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MM Full-Review: 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
By request, a Review of the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
http://www.chevrolet.com/malibu-mid-size-sedan.html
http://www.chevrolet.com/malibu-limited.html
IN A NUTSHELL: An ubiquitous American-badged mid-sized sedan enters its Ninth-Generation.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Ford Fusion, Chrysler 200, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy, Mazda6, Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, VW Passat.
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OVERVIEW:
Today's Malibu traces its original heritage to the Chevy Chevelle mid-sized sedan of 1964 (which I still remember well), and its coupe/convertible/wagon/El-Camino variants. (indeed, the first Chevrolet-badged product I sampled after got my driver's license was a mid-60s Chevelle wagon, but I can't remember the reason it was in our driveway that day). The Chevelle was introduced, of course, to compete with Ford's mid-size Fairlane, Plymouth/Dodge's Belvedere/Coronet, and the AMC/Rambler Rebel (foreign competition with cars that size, at the time, was negligible). Like its larger brother Chevy Impala (which sold in huge numbers at the time), the Chevelle and Malibu (Malibu was one of the Chevelle's trim-limes) found fame in the sport-oriented, big-engined SS versions. When I was in my later years in high school, the Chevelle SS396 (a few SS454's were also built) was about as ubiquitous a muscle-car as one could get, sharing drag strips with Plymouth Road Runners, Dodge Super Bees, Ford Torino Cobras, Mercury Cyclone CJs, Pontiac GTOs, Olds 442s, and an (occasional) Buick GS400. (I personally didn't like the Chevelle SS quite as much as I did its GTO/442/GS corporate brothers, as the Chevelle was more cheaply-made, but still nice). But all of the GM cars, back then, had better overall quality control than their competitors, though Ford generally had the best-quality paint and front disc brakes, and Chrysler did some very durable engines and automatic transmissions. (GM's 60's vintage acrylic-lacquer paint jobs were the very definition of crap).
In the 1970s, the Chevelle and Malibu, like most GM products, suffered from declining quality and cheaper parts/construction. It also suffered, of course, from the same lethargic, wimpy, stumble/stall-prone engines as most of did the rest of the American auto industry. It's hard today to imagine large 400-cubic-inch V8 engines of 7 liters and up running barely 190 HP (and that was when the lean-mixture carburetors and retarded spark-timing allowed the engines to run at all without stumbling LOL).........but like it or not, that was the reality of the times. Oldsmobile's RWD Cutlass, a Chevelle derivative, went on to have better luck, being quite popular in the mid-late 70s....and, at one point, being the country's top-selling car.
For decades, the Chevelle and Malibu never really regained the respect and popularity it enjoyed in the 1960s, and became even less of a factor with the increasing competition (and popularity) of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. In fact, GM dropped it entirely from the late 1980s to the mid 90s. The Accord and Camry, of course, became to the American public what the mid-size and large Ford/Chevy sedans had been in the 1960s.
In 1997, a new 5th-Generation FWD Malibu was introduced, again, as in the past, sharing its platform and body with the Olds Cutlass. I generally liked it more than I did the earlier, 70s-vintage models, but, despite fake wood trim inside and some attempt at a nice interior, it was still considered rental-grade material. Ditto for the 6th-generation, which added a useful but quirky-looking 5-door Malibu Maxx (Warren Brown, the Washington Post's in-house auto-reviewer, who I casually knew at the time, really liked the Maxx). An SS-trim version (cough) was offered on the sixth-generation model, but didn't really amount to much. GM, sad to say, simply neglected most of their vehicles in the 80s and 90s....and this one was no exception.
Finally, in 2008, a 7th-Generation Malibu was introduced that brought back at least some of the respect the car had enjoyed some 40 years earlier. It shared its platform (which basically came from GM's European Opel) Division) and body/interior with Saturn's mid-sized Aura sedan (Oldsmobile, by then, had folded.....as Saturn soon would). Reviewers generally gave it generally good marks. I reviewed a Malibu and Aura and found both smooth, quiet, refined, reasonably well-built, with rich-looking, carefully-crafted interiors and an overall pleasant driving experience....though rear headroom was rather tight from the low roofline, and the door-closings could have been a little more solid, But, overall, I was impressed enough with them that I considered purchasing one....and, indeed, much of the experience with those two cars (and later Opel platforms) would later go into Buick's Opel-based Verano and Regal, which, of course, I DID purchase.
The 8th-Generation Malibu continued the generally decent quality, good road manners, and well-crafted interior materials the previous one had, but I didn't think the trim and overall looks of the new interior looked as nice...it had a somewhat more jumbled and tacked-on appearance. By this time, though, the word was getting out that Malibus were no longer just for airport counters or riding home in cabs, and private-sales were picking up, though of course, it was still nowhere even near to being a threat to the dominance of the Camry and Accord.
For 2016, the Malibu will come as two completely separate vehicles..... the Malibu and Malibu Limited. The Malibu Limited will be essentially the carryover 8th-generation 2013-2015 model, and will be available to the public for only a limited time (pun not intended). Then, when they are sold out on the dealer-lots, that 8th-generation version will be available only for fleet-sales (despite the fact that it is no longer really a rental-grade sedan). Then, the all-new 9th-Generation Malibu (the main subject of this review) will carry the flag for the brand.
The all-new 9th generation Malibu will change its trim-designations slightly, and be offered in L, LS, 1LT, 2LT, and Premier levels. Most trim-level prices will actually drop a little from 2015 levels, though, according to Chevy's web-site, base-pricing for the base L models will vary by dealership....there is no set factory figure for it. LS models start at $23,995, 1LT at $25,895, 2LT at $29,495, and Premier at $31,795. A new 2016 Hybrid is on the way, but pricing and details, as I write this, have not been put on the web site yet.
For 2016, only one body style is offered (a four-dour sedan)...as opposed to the quirky Malibu Max 5-door hatchback of the 1990s. L, LS, and 1LT versions come with (are you ready for this)*...a 1.5L turbo in-line four of 163 HP/184 ft-lbs. of torque and 6-speed automatic. (Not bad output for its size, but still a Mickey-Mouse-sized power plant). 2LT and Premier versions come with a larger 2.0L turbo in-line four of 250 HP/260 ft-lbs. of torque and 8-speed automatic. 2.0L turbo fours seems to be rapidly becoming the mainstream power plants now, from a number of automakers, for many compact and mid-size vehicles, with normally-aspirated V6s being relegated to the pages of history. Unlike some of the Malibu's competitors, only FWD is offered....no AWD option.
*To be fair, some versions of the latest Ford Fusion, arguably the Malibu's closest competitor, also come with a 1.5L in-line turbo four. Blame the EPA and the upcoming super-strict CAFE gas-mileage regulations.
Here's a note on one of the Malibu's new features from Wikipedia:
The 2016 Malibu will also feature a rare first for the automotive industry, a first ever teen driver feature, which allows parents to view their kids' driving statistics, such as maximum speed, warning alerts and more.[65] In order to operate the vehicle a parent enables the feature with a PIN in the settings menu of the Malibu's MyLink system, which allows them to register their teen's key fob. The system's settings are turned on only to registered key fobs.[66] The 2016 Malibu will come equipped with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Capability features. However, only one of their phone brands at any one time can be used.[67][68]
For the static-reviews, I checked a couple of versions of the Malibu (not the carry-over Malibu Limited), both with monotone and two-tone interiors (the two-tone, IMO, as usual, looked much better). For the actual test-drive, I chose an 1LT model with the 1.5L Ecotec turbo-4. I had already sampled GM's 2.0L turbo (the optional engine in the 2016 Malibu) in some of the corporation's other vehicles, and knew that it would have adequate power in a car this size, and I wanted to see what the new base engine and drivetrain would be like. I wasn't terribly impressed with this drivetrain, despite its high EPA mileage ratings...I'll explain the details below.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 1LT
BASE PRICE: $25,020
OPTIONS:
Leather Package: $2410
Convenience / Technology Package: $895
Leather Package Savings (Rebate): (-$745)
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $875 (Reasonable for a car this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $28,185
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, transverse-mounted 1.5L Ecotec in-line turbo 4, 160 HP @ 5700 RPM, Torque 184 Ft-lbs. @ 2500-3000 RPM, Idle start / stop feature, 6-speed automatic Sport-Shift transmission, 3.23:1final-drive ratio.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 27 City, 37 Highway, 31 Combined (quite impressive for a non-hybrid sedan of this size).
EXTERIOR COLOR: Silver Ice Metallic
INTERIOR: Jet Black Leather
PLUSSES:
Slightly lower prices this year.
Very good EPA mileage figures for a non-hybrid sedan this size.
Typically-GM smooth, refined automatic transmission.
Relatively good ride comfort.
Quick steering response and good handling in normal driving.
Right-now (though not strong) brake-pedal response, with no slack or sponginess.
Wind noise well-controlled.
Relatively good exterior fit/finish.
Decent paint jobs...but the best ones cost extra.
Comfortably-padded seats.
Good fit/finish on interior trim.
Excellent stereo sound quality.
Generally good front/rear headroom.
Good legroom in back from deeply-scalloped front setbacks.
Extremely widespread dealer network for service/repairs.
MINUSES:
No V6 offered this time....a casualty of gas-mileage regulations.
Base engine 1.5L Ecotec engine relatively anemic, unrefined and noisy.
Start/stop feature on base engine not seamless in its operation.
Underhood compartment not well-designed for DIY'ers.
No AWD versions offered.
Audible road noise on grainy/porous road surfaces.
Gummy steering-feel at very low speeds.
Somewhat flimsy-feeling turn-signal stalk.
Awkward (IMO) rocker-switch on shifter for manual gear-control.
(Apparantly) no interior trunk-open switch.
Swing-away side-mirrors don't operate smoothly.
No locking gas cap.
No body-side protective molding for parking lots.
Some paint colors cost extra.
Now the rear-seats fold, now they don't. (?)
EXTERIOR:
The first impression one gets of the new Malibu's exterior styling, unlike older ones and the carryover Malibu Limited, is that of a downsized Impala. Although the grilles are a little different, the general profile and body-lines are quite similar, about on a 3/4 scale. In fact, from a distance (say, more than 100 feet away) it's not particularly easy to tell them apart. They also share the same type of chrome body-lettering just back of the front fenders, though the Malibu lacks the Impala's chrome trim-strip down the side rocker-panels on the lower-body. The Malibu also lacks body-side moldings at parking-lot-level height to protect from dings and scrapes. Body sheet-metal appears to be of typical thickness for today's vehicles (read: thin). The doors close with a somewhat tinny sound and feel when you are outside of the car, but a little more solid thunk while sitting inside. (Not counting trucks, body/door solidness and interior hardware seems to be two areas where GM's German-Opel-based cars seem more substantial than the ones from other platforms). The twin side-mirror housings fold back and lock (which is an improvement from the Malibu Limited's cheaper rigid ones). But the hinges and swivel-mechanism itself, typical of many GM products and other American designs, don't operate particularly smoothly...it takes some effort to push or pull them. The gas filler-cap door operates smoothly with a nice click, but does not lock....again, typical of many American designs. The paint jobs are generally well-done (and nine different colors are offered), but the nicest colors and paint-job textures, like the Bronze Metallic and Crystal Red Tintcoat, cost extra ($395). Very thick C/D pillars (which actually form a small opera window in back) limit outward visibility to the rear and sides.
UNDERHOOD:
Lift the extremely lightweight hood (it feels like it is either very light aluminum or plastic), and a insulation pad is attached underneath. A cost-cutting manual prop-rod for the hood (which is something that I would normally pan), is used instead of nicer gas struts, but the hood itself is so light and easy to hold while propping that, even with the manual rod, all but the weakest, most arthritis-ridden arms/shoulders/hands should be able to handle it rather easily. The underhood compartment itself, though not the worst I've seen by any means, is not particularly well-designed for Do-it-Yourselfers. There is some room (not a great deal) around the sides of the engine-block to reach components, but a plastic engine-cover blocks a lot of top-access. The battery, off to the right, is under a separate cover, as are other components next to it. The dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs, as usual, are generally easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
Inside, I found the new Malibu a rather mixed-bag. The interior styling, unlike the exterior, doesn't generally try to imitate that of the larger Impala....it had some of the Impala's pattern on the dash, but without the Impala's controversial upper-dash curvatures. Overall, I didn't like it quite as much as the really nice 7th-generation Malibu I spoke about above, but it was generally pleasant and well-done. The seats, typical of many GM products, were well-padded and comfortable (I wish more automakers would do that....too many of them are like hard slabs). Some of the trim was hard plastic, some was soft and thickly-padded materials with a nice feel....especially the door-trim inserts The general fit/finish of the trim materials was quite good, although the polished imitation wood-tone on the console and around the power-window switches could have been better....its grain-pattern was not very wood-like at all. As usual, I thought that the two-tone interiors looked better than the monotone black. There was adequate headroom in front, and generally adequate in the rear, even with the sunroof housing. Legroomin back was quite good my mid-size sedan standards, mostly due to the deeply-scalloped and padded front seat backs that not only gave your knees a fair amount of room, but nicely padded them as well. Map pockets were included in the lower part of the seat-backs.....though, of course, today, many people use GPS rather than paper maps.
Most of the interior hardware was generally of good, or at least decent, quality, though I wasn't impressed with the somewhat cheap feel/action of the turn-signal stalk...an area that several manufacturers (even some German), need to improve on. The controls/buttons.switches were generally well-marked, well-laid out, and easy to use, though some of the buttons felt somewhat thin and unsubstantial to use...you couldn't always tell if they were on or off just by feel alone. The gauges DID imitate those of the larger Impala somewhat, and were very clear and easy to read. The steering wheel had the usual Chevrolet crispness of design (I've liked the way Chevy does their newer steering wheels, with the gold bow tie, nice materials, smart layout, and three spokes). My only real complaint inside was the awkward-to-use +/- rocker-switch on top of the shift-lever for the manual-shift mode......I've complained about that in other recent Chevys, and it seems to even be working its way into some new Buicks as well. The stereo sound quality was excellent, not not quite in the Mark Levinson Killer class.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the smallish trunk-lid (which is sometimes easier said than done, as I could not find a separate interior switch for it), and it opens up to a rather smallish but still adequately-sized cargo area. The cargo area is not particularly well-finished, has a blackish sand somewhat grainy-feeling substance on the walls, and a thin but decent-feeling black fabric/carpet on the floor. Under the floor is the usual temporary spare tire and hardware....I've stopped complaining about the lack of real spares, because, even though I still feel they should be standard and have not changed my mind, it's obvious that the bean-counters have won, and that the auto companies are just not going to go back to them except for some trucks and off-road-capable vehicles. The 40/60 rear seats fold down to extend the available cargo space, but,on several different new Malibus, I found their operation sporadic. Sometimes they would easily fold, sometimes rigidly-lock and not fold at all, and (strange)?......sometimes one side would fold and the other would not. They did not have the usual mechanical levers/buttons which released a latch to unfold them, so I'm guessing it might (?) be a teething problem on a new electronic sensor-system that, for security/access reasons, allows them to fold under some conditions, but not others.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 1.5L Ecotec four with a dash-button (a small rectangular green light in the button itself shows you when the ignition is on, a nice feature). The engine comes to life with some muted noise and typical small-four vibration, accompanied (on my test car at least), with a rhythmic / harmonic shaking that softly shimmied the whole front end of the car for about the first 60 seconds or so (almost like it was misfiring, but there were no warning lights on indicating such), then smoothed out to a normal four-cylinder idle. On the road, the engine was not the wimpiest I've driven, but I felt that its power level was marginal (or maybe, in some instances, even inadequate) for a car this size and weight. It wasn't the quietest engine, either...stepping on the gas usually produced more noise than actual power. Nor was the start/stop system that came with the engine particularly well-refined either. On the tachometer face, the red needle drops down into an block marked "AUTO STOP" when the engine automatically shuts down at a stop. That auto-stop doesn't happen, of course, until the engine is fully warmed-up and the battery adequately charged.....otherwise, it would delay warm-up and increase emissions from a cold engine. Though not really intrusive, a small but annoying bump and noise is felt when you press the gas pedal on an automatic re-start. Though not as intrusive as in some of the older Honda stop/start systems, but it still could use some more work and refinement....some vehicles do it virtually seamlessly.
No complaints from the 6-speed automatic transmission and its typical-for-GM transmission smoothness and refinement. This is essentially the same transmission, with some variations, used on a number of other Chevy/Buick/GMC small-to-medium-sized vehicles. It stayed quiet, and shifted smoothly and seamlessly, whether in full-auto or manual-shift mode. My only complaint with it (as I mentioned in the section above) was not the transmission itself but the silly rocker-switch on top of the shifter for manual-control. An additional shift-indicator on the dash, below the speedometer, shows you what manual-gear you are in.
Though with a couple of small glitches, I was generally impressed with the steering / chassis-engineering, at least on the 1LT version with its 17-inch wheels and 55-series all-season tires. Ride comfort was generally good over bumps. Steering response was surprisingly quick considering the suppleness of the tires/suspension, and there was some, but not that much, body roll. Wind noise was generally well-controlled up to normal cruise speeds....I didn't test it at really high speeds. But there was some audible road noise on grainy or porous pavement surfaces, and steering-feel from the electric unit had a marked Gummy feel across the middle at a stop and very low speeds...I don't know if that's a characteristic of the operation of the steering- pump itself, something inside the steering-rack, or the way the power-assist was programed. Not serious, but maybe that could also use some additional work from the engineers.
The brake pedal, though, was astoundingly firm, with no noticeable sponginess, free-play, or dead-zone. press it and the brakes immediately responded, though the brakes themselves aren't that strong. In other words, the brakes had German sport-sedan responsiveness, but not Brembo or sport-sedan deceleration. My big size-15 circus-clown shoe had a small, but not bad, tendency to catch the side of the brake pedal while lifting from gas to brake....a common tendency in many vehicles I drive.
THE VERDICT:
The new 2016 Malibu (again, not the Malibu Limited) may look like a downsized Impala, and may have some of the interior seating comfort of an Impala, but, IMO, does not drive like one. On the road, the current-generation Impala, especially with the V6, is IMO nothing short of superb (Consumer Reports agrees, and ranks it almost as high on a road test as the Lexus LS460, Mercedes S550, and Tesla Model S, at a far lower price). Of course, one would not expect a car that averages roughly 10K less than an Impala to be its equal. Still, IMO, the 7th-generation Malibu, among modern versions of the car, set the standard for engineering, refinement, and driving pleasure...the 8th (and now 9th) generation that followed it have not been its equal. This is similar, as I see it, to the Lexus ES, where IMO the superb 4th generation model set the standard, and the two generations that followed it were somewhat of a letdown. This new Malibu has a lot of things right, but IMO, several things need additional work and refinement, such as the engine NVH, the crudeness of the stop-start system, additional sound-insulation in the wheel-wells (Chevy's own brother Buick and its Quiet-Tuning methods could provide some help and inspiration here). Yet, some past Malibus, the Corvette, and the new Impala show that Chevy, if they put their minds to it, can produce vehicles that are competitive with (or better than) anything in its class. And the new Malibu, even with a few faults, is still competitive with other mid-size sedans in its class, as the upcoming CAFE gas-mileage rules are going to (effectively) force similar very small engines and drivetrains into other cars of this size as well (perhaps with some of the same problems). That, of course, is something that comes from the Federal Government, and is beyond the power of GM or any other automaker.
In the meantime, for those of you interested in buying or leasing a new Malibu, unless you want the excellent gas mileage that this 1.5L drivetrain produces, and are willing to live with its annoyances, NVH, and marginal power, my strong recommendation is to pay a few thousand dollars more and get the 2LT or Premier versions of the Malibu with the 2.0L Turbo four, and without that stop/start feature. I think you will be glad you did. I certainly would if it were my car.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
By request, a Review of the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
http://www.chevrolet.com/malibu-mid-size-sedan.html
http://www.chevrolet.com/malibu-limited.html
IN A NUTSHELL: An ubiquitous American-badged mid-sized sedan enters its Ninth-Generation.
CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Ford Fusion, Chrysler 200, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy, Mazda6, Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, VW Passat.
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OVERVIEW:
Today's Malibu traces its original heritage to the Chevy Chevelle mid-sized sedan of 1964 (which I still remember well), and its coupe/convertible/wagon/El-Camino variants. (indeed, the first Chevrolet-badged product I sampled after got my driver's license was a mid-60s Chevelle wagon, but I can't remember the reason it was in our driveway that day). The Chevelle was introduced, of course, to compete with Ford's mid-size Fairlane, Plymouth/Dodge's Belvedere/Coronet, and the AMC/Rambler Rebel (foreign competition with cars that size, at the time, was negligible). Like its larger brother Chevy Impala (which sold in huge numbers at the time), the Chevelle and Malibu (Malibu was one of the Chevelle's trim-limes) found fame in the sport-oriented, big-engined SS versions. When I was in my later years in high school, the Chevelle SS396 (a few SS454's were also built) was about as ubiquitous a muscle-car as one could get, sharing drag strips with Plymouth Road Runners, Dodge Super Bees, Ford Torino Cobras, Mercury Cyclone CJs, Pontiac GTOs, Olds 442s, and an (occasional) Buick GS400. (I personally didn't like the Chevelle SS quite as much as I did its GTO/442/GS corporate brothers, as the Chevelle was more cheaply-made, but still nice). But all of the GM cars, back then, had better overall quality control than their competitors, though Ford generally had the best-quality paint and front disc brakes, and Chrysler did some very durable engines and automatic transmissions. (GM's 60's vintage acrylic-lacquer paint jobs were the very definition of crap).
In the 1970s, the Chevelle and Malibu, like most GM products, suffered from declining quality and cheaper parts/construction. It also suffered, of course, from the same lethargic, wimpy, stumble/stall-prone engines as most of did the rest of the American auto industry. It's hard today to imagine large 400-cubic-inch V8 engines of 7 liters and up running barely 190 HP (and that was when the lean-mixture carburetors and retarded spark-timing allowed the engines to run at all without stumbling LOL).........but like it or not, that was the reality of the times. Oldsmobile's RWD Cutlass, a Chevelle derivative, went on to have better luck, being quite popular in the mid-late 70s....and, at one point, being the country's top-selling car.
For decades, the Chevelle and Malibu never really regained the respect and popularity it enjoyed in the 1960s, and became even less of a factor with the increasing competition (and popularity) of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. In fact, GM dropped it entirely from the late 1980s to the mid 90s. The Accord and Camry, of course, became to the American public what the mid-size and large Ford/Chevy sedans had been in the 1960s.
In 1997, a new 5th-Generation FWD Malibu was introduced, again, as in the past, sharing its platform and body with the Olds Cutlass. I generally liked it more than I did the earlier, 70s-vintage models, but, despite fake wood trim inside and some attempt at a nice interior, it was still considered rental-grade material. Ditto for the 6th-generation, which added a useful but quirky-looking 5-door Malibu Maxx (Warren Brown, the Washington Post's in-house auto-reviewer, who I casually knew at the time, really liked the Maxx). An SS-trim version (cough) was offered on the sixth-generation model, but didn't really amount to much. GM, sad to say, simply neglected most of their vehicles in the 80s and 90s....and this one was no exception.
Finally, in 2008, a 7th-Generation Malibu was introduced that brought back at least some of the respect the car had enjoyed some 40 years earlier. It shared its platform (which basically came from GM's European Opel) Division) and body/interior with Saturn's mid-sized Aura sedan (Oldsmobile, by then, had folded.....as Saturn soon would). Reviewers generally gave it generally good marks. I reviewed a Malibu and Aura and found both smooth, quiet, refined, reasonably well-built, with rich-looking, carefully-crafted interiors and an overall pleasant driving experience....though rear headroom was rather tight from the low roofline, and the door-closings could have been a little more solid, But, overall, I was impressed enough with them that I considered purchasing one....and, indeed, much of the experience with those two cars (and later Opel platforms) would later go into Buick's Opel-based Verano and Regal, which, of course, I DID purchase.
The 8th-Generation Malibu continued the generally decent quality, good road manners, and well-crafted interior materials the previous one had, but I didn't think the trim and overall looks of the new interior looked as nice...it had a somewhat more jumbled and tacked-on appearance. By this time, though, the word was getting out that Malibus were no longer just for airport counters or riding home in cabs, and private-sales were picking up, though of course, it was still nowhere even near to being a threat to the dominance of the Camry and Accord.
For 2016, the Malibu will come as two completely separate vehicles..... the Malibu and Malibu Limited. The Malibu Limited will be essentially the carryover 8th-generation 2013-2015 model, and will be available to the public for only a limited time (pun not intended). Then, when they are sold out on the dealer-lots, that 8th-generation version will be available only for fleet-sales (despite the fact that it is no longer really a rental-grade sedan). Then, the all-new 9th-Generation Malibu (the main subject of this review) will carry the flag for the brand.
The all-new 9th generation Malibu will change its trim-designations slightly, and be offered in L, LS, 1LT, 2LT, and Premier levels. Most trim-level prices will actually drop a little from 2015 levels, though, according to Chevy's web-site, base-pricing for the base L models will vary by dealership....there is no set factory figure for it. LS models start at $23,995, 1LT at $25,895, 2LT at $29,495, and Premier at $31,795. A new 2016 Hybrid is on the way, but pricing and details, as I write this, have not been put on the web site yet.
For 2016, only one body style is offered (a four-dour sedan)...as opposed to the quirky Malibu Max 5-door hatchback of the 1990s. L, LS, and 1LT versions come with (are you ready for this)*...a 1.5L turbo in-line four of 163 HP/184 ft-lbs. of torque and 6-speed automatic. (Not bad output for its size, but still a Mickey-Mouse-sized power plant). 2LT and Premier versions come with a larger 2.0L turbo in-line four of 250 HP/260 ft-lbs. of torque and 8-speed automatic. 2.0L turbo fours seems to be rapidly becoming the mainstream power plants now, from a number of automakers, for many compact and mid-size vehicles, with normally-aspirated V6s being relegated to the pages of history. Unlike some of the Malibu's competitors, only FWD is offered....no AWD option.
*To be fair, some versions of the latest Ford Fusion, arguably the Malibu's closest competitor, also come with a 1.5L in-line turbo four. Blame the EPA and the upcoming super-strict CAFE gas-mileage regulations.
Here's a note on one of the Malibu's new features from Wikipedia:
The 2016 Malibu will also feature a rare first for the automotive industry, a first ever teen driver feature, which allows parents to view their kids' driving statistics, such as maximum speed, warning alerts and more.[65] In order to operate the vehicle a parent enables the feature with a PIN in the settings menu of the Malibu's MyLink system, which allows them to register their teen's key fob. The system's settings are turned on only to registered key fobs.[66] The 2016 Malibu will come equipped with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Capability features. However, only one of their phone brands at any one time can be used.[67][68]
For the static-reviews, I checked a couple of versions of the Malibu (not the carry-over Malibu Limited), both with monotone and two-tone interiors (the two-tone, IMO, as usual, looked much better). For the actual test-drive, I chose an 1LT model with the 1.5L Ecotec turbo-4. I had already sampled GM's 2.0L turbo (the optional engine in the 2016 Malibu) in some of the corporation's other vehicles, and knew that it would have adequate power in a car this size, and I wanted to see what the new base engine and drivetrain would be like. I wasn't terribly impressed with this drivetrain, despite its high EPA mileage ratings...I'll explain the details below.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 1LT
BASE PRICE: $25,020
OPTIONS:
Leather Package: $2410
Convenience / Technology Package: $895
Leather Package Savings (Rebate): (-$745)
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $875 (Reasonable for a car this size)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $28,185
DRIVETRAIN: FWD, transverse-mounted 1.5L Ecotec in-line turbo 4, 160 HP @ 5700 RPM, Torque 184 Ft-lbs. @ 2500-3000 RPM, Idle start / stop feature, 6-speed automatic Sport-Shift transmission, 3.23:1final-drive ratio.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 27 City, 37 Highway, 31 Combined (quite impressive for a non-hybrid sedan of this size).
EXTERIOR COLOR: Silver Ice Metallic
INTERIOR: Jet Black Leather
PLUSSES:
Slightly lower prices this year.
Very good EPA mileage figures for a non-hybrid sedan this size.
Typically-GM smooth, refined automatic transmission.
Relatively good ride comfort.
Quick steering response and good handling in normal driving.
Right-now (though not strong) brake-pedal response, with no slack or sponginess.
Wind noise well-controlled.
Relatively good exterior fit/finish.
Decent paint jobs...but the best ones cost extra.
Comfortably-padded seats.
Good fit/finish on interior trim.
Excellent stereo sound quality.
Generally good front/rear headroom.
Good legroom in back from deeply-scalloped front setbacks.
Extremely widespread dealer network for service/repairs.
MINUSES:
No V6 offered this time....a casualty of gas-mileage regulations.
Base engine 1.5L Ecotec engine relatively anemic, unrefined and noisy.
Start/stop feature on base engine not seamless in its operation.
Underhood compartment not well-designed for DIY'ers.
No AWD versions offered.
Audible road noise on grainy/porous road surfaces.
Gummy steering-feel at very low speeds.
Somewhat flimsy-feeling turn-signal stalk.
Awkward (IMO) rocker-switch on shifter for manual gear-control.
(Apparantly) no interior trunk-open switch.
Swing-away side-mirrors don't operate smoothly.
No locking gas cap.
No body-side protective molding for parking lots.
Some paint colors cost extra.
Now the rear-seats fold, now they don't. (?)
EXTERIOR:
The first impression one gets of the new Malibu's exterior styling, unlike older ones and the carryover Malibu Limited, is that of a downsized Impala. Although the grilles are a little different, the general profile and body-lines are quite similar, about on a 3/4 scale. In fact, from a distance (say, more than 100 feet away) it's not particularly easy to tell them apart. They also share the same type of chrome body-lettering just back of the front fenders, though the Malibu lacks the Impala's chrome trim-strip down the side rocker-panels on the lower-body. The Malibu also lacks body-side moldings at parking-lot-level height to protect from dings and scrapes. Body sheet-metal appears to be of typical thickness for today's vehicles (read: thin). The doors close with a somewhat tinny sound and feel when you are outside of the car, but a little more solid thunk while sitting inside. (Not counting trucks, body/door solidness and interior hardware seems to be two areas where GM's German-Opel-based cars seem more substantial than the ones from other platforms). The twin side-mirror housings fold back and lock (which is an improvement from the Malibu Limited's cheaper rigid ones). But the hinges and swivel-mechanism itself, typical of many GM products and other American designs, don't operate particularly smoothly...it takes some effort to push or pull them. The gas filler-cap door operates smoothly with a nice click, but does not lock....again, typical of many American designs. The paint jobs are generally well-done (and nine different colors are offered), but the nicest colors and paint-job textures, like the Bronze Metallic and Crystal Red Tintcoat, cost extra ($395). Very thick C/D pillars (which actually form a small opera window in back) limit outward visibility to the rear and sides.
UNDERHOOD:
Lift the extremely lightweight hood (it feels like it is either very light aluminum or plastic), and a insulation pad is attached underneath. A cost-cutting manual prop-rod for the hood (which is something that I would normally pan), is used instead of nicer gas struts, but the hood itself is so light and easy to hold while propping that, even with the manual rod, all but the weakest, most arthritis-ridden arms/shoulders/hands should be able to handle it rather easily. The underhood compartment itself, though not the worst I've seen by any means, is not particularly well-designed for Do-it-Yourselfers. There is some room (not a great deal) around the sides of the engine-block to reach components, but a plastic engine-cover blocks a lot of top-access. The battery, off to the right, is under a separate cover, as are other components next to it. The dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid-reservoirs, as usual, are generally easy to reach.
INTERIOR:
Inside, I found the new Malibu a rather mixed-bag. The interior styling, unlike the exterior, doesn't generally try to imitate that of the larger Impala....it had some of the Impala's pattern on the dash, but without the Impala's controversial upper-dash curvatures. Overall, I didn't like it quite as much as the really nice 7th-generation Malibu I spoke about above, but it was generally pleasant and well-done. The seats, typical of many GM products, were well-padded and comfortable (I wish more automakers would do that....too many of them are like hard slabs). Some of the trim was hard plastic, some was soft and thickly-padded materials with a nice feel....especially the door-trim inserts The general fit/finish of the trim materials was quite good, although the polished imitation wood-tone on the console and around the power-window switches could have been better....its grain-pattern was not very wood-like at all. As usual, I thought that the two-tone interiors looked better than the monotone black. There was adequate headroom in front, and generally adequate in the rear, even with the sunroof housing. Legroomin back was quite good my mid-size sedan standards, mostly due to the deeply-scalloped and padded front seat backs that not only gave your knees a fair amount of room, but nicely padded them as well. Map pockets were included in the lower part of the seat-backs.....though, of course, today, many people use GPS rather than paper maps.
Most of the interior hardware was generally of good, or at least decent, quality, though I wasn't impressed with the somewhat cheap feel/action of the turn-signal stalk...an area that several manufacturers (even some German), need to improve on. The controls/buttons.switches were generally well-marked, well-laid out, and easy to use, though some of the buttons felt somewhat thin and unsubstantial to use...you couldn't always tell if they were on or off just by feel alone. The gauges DID imitate those of the larger Impala somewhat, and were very clear and easy to read. The steering wheel had the usual Chevrolet crispness of design (I've liked the way Chevy does their newer steering wheels, with the gold bow tie, nice materials, smart layout, and three spokes). My only real complaint inside was the awkward-to-use +/- rocker-switch on top of the shift-lever for the manual-shift mode......I've complained about that in other recent Chevys, and it seems to even be working its way into some new Buicks as well. The stereo sound quality was excellent, not not quite in the Mark Levinson Killer class.
CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:
Open the smallish trunk-lid (which is sometimes easier said than done, as I could not find a separate interior switch for it), and it opens up to a rather smallish but still adequately-sized cargo area. The cargo area is not particularly well-finished, has a blackish sand somewhat grainy-feeling substance on the walls, and a thin but decent-feeling black fabric/carpet on the floor. Under the floor is the usual temporary spare tire and hardware....I've stopped complaining about the lack of real spares, because, even though I still feel they should be standard and have not changed my mind, it's obvious that the bean-counters have won, and that the auto companies are just not going to go back to them except for some trucks and off-road-capable vehicles. The 40/60 rear seats fold down to extend the available cargo space, but,on several different new Malibus, I found their operation sporadic. Sometimes they would easily fold, sometimes rigidly-lock and not fold at all, and (strange)?......sometimes one side would fold and the other would not. They did not have the usual mechanical levers/buttons which released a latch to unfold them, so I'm guessing it might (?) be a teething problem on a new electronic sensor-system that, for security/access reasons, allows them to fold under some conditions, but not others.
ON THE ROAD:
Start up the 1.5L Ecotec four with a dash-button (a small rectangular green light in the button itself shows you when the ignition is on, a nice feature). The engine comes to life with some muted noise and typical small-four vibration, accompanied (on my test car at least), with a rhythmic / harmonic shaking that softly shimmied the whole front end of the car for about the first 60 seconds or so (almost like it was misfiring, but there were no warning lights on indicating such), then smoothed out to a normal four-cylinder idle. On the road, the engine was not the wimpiest I've driven, but I felt that its power level was marginal (or maybe, in some instances, even inadequate) for a car this size and weight. It wasn't the quietest engine, either...stepping on the gas usually produced more noise than actual power. Nor was the start/stop system that came with the engine particularly well-refined either. On the tachometer face, the red needle drops down into an block marked "AUTO STOP" when the engine automatically shuts down at a stop. That auto-stop doesn't happen, of course, until the engine is fully warmed-up and the battery adequately charged.....otherwise, it would delay warm-up and increase emissions from a cold engine. Though not really intrusive, a small but annoying bump and noise is felt when you press the gas pedal on an automatic re-start. Though not as intrusive as in some of the older Honda stop/start systems, but it still could use some more work and refinement....some vehicles do it virtually seamlessly.
No complaints from the 6-speed automatic transmission and its typical-for-GM transmission smoothness and refinement. This is essentially the same transmission, with some variations, used on a number of other Chevy/Buick/GMC small-to-medium-sized vehicles. It stayed quiet, and shifted smoothly and seamlessly, whether in full-auto or manual-shift mode. My only complaint with it (as I mentioned in the section above) was not the transmission itself but the silly rocker-switch on top of the shifter for manual-control. An additional shift-indicator on the dash, below the speedometer, shows you what manual-gear you are in.
Though with a couple of small glitches, I was generally impressed with the steering / chassis-engineering, at least on the 1LT version with its 17-inch wheels and 55-series all-season tires. Ride comfort was generally good over bumps. Steering response was surprisingly quick considering the suppleness of the tires/suspension, and there was some, but not that much, body roll. Wind noise was generally well-controlled up to normal cruise speeds....I didn't test it at really high speeds. But there was some audible road noise on grainy or porous pavement surfaces, and steering-feel from the electric unit had a marked Gummy feel across the middle at a stop and very low speeds...I don't know if that's a characteristic of the operation of the steering- pump itself, something inside the steering-rack, or the way the power-assist was programed. Not serious, but maybe that could also use some additional work from the engineers.
The brake pedal, though, was astoundingly firm, with no noticeable sponginess, free-play, or dead-zone. press it and the brakes immediately responded, though the brakes themselves aren't that strong. In other words, the brakes had German sport-sedan responsiveness, but not Brembo or sport-sedan deceleration. My big size-15 circus-clown shoe had a small, but not bad, tendency to catch the side of the brake pedal while lifting from gas to brake....a common tendency in many vehicles I drive.
THE VERDICT:
The new 2016 Malibu (again, not the Malibu Limited) may look like a downsized Impala, and may have some of the interior seating comfort of an Impala, but, IMO, does not drive like one. On the road, the current-generation Impala, especially with the V6, is IMO nothing short of superb (Consumer Reports agrees, and ranks it almost as high on a road test as the Lexus LS460, Mercedes S550, and Tesla Model S, at a far lower price). Of course, one would not expect a car that averages roughly 10K less than an Impala to be its equal. Still, IMO, the 7th-generation Malibu, among modern versions of the car, set the standard for engineering, refinement, and driving pleasure...the 8th (and now 9th) generation that followed it have not been its equal. This is similar, as I see it, to the Lexus ES, where IMO the superb 4th generation model set the standard, and the two generations that followed it were somewhat of a letdown. This new Malibu has a lot of things right, but IMO, several things need additional work and refinement, such as the engine NVH, the crudeness of the stop-start system, additional sound-insulation in the wheel-wells (Chevy's own brother Buick and its Quiet-Tuning methods could provide some help and inspiration here). Yet, some past Malibus, the Corvette, and the new Impala show that Chevy, if they put their minds to it, can produce vehicles that are competitive with (or better than) anything in its class. And the new Malibu, even with a few faults, is still competitive with other mid-size sedans in its class, as the upcoming CAFE gas-mileage rules are going to (effectively) force similar very small engines and drivetrains into other cars of this size as well (perhaps with some of the same problems). That, of course, is something that comes from the Federal Government, and is beyond the power of GM or any other automaker.
In the meantime, for those of you interested in buying or leasing a new Malibu, unless you want the excellent gas mileage that this 1.5L drivetrain produces, and are willing to live with its annoyances, NVH, and marginal power, my strong recommendation is to pay a few thousand dollars more and get the 2LT or Premier versions of the Malibu with the 2.0L Turbo four, and without that stop/start feature. I think you will be glad you did. I certainly would if it were my car.
And, as always......Happy car-shopping.
MM
