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New Models
DRIVEN: Chevy Malibu Looks Ahead
Good but not good enough, the new-generation sedan undergoes mid-cycle makeover to address key issues and better compete against class leaders.
The all-new Chevrolet Malibu was relaunched for 2013 to less-than-enthusiastic response. (Photo: Chevrolet)
The newly revamped 2013 Chevrolet Malibu has been sent back to the designers for a makeover, which will happen a scant 18 months after its unveiling in similar fashion to the Honda Civic, which also was called back to fix complaints after 18 months.
There the similarity stops. Although the Civic was roundly lambasted by the media for its uninspired redesign, it remained the very-best-selling compact car in the United States during 2012. So much for the power of the press.
No such luck for the new Malibu, which has struggled to raise enough interest among consumers.
In this fiercely competitive segment of midsize sedans, Malibu must go up against the enormously popular and recently updated Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, as well as Ford’s nicely revamped Fusion, with its appealing baby-Aston Martin face.
Hopefully, Malibu will come back from its current redo with enough gusto to make it better able to succeed in this crowd.
The 2013 Malibu is not a bad car, not at all. But there are still some bothersome issues. It’s nice enough to look at, though nothing special. Part of its makeover will be to redesign the front and rear styling, which some reviewers have called dull and lifeless.
The interior is comfortable and attractively designed but falls short because of some plastic materials that feel cheaper than they should.
The handling is decent but the steering is too heavy and numb.
Part of the latest Malibu’s popularity issue is the result of a fundamental miscalculation during its launch last year. As everybody knows, first impressions are important, and the 2013 Malibu’s debut fell short.
It initially arrived only in the eAssist mild-hybrid configuration, which was blasted by critics for being overpriced and nor particularly thrifty, especially compared with the full-hybrid competitors. And performance from the mild-hybrid drivetrain is not so hot, which made the Malibu’s drivability less than interesting.
I recently drove the fully loaded Malibu LTZ powered by a 2-liter EcoTec turbocharged engine, which proved to be a whole lot better than the mild-hybrid model. Like a number of automakers, Chevy has replaced V6 power in its midsize car with a turbo four, which results in significantly improved fuel mileage and a smidge more horsepower – 259 for the turbo four vs. 252 for the V6 of the past.
The EcoTec engine performs quite well, with strong acceleration and plenty of power on the highway. The engine feels fairly refined overall until you push it, when it can turn rough and noisy under acceleration.
But it’s a reasonable tradeoff compared with the old V6. The four-cylinder engine is also lighter, which improves handling for this front-wheel-drive sedan. There’s less push, as the NASCAR guys would say.
There the similarity stops. Although the Civic was roundly lambasted by the media for its uninspired redesign, it remained the very-best-selling compact car in the United States during 2012. So much for the power of the press.
No such luck for the new Malibu, which has struggled to raise enough interest among consumers.
In this fiercely competitive segment of midsize sedans, Malibu must go up against the enormously popular and recently updated Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, as well as Ford’s nicely revamped Fusion, with its appealing baby-Aston Martin face.
Hopefully, Malibu will come back from its current redo with enough gusto to make it better able to succeed in this crowd.
The 2013 Malibu is not a bad car, not at all. But there are still some bothersome issues. It’s nice enough to look at, though nothing special. Part of its makeover will be to redesign the front and rear styling, which some reviewers have called dull and lifeless.
The interior is comfortable and attractively designed but falls short because of some plastic materials that feel cheaper than they should.
The handling is decent but the steering is too heavy and numb.
Part of the latest Malibu’s popularity issue is the result of a fundamental miscalculation during its launch last year. As everybody knows, first impressions are important, and the 2013 Malibu’s debut fell short.
It initially arrived only in the eAssist mild-hybrid configuration, which was blasted by critics for being overpriced and nor particularly thrifty, especially compared with the full-hybrid competitors. And performance from the mild-hybrid drivetrain is not so hot, which made the Malibu’s drivability less than interesting.
I recently drove the fully loaded Malibu LTZ powered by a 2-liter EcoTec turbocharged engine, which proved to be a whole lot better than the mild-hybrid model. Like a number of automakers, Chevy has replaced V6 power in its midsize car with a turbo four, which results in significantly improved fuel mileage and a smidge more horsepower – 259 for the turbo four vs. 252 for the V6 of the past.
The EcoTec engine performs quite well, with strong acceleration and plenty of power on the highway. The engine feels fairly refined overall until you push it, when it can turn rough and noisy under acceleration.
But it’s a reasonable tradeoff compared with the old V6. The four-cylinder engine is also lighter, which improves handling for this front-wheel-drive sedan. There’s less push, as the NASCAR guys would say.
The Lyonheart K
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