Photo: Chevrolet
Introduced for the 2016 model year before the nine-speed automatic was made available in the Premier, the Hybrid version of the Malibu is no longer with us. The most fuel-efficient Malibu out there is still listed on the U.S. configurator for the 2019 model year, priced at $29,095 for a 1.8-liter engine, an electric motor, 1.5 kWh for the lithium-ion battery, and 46 miles to the gallon.
It’s a bit of a shame the Malibu Hybrid has been discontinued for 2020, more so if you remember that a lot of equipment came standard to sweeten the deal. Dual-zone automatic climate control, SiriusXM radio, 17-inch aluminum wheels, automatic on/off headlamps, LED daylight running lamps, 10 airbags, Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus infotainment system, this kind of creature comforts.
The lineup for 2020 starts off with the L, LS, RS, LT, and tops with the Premier, ranging from $22,970 to $34,195 excluding freight charge. This means the L is five bucks more than before while the Premier is $1,500 more. Engine-wise, you’re treated to either a 1.5- or 2.0-liter turbo four-pot with 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet or 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
A CVT remains the standard transmission in the case of the 1.5 while the Premier soldiers on with the nine-speed automatic that Ford refused to use in front-wheel-drive vehicles such as the Edge. The Blue Oval opted for an eight-speeder, claiming that the Hydra-Matic isn’t adequate for its cars and CUVs.
The mid-sized sedan is a staple of the Chevrolet brand since the 1960s, and the ninth generation entered production in 2015 for the 2016 model year with much dreariness about it and a whole lot of reliability issues. As the U.S. demands more SUVs and trucks, it shouldn’t come as a surprise the Malibu has been struggling to justify its existence over the past couple of years.
From 227,881 sales in 2016 to 185,856 in 2017 and 144,542 last year, the downward trend is obvious for both us lot and the bean counters at General Motors. As a matter of fact, sedan sales are so bad that GM decided to phase out the Cruze and Impala in the United States. The Malibu will reportedly die off in 2024, and the replacement is expected to be an electric vehicle.
The lineup for 2020 starts off with the L, LS, RS, LT, and tops with the Premier, ranging from $22,970 to $34,195 excluding freight charge. This means the L is five bucks more than before while the Premier is $1,500 more. Engine-wise, you’re treated to either a 1.5- or 2.0-liter turbo four-pot with 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet or 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
A CVT remains the standard transmission in the case of the 1.5 while the Premier soldiers on with the nine-speed automatic that Ford refused to use in front-wheel-drive vehicles such as the Edge. The Blue Oval opted for an eight-speeder, claiming that the Hydra-Matic isn’t adequate for its cars and CUVs.
The mid-sized sedan is a staple of the Chevrolet brand since the 1960s, and the ninth generation entered production in 2015 for the 2016 model year with much dreariness about it and a whole lot of reliability issues. As the U.S. demands more SUVs and trucks, it shouldn’t come as a surprise the Malibu has been struggling to justify its existence over the past couple of years.
From 227,881 sales in 2016 to 185,856 in 2017 and 144,542 last year, the downward trend is obvious for both us lot and the bean counters at General Motors. As a matter of fact, sedan sales are so bad that GM decided to phase out the Cruze and Impala in the United States. The Malibu will reportedly die off in 2024, and the replacement is expected to be an electric vehicle.
Google News