Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 1/27/16. Test drive of the all new Chevrolet Malibu on Wednesday, January 27, 2016.Fast facts
‘ Model: 2016 Malibu LT ‘ Exterior color: Iridescent Pearl ‘ Interior color: Jet Black ‘ Engine: 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbo ‘ Horsepower: 160 ‘ Transmission: Six-speed automatic ‘ Fuel economy: 37 mpg highway, 27 mpg city ‘ Dealer: Integrity Chevrolet ‘ Price (as tested): $29,180
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Time was, buying a car with a turbocharged engine marked you as a driving enthusiast, a person who was willing to open his or her wallet for a burst of extra horsepower.
These days, auto manufacturers are turning to turbocharging to improve fuel economy without sacrificing torque, that satisfying off-the-mark power that makes a car feel responsive.
The new-for-2016 Chevrolet Malibu features a pair of available four-cylinder, turbocharged engines and a sleek new exterior design that makes it GM’s most advanced mid-size Chevy ever. A 1.5-liter turbo making 160 horsepower is the base engine, and a 2.0-liter turbo bumps power up to 250 horsepower.
Wayne Tubbs, general sales manager at Integrity Chevrolet here, says GM’s aggressive marketing of the new Malibu shows the manufacturer’s desire to increase market share in the segment. Chevrolet is currently airing television commercials in which consumers are shown milling around an unbadged Malibu and mistake it for a Lexus or a “German import.”
That’s no doubt music to Detroit’s ears as the new Malibu, which is assembled in Kansas City, Mo., has clearly been repositioned as a more upscale product. Our Iridescent Pearl LT tester from Integrity lists for $29,180 with leather interior, a premium Bose sound system and remote start, among other goodies. Base prices for the Malibu are $23,995 for the LS trim and $25,895 for the LT.
Meanwhile, with fuel economy rated at 37 mpg highway and 27 mpg city (combined with buck-fifty gas) in our tester, you might be able to chip away at your monthly payment with savings at the pump. A hybrid, gas-electric Malibu is in the pipeline and promises to deliver 48 mpg highway.
STYLING AND FEATURES
The new Malibu looks like a seven-eighths scale version of the Chevy Impala, which is a good thing. The full-size Impala is one of the best-looking sedans on the road, in our view, and having a stable mate with similar design DNA makes lots of sense.
A new dual-port grille and slim headlight treatment gives the 2016 Malibu a personality upgrade. The previous generation design was generic, bordering on dull. True to the TV commercial, the new Malibu looks more expensive than its sticker price would lead you to believe.
Our LS trim tester has attractive 17-inch alloys and a tri-coat Iridescent Pearl paint treatment that gives the sheet metal a deep, lustrous finish. Our tester was also gussied up with black leather seating surfaces, which are part of a $2,240 option package that also includes heated front seats and a nine-speaker Bose audio system.
An eight-inch telematics touch-screen gives the cabin a modern vibe. High-res icons on the screen make it look like a super-sized iPhone display. And speaking of smartphones, the Malibu has a wireless charging port for compatible phones so you may never ever have to wrestle with a cable again.
New Malibus are also equipped to host 4G LTE hot spots so you can fill up the car with iPads. A data plan subscription is required. Android Auto and Apple Carplay smartphone interfaces are also available.
The cabin is open and airy, and the rear seat bears the fruits of a four-inch increase in overall length. Knee room in the back seat is now sufficient for six-footers, and the Malibu rivals the Accord and the VW Passat for back-seat roominess.
The Malibu also has a teen-driver feature that mutes the radio volume when the car’s seat belts are disengaged.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
Our tester comes equipped with the 1.5-liter turbo, which is really quite stout for such a small engine. Under hard acceleration the Malibu LT’s six-speed automatic transmission downshifts and the blower kicks in to give the car adequate acceleration. It seems to have even more usable power than the Malibu’s old 2.5-liter standard powerplant. We didn’t test the 2.0-liter turbo, but we can only imagine that 90 extra horsepower would pack quite a power boost. The 2.0-liter Malibu also features the first eight-speed transmission ever installed in a GM front-wheel drive car.
The Malibu’s more rewarding handling is linked to a weight-loss plan that helped the 2016 model shed about 300 pounds of curb weight. The result is a much more nimble vehicle that seems (and is) lighter on its feet.
On our test drive, the Malibu was a good match for Highway 153 traffic. On-ramp merging did not tax the little turbo, and there was nary a hint of turbo lag.
BOTTOM LINE
Chevrolet has been making Malibus for 50 years, and over time the model has waxed and waned in popularity. With this lean-sheet redesign for 2016, it looks like GM is serious about challenging competitors such as the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.
If fuel economy and smart styling are high on your “must haves” list, then the Malibu is a solid choice.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.