Not long ago, the midsize sedan was the bread-and-butter for automakers. But with the popularity of the crossover and SUV, the once popular sedan class is survival of the fittest.
Chevrolet is down to just one all-gas sedan and the Malibu keeps sticking around, at least for another year. It has been some time since this sedan saw a refresh, but if you don’t need the latest ‘now’ car, this Malibu could be a bargain.
The Malibu is easy on gas. I saw 39 mpg on a long highway trip. It drives nicely, also handling bumps well and providing a comfortable ride. However, there isn’t much power so don’t expect much when it comes to acceleration.
The inside has a good amount of space with loads of headroom in the front. The heated seats were good for a few hours at a time. The back seat has decent space, but competing midsize sedans have more. The Malibu falls behind the competition in terms of the interior quality with more hard plastics and a less appealing look. The bright spot is an easy-to-use touch screen and HVAC controls.
The look of the Malibu is familiar and seems to have aged well. Still, it gets lost in a crowd of more stylish sedans on the market. The Malibu 1LT comes with 17-inch aluminum wheels and plenty of chrome-colored trim pieces. If you don’t want the look of a rental or fleet car, you can choose between optional 19-inch wheels and/or one of the special edition models to help set you apart.
Cost: $29,125; as tested $29,445
MPG: 28 mpg City and 36 mpg Highway. I managed 33.3 mpg in 497 miles.
Options: $250 lane change alert with side blind zone alert
Safety: Chevy safety assist; front pedestrian braking; lane keep assist/lane departure warning; following distance indicator; forward collision alert; pedestrian braking; lane change alert with side blind zone alert; cross traffic alert; automatic emergency braking.
Things to know: The final gas sedan for Chevrolet is a family-friendly midsize that is easy on wallet.
Pros:
- A fuel-efficient midsize sedan that gets close to 40 mpg on the highway
- Costs less than the competition
- Easy to use technology and simple touch screen operation
Cons:
- Slow acceleration from the small four-cylinder engine
- Interior seems dated against the midsize competition
- Some tire noise at higher speeds
