Overview

What's New for 2019

You can get the Chevrolet Malibu in five trims: L, LS, LT, Premier, and Hybrid.

Even though it’s the bottom trim, the L comes with an impressive array of equipment, like daytime running lights, automatic headlights, power-adjustable side mirrors, 16-inch steel wheels, 6 speakers, AM/FM radio, air conditioning, front bucket seats, front carpeted floor mats, cruise control, and power windows.

Upgrading to the LS, the sedan comes with everything above, plus 16-inch aluminum wheels, Chevrolet MyLink Radio with 7-inch color touchscreen, digital compass, and built-in 4G LTE WiFi.

The Malibu LT adds to the standard features with LED daytime running lights, heated side mirrors with integrated turn signal, 17-inch aluminum wheels, satellite radio, and driver express-up window.

With the Premier trim, the Malibu also comes with 18-inch aluminum wheels, navigation for the infotainment system, a Bose premium 9-speaker sound system, charging-only USB ports, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel, 4.2-inch color driver information screen, 120-volt power outlet, remote start, and leather-wrapped shift knob. You can add 19-inch aluminum wheels as an option.

Equipment for the Hybrid trim matches the LT, only with the addition of dual-zone automatic climate control.

IntelliBeam headlights are available as an option on the Malibu. They automatically dim high beams when oncoming traffic has been detected, so you don’t accidentally blind other drivers on the road.

A Malibu comes with a factory invoice of about $22,000 for an L model and an MSRP of about $23,000. The LS trim level adds about $2,000 to the vehicle’s MSRP, while the LT adds about another $2,000. With the Hybrid, MSRP jumps about another $2,000, but it increases about another $3,000 for the Premier. Just keep in mind that when visiting your Certified Dealer, being a member means you get upfront pricing without haggling, so you save money and don’t deal with any hassles.

There’s a pretty good array of powertrain options on the Chevrolet Malibu. A 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder comes standard on the L trim and supplies 160 horsepower as well as 184 lb.-ft. of torque. The upper trims, with the exception of the Hybrid, use a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which dials output up to 250 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque.

For maximum fuel efficiency, the Malibu Hybrid uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine joined to two electric motors.

Front-wheel drive comes standard on every trim.

The interior color scheme for the Chevrolet Malibu depends on what trim you choose. You can get a Jet Black layout, or a nice two-tone with Dark Atmosphere/Ash Gray. Cabin materials are of a higher quality than you might expect in a Malibu, which combine with excellent craftsmanship for an air or premium quality not present in many competitors.

Chevrolet sticks with a modern and simplified layout for the interior. That means few physical controls. Those that do exist are easy to find and use. The infotainment system, on the other hand, feels a little dated and slow, lagging behind others on the market today. The loads of space in the cabin make this sedan quite comfortable for transporting four taller adults. While the center rear seat is pretty narrow, the others are quite accommodating and well-padded, making the Malibu ideal for longer drives. Trunk space is on the higher end of average for a midsize sedan.