The Malibu nameplate has been a part of Chevrolet history for over fifty years. The 2016 model year marks the sedan’s ninth generation and a complete overhaul to make it more competitive against the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Fusion. Now the redesigned 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is more sleeker, sportier looking, has more premium features, and is offered in five trims with prices starting from $22,500.
The revamped interior is modern looking, comfortable, and over an inch of legroom was added for the backseat passengers. The new center stack has less buttons and knobs for an uncluttered look that is relatively easy to use. Various commands are accessible using the 7-inch touchscreen, which is standard on lower trims. An eight-inch touchscreen is available with higher equipped models as an option.
The 2016 Malibu received an array of tech and safety features, including an industry first Teen Driver feature. According to Chevrolet, Teen Driver is a built-in system that lets parents view how their teenager drive the vehicle by tracking car data. The system records distance, maximum speed, stability control, and antilock brake events that also include warnings coming from the forward collision alert system.
Three powerplants are offered with the 2016 Malibu. The base engine is a turbocharged 1.5-liter four cylinder rated at 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy for the new Ecotec engine, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, is GM-estimated at 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway. Available on higher trims is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Output for the Ecotec 2.0-liter engine is 250 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. EPA-estimated fuel efficiency is 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.
The third powerplant option is a hybrid powertrain borrowed from the Chevrolet Volt. The 2016 Malibu hybrid achieves a GM-estimated 47 mpg combined city and highway driving. Total system power from the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors backed by a 1.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack is 182 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.
In this TFLcar VLOG Roman chats with Jesse Ortega, the 2016 Malibu’s Chief Engineer, and learns about the new Hybrid, Teen Driver and much more.
