I would describe the ride on my 2009 LS as "firm." On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a 1979 Cadillac DeVille and a 10 being a Porsche 911 Turbo with sport suspension, I'd put the Malibu at about a 6. It's on the firm side, but still quite plush.
As far as "hearing" the bumps - part of it could be the car is so quiet that you are more aware of any noise. In a car with more wind noise, it might not bother you. A slight thud sound over a bump is perfectly normal as the suspension and chassis absorb whatever impact the tire does not absorb.
Recall the Malibu won Car and Driver "10 best" in 2008, and one of the reasons was the somewhat sporty ride. GM purposefully gave a firm ride to the car to make it handle better and be more competitive with cars like the Altima and Accord.
As far as "hearing" the bumps - part of it could be the car is so quiet that you are more aware of any noise. In a car with more wind noise, it might not bother you. A slight thud sound over a bump is perfectly normal as the suspension and chassis absorb whatever impact the tire does not absorb.
Recall the Malibu won Car and Driver "10 best" in 2008, and one of the reasons was the somewhat sporty ride. GM purposefully gave a firm ride to the car to make it handle better and be more competitive with cars like the Altima and Accord.
