New 2024 Chevy Malibu Mid-size Car Review

2024 Chevy Malibu automotive news has gathered all the information about GM’s product plans, and it is estimated that Malibu will easily become Chevrolet’s last sedan.

With Buick only keeping the Regals as long as the PSA Group is legally obligated to supply them, the Malibu could be the last non-premium sedan in GM’s range.

The Malibu, which was completely redesigned in 2016 and given a facelift in 2018, is down but is still on track to make more than 100,000 sales this year.

It could be given another facelift in 2022 before pulling back in 2024. It could be indirectly replaced by an EV.

2024 Chevy Malibu Review

General Motors introduced the current generation Malibu in late 2015 as the 2016 model, and it fulfilled the legacy of its predecessors by maintaining sales and doing little else.

2024 Chevy Malibu

But with Chevrolet taking its sedan off the board and Malibu sales slumping for the second year in a row despite the 2019 refresh, the future of the model looks bleak.

According to a report by Automotive News, the American automaker reportedly still has plans for a midsize sedan.

The Chevrolet Malibu is expected to remain part of GM’s portfolio until 2024. To sustain the appeal of the aging model, GM is rumored to be giving the model a second facelift in 2022, which could make Malibu last longer.

Whenever the Malibu leaves, its place in the Chevrolet lineup will reportedly be filled by a type of electric vehicle (EV), whose name and body style are currently unknown.

Given the anonymous source of AN and the fact that it’s still five years away, you should take this with a grain of salt.

Given the mid-pitch the discontinuation of the Malibu will leave Chevrolet’s roster, GM’s planned introduction of 20 EVs by 2023, and the market’s insatiable demand for crossovers, it wouldn’t be strange to imagine the Malibu’s successor to be a midsize electric crossover.

This hypothetical electric crossover could have a styling reminiscent of the supposedly launched Bolt-based crossover next year, potentially under the Bolt EUV name.

2024 Chevy Malibu Specs

Body style: Sedan
0-60 mph: 8.9 seconds
Bore: 2.9″
Cargo volume: 15.7 ft³
Compression ratio: 10
Engine cylinder configuration: Straight engine

Read next: New 2024 Chevy Traverse Mid-Size 3-Row SUV Review

2024 Chevy Malibu News

Automotive News brings together all the available intel in the Chevrolet and GMC lineups, trying to determine how much life each model might have left.

As for the Chevrolet Malibu, the answer isn’t very much, and the last years of that historic nameplate don’t look like the glory type.

After a major overhaul in 2016 pushed sales of the ninth-generation sedan to 227,881 units, 2018 sales fell to 144,542, and this year it’s down nearly 15% through the end of June.

The Malibu is one of only two Chevrolet sedans still breathing – the other being the Impala for now – but only about five years away. A said there will likely be a refresh in 2022, followed by a visit from the Reaper in 2024.

After that, it could be “indirectly replaced” by an electric vehicle, one of the 23 EVs GM is working on for 2023.

The Impala will meet the axes early despite the recently postponed execution. Production will still close in January 2020.

In all of GM’s coop, Cadillac may soon be the only sedan brand. The Buick LaCrosse has a death date, and Groupe PSA won’t be supplying Opels-as-Regals forever.

Hatchback Sonic will have to say goodbye at the end of 2020, a year before the seemingly immortal Spark is thought to die.

Two years after that, according to one report, the Camaro will return to cold storage, possibly forever, and AN says the “expected redesign of the car in 2021 has reportedly been canceled.”

Finally, let’s give one final shout-out to the Chevrolet Cruze, the global nameplate, which in the United States alone sold more than the Malibu, beat the Camaro by a factor of three years ago, and completely beat the Impala, Sonic, and Spark. Even it can’t get execution delay.

In more encouraging news, things are happening on the crossover and truck side of things in the next few years.

The Chevy Bolt will be refreshed next year, although it has “become more important for the self-driving ride-hailing fleet GM Cruise plans to operate than it is for consumers.” In 2021, the Bolt-based crossover will have to bow, first in China, then here.

It’s said to look like a “bolt and Trax mix” in spy shots. Still waiting for the green light: a possible subcompact GMC crossover called the Granite that might hit the market in 2023.

The full-size Tahoe, Suburban, and Yukon triplet SUVs could show their new faces in 2020. The Silverado might get an updated interior in 2020 or 2021, while the midsize Colorado and Canyon pickups won’t get attention until maybe 2023.

GM’s electric pickups don’t. expected until 2023 at the earliest. And the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans, which sold more than 100,000 units combined last year despite having been around since the 1990s, will continue to be unloved and neglected but sell fairly well.

Next Chevy Malibu Updates

In recent years, as the demand for SUVs and crossover trucks has grown, there has been a lot of chatter about American manufacturers removing passenger cars from their lineup.

In 2017, after only two years on the market, Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) removed the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart from their North American lineup. In the past year, Ford has slashed its entire lineup of passenger cars in the US, leaving only the Mustang and Fusion.

In 2020, General Motors (GM) discontinued the Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Cruze, and Chevrolet Volt in the US. Then, it stopped production of the Buick LaCrosse Cadillac CT6 and CT6-V and the Chevrolet Impala after closing three assembly plants.

As of now, according to sources, GM plans to eliminate the mid-sized Malibu from its North American lineup after its current model is slated to expire in 2024.

In a new report from GM Authority, the Malibu will not be available after the 2023 model year and will likely be wiped out before the end of 2022.

The media cannot provide an official source for this statement; However, they confirmed that the production halt would be made two years ahead of schedule.

The year 2023 is expected to be a very important calendar year for Malibu as the mid-sized sedan is expected to receive a redesign. Initially, General Motors was expected to keep the Malibu until 2025. This will not happen again.

In the spring of last year, General Motors voted to halt the development of new vehicles due to complications and losses caused by the coronavirus.

Therefore, the announcement not to refresh Malibu and set an expiration date doesn’t sound crazy. Also, Malibu hasn’t jumped from dealerships in recent times.

Chevrolet wants to ditch the “Rental Car” styling and driving performance of the Malibu and replace it with a sportier style and three new powertrain options. One of them is the Hybrid model.

The current generation (and 9th generation) Chevrolet Malibu was introduced in 2016. That same year, it was sold alongside its eighth-generation predecessor, the Malibu Limited, to meet demand.

Although sales figures have fluctuated in the last two years, in its current generation, Malibu acquired 227,881 units. However, after its debut and three years after its revamp, its sales dropped drastically.

Chevrolet only sold 144,542 Malibu units in 2018, primarily intended for leasing or fleet use (something that Chevrolet desperately wants to avoid). Also, while GM hopes to draw more attention to Malibu by introducing mid-cycle refreshes into 2019 (including the launch of a sporty new RS Trim level),

GM still sells more trucks and SUVs than cars for personal use. (yes this also includes the Camaro as well as the Corvette) and has put Malibu in a downward spiral that is expected to lead to its eventual demise.

Do you remember your Chevy Malibu? Do you own or rent one?

It seems that Chevrolet is heading in the same direction as Ford and has decided it will no longer sell passenger cars in North America other than the iconic Mustang.

After the death of the Malibu, the Sonic hatchback and compact sedan will be the only small cars that Chevrolet will offer in North America.

However, GM Authority believes that Sonic might as well be on the cutting block. Carsdirect says the United States is the only market where Sonic is still being used and has sunk in Mexico, Korea, and Canada to house the Onix.

If true, the collapse of Malibu is a bleak picture. The removal of sedans from models has become a major method used by automakers to reduce costs as customers turn to SUVs and crossovers.

While classic cars like the Camry, Altima, and Accord sold more than the Malibu and Accord, their numbers declined over time.

People want higher seats, all-wheel drive options, more cargo space, and the sense of security that SUVs and crossovers can provide over sedans.

Although Malibu is still around for a while, consumers will soon have to choose between other models such as Camry, Altima, Accord, Optima, Sonata, Subaru Legacy, Mazda6, and Volkswagen Passat, if they want an entry-level sedan.

Compared to other competitors in this segment and other models, the Malibu does not perform well due to the absence of a hybrid-powered powertrain, sloppy interior design, and limited standard of safety features.

This may not be a significant loss; However, the midsize sedan market is very competitive. Some of the problems get worse as each automaker strives to be the best by offering the ideal vehicle.

Read next: The All-New 2024 Chevy Colorado Midsize Truck Review

New Chevy Malibu Report

There was one standard sedan that did not meet the targets in General Motors’ North American restructuring plan: the Chevrolet Malibu.

In fact, it looks like the mid-size sedan will last for another five years. After that, the lights should go out for the model.

Automotive News (subscription required) reported Sunday in its “Future Product Pipeline” feature that old Chevrolet sedans will run out of fuel by 2024.

Malibu sales have continued to slump despite a refresh for the 2019 model year. The publication’s sources claim that the sedan will now last until at least 2024. At that point, production is expected to end.

Currently, the Malibu is built in Fairfax, Kansas. The factory is also building a Cadillac XT4 crossover, which will help cushion the pain of losing vehicles on the production line in the future.

That doesn’t include possible investments or new vehicles that could be built at the factory.

Interestingly, AN claims Malibu may have some sort of indirect successor. Malibu’s successor is said to be an electric vehicle.

GM has plans for 20 new electric cars by 2023, and this rumored electric successor fits into the company timeline. No further details about the electric vehicle were given in the report.

On the eve of the proposed demise, which we believe to be legitimate, the Malibu may get another refresh in 2022.

GM cut many passenger cars from its portfolio as part of its 2018 restructuring. So far, the Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Volt, Cruze, and Impala have died and or will die soon.

Except for a few Cadillac sedans, the Malibu is a freak who survived the company’s use of axes. Now, it seems that Chevrolet will not be long without a sedan.

2024 Chevy Malibu Exterior

On the outside, the upcoming Malibu will continue to have the same exterior design as the current sedan on sale. This sedan has a sweeping design with sharp body lines, elongated headlights, and a split grille design.

The Malibu front end has a distinct front end with a slim grille at the top and a wide, large grille at the bottom.

The rear of the Malibu is less dramatic with the rectangular taillights and a large rear bumper.

2024 Chevy Malibu Interior

The 2024 Chevy Malibu will retain many of the same elements as the current model. The Malibu emphasizes ease of use over design, with simple lines, a straightforward center console, and vertically oriented air vents.

There are plenty of analog buttons on the center console, while the infotainment system is integrated into the dashboard. One of Malibu’s greatest strengths is its spacious seat.

We don’t expect to see major changes to the list of Malibu tech features for the upcoming model year. The current sedan comes with an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hot spot, USB port, six audio speakers, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.

Available technology features include an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, Bose audio system, navigation, satellite radio, wireless charging pad, and two other USB ports.

Read next: Introducing New 2024 Chevy Impala Sedan Ultimate Review

2024 Chevy Malibu Engine

Things under the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu engine are not expected to change for the new year. The current sedan comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 160 horsepower as standard.

There is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine with 250 hp of power. The base engine is equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission, while the larger 2.0-liter engine has a nine-speed automatic transmission.

The Malibu 2023 doesn’t come with many standard safety features. We hope the list stays the same for future models. The rearview camera and the Chevrolet Teen Driver system are standard.

Available features include automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, rear traffic warning, blind spot monitoring, lane guard assistance, lane departure warning, and automatic high beam assist.

2024 Chevy Malibu Price

We expect the 2024 Chevrolet Malibu to have a starting price of around $25,000.

2024 Chevy Malibu Release Date

The 2024 Chevy Malibu may be rumored to be dead, but in the meantime, fleet production guides claim that the Chevrolet will start taking orders in mid-July with production slated to begin in early September.

If you’re an interested consumer, you might want to consider ordering as this could be the sedan’s last model year.