We are replacing my wife's Ford Escape with the 2013 Malibu ECO. She likes it, it'll get groceries like nobodies business and drop the kids off at daycare like a bawce. For the price we paid and what we got in trade on her escape, i'm happy as hell with it.
Does it perform like a Camaro SS? Hell no.... Does it have the same space as our Minivan? Hell no.... But we have the minivan too so why get a giant car or other gas guzzling pile if we don't need it.
Most of the reviews that hate it, the people don't own one. Most of the reviews that are good, the people do own one. Is it perfect? Nothing ever is.