In its current kind, the Malibu is often a front-wheel-drive mid-size sedan that requires to the likes from the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Ford Fusion, amid other people. Though the Malibu hasn't generally featured cutting-edge options or prime performance, it is normally been a somewhat sturdy benefit.
Subsequent earlier rear-wheel-drive variations that ran as a result of the 1960s and '70s and into your eighties, the Chevrolet Malibu title was reintroduced for 1997 as being a replacement for that outdated Corsica sedan. The 1997 Malibu was by all suggests a bland auto. Powered by an inexpensive 150-horsepower, two.4-liter four-cylinder motor (a version of GM's much-maligned Quad Four) or 155-hp (afterwards 170-hp), 3.1-liter V-6 (which felt much more powerful, in fact), the Malibu was only featured by using a cushy suspension and four-speed automatic-and its interior, though it had the comfort and ease essentials covered, was drab and uninteresting. Chevy dropped the four-cylinder engine fully in 2000.
The Malibu received a much-deserved total redesign for 2004. Built on a new world platform, the 2004-2008 Malibu was somewhat extra refined, dealt with better, and had a far improved interior (even though it however felt far too plasticky around the much less expensive trims). The Malibu was a half-step smaller than mid-size entries much like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, still its inside was surprisingly roomy and snug. Its powertrain lineup consisted of the awesome, fuel-efficient 144-horsepower EcoTec four-cylinder (which has a manual gearbox doable), however the V-6 option on most Malibus-a 201-horsepower, three.5-liter V-6-was slightly disappointing, saved only by its prodigious torque. A four-speed automated was once more the sole transmission, and the combination just failed to truly feel extremely refined.
Oddly, the Malibu Maxx was not in the least packaged for your sportwagon crowd; it was only supplied using the three.5-liter pushrod V-6 and four-speed automated. A later Maxx SS product obtained a 3.9-liter version, generating 240 horsepower, but this motor is thirsty in city driving.
The Malibu boredom was remedied for 2008, when GM entirely redesigned the design, generating it significantly for a longer time to match mid-size rivals, using an interior and back-seat area that outclassed numerous sedans its dimension. The inside has vastly upgraded materials, in addition to a style and design which is a clear stage superior as opposed to layout of your previous rental-car beloved. Powertrains involved a 169-horsepower, two.4-liter version of the EcoTec four-cylinder engine and also a 252-horsepower, DOHC 3.6-liter V-6 that is a edition from the motor earlier utilised while in the Cadillac CTS and SRX, amongst other folks.
To get a short period of time, a mild-hybrid model of the 2009 Malibu was made available; it featured quite a bit improved fuel financial system about the four-cylinder variations and it failed to catch on.
For 2010, the Chevrolet Malibu was named a Top rated Safety Decide beneath the newest tighter necessities through the Insurance coverage Trade for Highway Security (IIHS), which contain new roof-strength exams, and has also been extra efficient than earlier types.