Freedom is only yards away. As we creep toward the exit gate of the Long Beach swap meet, a big, burly dude pulls up right next to our 2006 Chevrolet Malibu SS. He's in a '69 Malibu with a 327, not exactly period-correct Centerline wheels and a bright peach paint job. "I guess Chevy will put an SS badge on anything if they think it will sell more cars, huh?" Something tells us he's not really asking a question. Similar to such overwrought expressions like "just so you know" and "I'm just saying," this statement/question's only goal is to jab and run. Sissy.

The real question is whether the 2006 Malibu SS sedan is worthy of wearing those double-S badges. Like SS cars of the past, the 2006 Malibu SS sticks to a proven formula: Start with an affordable, high-volume car, and add mild suspension tweaks, special wheels and tires, a little extra motor (OK, a lot of motor if you're old enough to remember 409 Impalas and 396 Novas) and top the whole thing off with some exterior styling cues to set it apart from the grocery-getters and rental cars.

Sharp-dressed Malibu
If you're expecting a modern Malibu SS to have a 427 or even a 350 V8, you're living in a time warp. V6s are the new V8s, and the '06 Malibu SS has a decent V6. It's bumped up to 3.9 liters vs. the 3.5-liter V6 found in the standard-issue Malibu. Total output is 240 horsepower, 23 more than the V6-powered Malibu LTZ. The Malibu SS uses variable valve timing and variable intake technology, but all V6 Malibus for 2007 now have that same feature. Other upgrades for the SS version include a shiftable automatic transmission, a slightly stiffer suspension, tough-looking 18-inch wheels, a tasteful rear spoiler, a unique grille treatment, dual exhaust outlets and a lower body kit that gives the car a slightly more aggressive stance.

Inside, the Malibu SS looks essentially like any other Malibu, but the addition of a three-spoke steering wheel with SS logo, chrome-rimmed gauges and aluminum-style trim give the cabin an obvious "step up" feel. And the Malibu's interior is just as spacious as some of the segment leaders. Rear-seat legroom is on par with the 2007 Toyota Camry and headroom is comparable to the current Honda Accord. Leather and cloth seats are standard on the Malibu SS and they're comfortable for the most part, but a little more padding on the cushions wouldn't hurt.

The competition
So the Malibu SS looks the part, but does it perform? The short answer is yes. There's no question the modern Malibu SS hits all the numbers. Its 0-60 time is a commendable 7.8 seconds. The quarter-mile comes up in just under 16 seconds at 89 mph. However, since all V6-powered Malibus now have variable valve timing and output is up to 217, we wonder about the real performance advantage of an SS for 2007.

A Ford Fusion SEL V6 we recently tested went from zero to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds, a Honda Accord EX V6 did it in 7.6 seconds and a Toyota Camry XLE hit 60 in a smoking 6.5 seconds. So the Malibu is in the hunt, but those little SS badges on the front doors led us to expect more in terms of straight-line performance.

Quick enough
But on the street, the SS feels powerful and quick enough to impress your buddies from stoplight to stoplight. You can easily break the front tires loose, but smoky burnouts are less likely. Not to mention the Malibu is a front driver, so how cool would that really look? Not very.

The automatic transmission's shift-it-yourself feature works well. In fact, using it got us our best 0-60 run. The transmission is otherwise unchanged from a normal Malibu, which means it's a four-speed. Shifts are smooth and positive, but a stomp of the accelerator at around 40 mph can result in a little delay before the power is put to the wheels. Our guess is that a five-speed transmission would help and probably shave a few 10ths off that 0-60 time as a bonus. The engine is smooth and vibration is kept to a minimum. Given the dual chrome exhaust tips on this car, we were hoping for a bit more of an exhaust note. Having an SS car that's this quiet is almost a mistake in our book.

Back at the track, the Malibu SS turned in a respectable slalom speed of 64.6 mph, again, on par with cars like the Ford Fusion and Honda Accord and well ahead of the Camry's 60-mph speed. An '04 Malibu LT we tested barely cracked 59 mph in the slalom, so the SS improvements are notable.

Although the Malibu turns in an impressive slalom speed and decent 0-60-mph run, the car doesn't feel remarkably controlled while doing either. Our test driver commented that the car "lacked poise" and "didn't offer adequate steering feel." Floor it from a stop and there's noticeable torque steer. Braking is a similar story — the SS Malibu comes to a stop from 60 mph in 125 feet but there's noticeable nose dive and ABS noise.

Still, there's no arguing with the numbers. The SS offers lots of grip thanks to 225/50 tires mounted on 18-inch wheels, and we suspect it's all that rubber grabbing the asphalt combined with the SS suspension tweaks that moved the car through the cones so quickly and brought it to a stop in such short order.

Fortunately, the firmer suspension and big wheels don't taint the Malibu's everyday ride quality. On the highway and around town, the SS feels very livable. There's a little extra edge to the ride, but nothing that's worth complaining about. Unlike some performance sedans, the extra power and handling in this SS don't come at the cost of comfort.

Won't break the bank
And Chevy's not trying to charge an arm and a leg for the SS Malibu either. Our test car was loaded with virtually every option you can get, including OnStar, XM radio, a six-disc CD changer and a sunroof. Base SS price is $23,520 including destination, and our optioned-out car came in at $25,610. An '07 Camry XLE V6 with similar equipment will run you about $29,000, and V6 versions of the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima are notably more expensive as well.

Ultimately, the 2006 Malibu SS looks good, performs reasonably well and won't break the bank. But here's the problem: There is no SVT Fusion or Accord Si or TRD Camry. Those companies simply designate their top-of-the-line sedan with an XLE or SEL and add the option of a V6. When an optioned-out Ford Fusion runs zero to 60 in 7.7 seconds, it seems somewhat impressive. Slap an SVT badge on that same car and you expect more — a whole lot more. Same goes for an SS version of a Malibu. Those two little letters raise our expectations significantly.

Really, the SS is just a "top-of-the-line" Malibu — think of it like that and you'll likely be pleased with the car. Yes, it's got some upgrades and a little extra power, but it's not a raw and aggressive street machine like SS cars of the past. We almost wish Chevy would just call it the Malibu LTZ Sport or something like that. Then we wouldn't expect a pavement-blistering street machine, plus we wouldn't have to hear the same "it's not really an SS" comment all weekend long at the show and shine.