History/Overview
The Chevrolet Malibu is the American brand's well-known family sedan. This is the ninth generation of the car, which Chevrolet introduced in 2016; the Malibu has existed, on and off, since 1964.
What's New / Key Changes from Last Year
Changes are minor for 2020. Most notably, the Malibu Hybrid is no longer available, though it may return later in the 2020 model year.
Available Trims
Chevrolet offers the Malibu in LS, LT, RS and Premier trims. The former three share a 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission. The Premier gets a 2.0L turbo and a nine-speed transmission.
Standard Features
Malibu LS comes with 16-inch aluminum wheels, auto on/off headlights, power-adjustable side mirrors, power windows and door locks, a six-speaker stereo, manual front seat adjustments, an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, manual air conditioning, cruise control, and passive keyless entry with push-button engine start.
Standard safety kit includes a rear seat reminder, and tire pressure monitoring.
LT trim adds 17-inch wheels and tires, heated side mirrors, LED daytime running lights and LED taillights, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear-seat reading lights, an eight-way power driver's seat with lumbar, remote engine start, satellite radio, rear console vents, and lighted vanity mirrors.
RS also builds on LS trim with 18-inch wheels, black exterior trim, a rear spoiler, a power driver's seat, and leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift lever.
Premier trim brings the 2.0L engine, 19-inch wheels, chrome exterior trim, a dual-pane sunroof, LED headlights, a tire inflator kit, 120-volt power outlet, an 8.0-inch driver info display, adaptive cruise control, a nine-speaker stereo, navigation, driver's seat memory, heated rear seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, ambient interior lighting, a power front passenger seat with lumbar, ventilated front seats, and wireless smartphone charging.
Premier also gets Chevrolet's full suite of safety gear, comprising adaptive cruise control, all-speed automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, following distance indicator, automatic high beams, automatic park assist, an electric parking brake, blind spot monitoring with lane change and rear cross traffic alerts, and rear parking sensors.
Key Options
LT trim opens up the most variety for Malibu options. An LT Plus group adds the sunroof, auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather-trimmed shifter and steering wheel, and all of the active safety and driver assist features that come in Premier trim.
A True North pack pares that down to the sunroof, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
Fuel Economy
Chevrolet's fuel consumption estimates for the Malibu are 8.2/6.6 L/100 km (city/highway) with the 1.5L engine, and 10.5/7.4 with the 2.0L.
Competition
The Chevrolet Malibu competes for family car shoppers' attention with the Honda Accord, the Toyota Camry, Nissan's Altima, the Mazda6, Ford's Fusion, Subaru's Legacy, and the Volkswagen Passat.
