More, more, more Malibu (2023)

[trinacriabob]

I was handed the keys to a Chevrolet Malibu 3 times in the last 2 months.  On two occasions, it was in the province of Quebec and, on the other, it was upon coming back to the U.S.  One rental lasted only 2 days.

As for the Quebec rentals, both of my vehicles were plated in the province of Ontario.  I was told that Malibus were common in rental fleets because they were one of the more obtainable cars during and after the pandemic.  I don’t know how much sense that makes, but it’s not something I’d investigate further.

Since they’ve released this last-gen Malibu, I’ve had them in so many rentals, probably aggregating somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 miles.  When I’m given the keys to one, I am somewhat relieved because getting used to the car and setting it up won’t require much effort.

The Malibu will be living on for at least another year.  Essentially, it will continue as the model we currently know.

I’m not going to review the car as I’ve done so in the past, but distill this to its best points and not so good points.

 

Top 5

1 – For being close to a full-size package, it gets very respectable fuel mileage

2 - The interior is roomy, as is the trunk, with a nod given to the very roomy back seat and large rear doors that enable one to easily load large items into the rear passenger area

3 – The logical layout of the dashboard, and its symmetry, are appealing, and the forward lean of the dashboard and low cowl enhance visibility as well as provide a more connected feeling to the road, and I really appreciated this in coming over from a Nissan Altima

4 – The handling is fairly nimble, with each generation of FWD Malibu improving on the previous one

5 – It makes enough power to handle everyday driving situations, yet not enough to tempt a frisky driver to be frisky

 

Room for improvement 5

1 – The styling has gotten long in the tooth and, while some really took to its silhouette and trim when newly released, I always saw some homely or ungainly vantage points in this car

2 – The 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine can start sounding grainy when pushed

3 – The powertrain is a small one in terms of displacement and, with its size, had to be turbocharged

4 – The auto stop-start doesn’t seem to remember you don’t like it and has to be deactivated (unless I missed something) when starting the car up the next time

5 - It’s an important “one size fits all” sedan suitable for many buyers in this niche and it could have been just a little bit better in virtually every area – the powertrain, the styling, the appointments, etc.  Since it’s more agreeable than a Nissan Altima in my opinion, it could be ratcheted up to compete head-to-head with the Camry and the Accord

- - - - -

Picking it up, getting in, and seeing a sanitized car

Taken at the edge of the Ile de Orleans, with historic Quebec City beyond and across the St. Lawrence River

Going round and round to find a parking spot in Centre-Ville Montreal where persistence can pay off

It can handle quite a bit being put into the trunk and, with these decent sized pieces of luggage, it only appears to be half full

This shows the forward cant and low cowl of the dashboard that I have taken to and hope will remain in a possible future rendition

Dropping off the car, with yet another Malibu next to it - to the left - in the return line 

- - - - -

I found a review where the writer echoes a lot of the things I see in this car.  He even comments on the overwrought molding where the rearmost side window meets the sail panel, and it sounded like it irritated him.  It irritates me, too.

I like the write-up on the current Malibu seen via this link and his photos are very good:

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cars/chevrolet/rental-review-the-2023-chevrolet-malibu-last-domestic-midsize-standing-44502760

Now, we are learning from articles that there may be a forthcoming generation of Malibu.  There are many renderings going around and they are not all the same.  Some aspects look appealing, such as the slimming down of the front fascia.  However, in some renderings, I see a continuation of the rear backlite into the same plane as the trunk lid.  (Think Buick Envista.)  I do not care for what looks like a four-door fastback or hatchback and hope that there will be something akin to three volumes while still keeping the sweeping lines we’re being treated to via investigative journalism.

[trinacriabob]

I had meant to chime in on this.

The Malibu production line may be ongoing at Fairfax/Kansas City and it looks like the 2025 model may be much the same as the 2024.  Sales are sales, even if it's a "rental (agency) darling." (Great term.)  I think GM needs one bread and butter sedan.

With the new Camry fetching a very favorable reception, Chevrolet is probably taking some extra time so that it doesn't introduce it alongside a new Camry and can also fine tune the final product.

I can only hope that this doesn't turn out to be another Charger-like scenario.  That would mean that everyone is prognosticating and sketching and then we get treated to the news that it would be retired.  The difference is that the very last Charger/300 would have been a tough act to follow while the Malibu can improve and become a more attractive and refined vehicle.

[Robert Hall]

I like the current gen Malibu...I've rented a couple since 2017.   The dearth of sedans from the traditional Big 3 is a sad state...I just can't get into the CUVs that the market is flooded with. 

[David]

Would love to see GM shock everyone with a Hybrid or EV version of this sedan that is very modernized with the current technology and style.

[Drew Dowdell]

On 3/11/2024 at 2:24 PM, trinacriabob said:

I had meant to chime in on this.

The Malibu production line may be ongoing at Fairfax/Kansas City and it looks like the 2025 model may be much the same as the 2024.  Sales are sales, even if it's a "rental (agency) darling." (Great term.)  I think GM needs one bread and butter sedan.

With the new Camry fetching a very favorable reception, Chevrolet is probably taking some extra time so that it doesn't introduce it alongside a new Camry and can also fine tune the final product.

I can only hope that this doesn't turn out to be another Charger-like scenario.  That would mean that everyone is prognosticating and sketching and then we get treated to the news that it would be retired.  The difference is that the very last Charger/300 would have been a tough act to follow while the Malibu can improve and become a more attractive and refined vehicle.

They are keeping the Malibu going at Fairfax as a way to keep the lights on and volume at that plant.  The XT4 that is also built there doesn't have the volume to support the facility on its own... though with XT4 sales numbers where they are, I can't imagine anything coming out of Fairfax being that profitable.  My guess is they have future plans for the plant and they're keeping it going just enough because it would cost too much to idle it and then bring it back later.

[trinacriabob]

On 3/13/2024 at 4:33 PM, Robert Hall said:

I like the current gen Malibu...I've rented a couple since 2017.   The dearth of sedans from the traditional Big 3 is a sad state...I just can't get into the CUVs that the market is flooded with. 

I very much agree.  That there isn't one bread and butter one  ... just one ... across 3 divisions is absurd.  We disagree a little bit on the Malibu ... I like most of it with some reservations about some clunky aspects.

On 3/14/2024 at 8:51 AM, David said:

Would love to see GM shock everyone with a Hybrid or EV version of this sedan that is very modernized with the current technology and style.

I think this will happen given what Toyota has done.  I'd still like a lower cost entry-level 4 banger ICE option.  They should offer at least 2 powerplant options.

17 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They are keeping the Malibu going at Fairfax as a way to keep the lights on and volume at that plant.  The XT4 that is also built there doesn't have the volume to support the facility on its own... though with XT4 sales numbers where they are, I can't imagine anything coming out of Fairfax being that profitable.  My guess is they have future plans for the plant and they're keeping it going just enough because it would cost too much to idle it and then bring it back later.

Right.  Someone had to have penciled this out.  I still would like to see them retool to put out a much improved and more competitive version of this car.