Suppose you don't count the C8 generation Corvette, which is blooming with various configurations and a more extreme version in the pipeline, and the demised Camaro. In that case, the Malibu is Chevrolet's sole remaining low-slung model.
The ninth generation will soon turn nine years old, as it has been around since 2015. As a result, it is an aging product, yet one that is believed to stick around for at least one more year or perhaps two. Word on the street is that the redesigned iteration could arrive in 2025.
It's been reported that the next-generation Chevrolet Malibu will no longer be made on the E2XX platform used by the Buick Regal and Opel/Vauxhall Insignia. Instead, it should switch to the VSS-F construction, which would mechanically tie it to the Buick Encore GX and Envista and the Chevy Trailblazer and Trax, with production taking place at the same facility in Kansas.
If it turns out to be correct, then the rumor is good news for fans of traditional mid-size sedans, as this class is becoming a dying breed in our market. If you forgot, the Nissan Maxima and Kia Stinger recently left the segment for good, and GM's alleged decision to keep the Malibu around until early next decade might pay off, even if the current generation is not exactly a best seller anymore.
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Rcars
The 2024 model year lineup comprises the base LS, the mid-spec RS and LT, and the range-topping 2LT. These trim levels have respective MSRPs of $25,100, $26,000, $28,100, and $31,500. All of them feature a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine with four cylinders, which produces 163 hp (165 ps/122 kW) at 5,700 rpm and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque from 2,500 to 3,000 rpm and is paired with a CVT.
Given that the next-gen will supposedly arrive sometime in 2025, presumably as a 2026 model, it is likely that the bowtie company has started working on its design. Mind you, there haven't been any leaks yet, so we cannot tell you what it will look like. But that doesn't mean that various rendering artists haven't tried to imagine it.
These digital illustrations came from Rcars on YouTube, and they're on the unrealistic side of things. The hypothetical 2026 Chevrolet Malibu looks nothing like its predecessor, as it features softer lines all around, some sharp angles at the front and rear ends, ultra-slim LED headlamps, a small grille, a chunky lower side of the front bumper, a sporty rear bumper, and new LED taillights.
Due to the sloping roofline, it also looks a bit sportier than its predecessor, and while this design may not be to everyone's liking, we think it is appealing. But do you feel the same?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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