States. Year after year, Japanese automakers posted | | | | "We saw that with the Volkswagen Passat and |
| increasing sales of their midsize cars. But recently, they | | | | Mazda 6, and then later with the new Camry and |
| are facing a tough challenge from the Chevy Malibu. | | | | Accord," he said pertaining to the focus in style, |
| The midsize car from General Motors has been | | | | performance and overall value. |
| received with much praise ever since it was launched | | | | Jeff Soga, Toyota's project manager for the Camry, |
| in November this year. The Malibu is also nominated to | | | | Solara, and Avalon, agreed with Schuster saying: |
| be the Car of the Year at the 12th annual Urban | | | | "Consumers continue to demand more value and |
| Wheels Awards. Consumers are also creating good | | | | features from their midsize sedans, and, unlike the past, |
| feedback for the Malibu. With the increasing popularity | | | | stylish design has become a competitive differentiator." |
| of the midsize car showing the bowtie badge, some | | | | He also pointed out that consumers are still looking for |
| analysts are claiming that Toyota and Honda should | | | | reliability, ride quality, overall comfort, value, and of |
| watch out for the Malibu eating into their market share. | | | | course, safety when it comes to buying a new vehicle. |
| Doug Schuster, the executive director of global | | | | This is the same as Acura owners focusing on |
| forecasting for J.D. Power and Associates, said that | | | | reliability when out shopping for Acura brake pads. |
| the new Malibu is definitely a different car from what | | | | For nine out of the past ten years, the Toyota Camry |
| consumers have been given in the past. "It's a more | | | | is the best selling passenger car in the United States. |
| competitive 'retail' Malibu compared to the 'fleet' Malibu | | | | This year, for the first eleven months alone, Toyota |
| we've seen before. It could start to sway some | | | | has already sold 434,277 units of the Camry - an |
| buyers who were focused on leaders in the past, but | | | | improvement of 5.8 percent compared to the same |
| we'll have to wait until next year to see how it does | | | | period last year. In comparison, Chevy sold 116,140 units |
| and where trade-ins come from," said Schuster. | | | | of the Malibu, 23.8 percent lower than last year. |