CHEVROLET Malibu 1996-2003 Photos, engines & full specs

GM dug into its nameplates box and found the Malibu after more than a decade since the last third-gen model rolled-out from the assembly lines and revived it in 1996 with a new model.

While the Malibu nameplate was not used since 1983, customers didn't forget it. After all, it's an exotic destination, even if the car was not. It played in the mid-size sedan segment against Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, or Ford Taurus.

Chevrolet tried to play it safe with the Malibu and designed it with soft lines. Its horizontal headlights sported rounded corners, flanking the four-slat grille with a chromed line at the top. The fog lights were standard only on the top trim level. Its body-colored door-handles and mirrors were standard across the range, which comprised two trim-levels. In the back, the sloped windscreen and tall trunk gave the vehicle a cab-forward design with a dynamic look but not aggressive.

Inside, the customers found two choices of trims: Base and LS. The leather bucket seats were fitted as an option. Chevrolet installed an AM/FM radio as standard for the former trim level and a radio-cassette player for the latter. The dashboard and instrument panel layout was friendly and easy to read and understand, with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer.

Under the hood, the Base level received a standard 2.4-liter inline-four, while the LS version received the 3.1-liter V-6 unit. Both were paired to a four-speed automatic transmission. The Malibu offered four-wheel anti-lock brakes as standard for the entire range and dual-airbags for the safety systems.