Used 2023 Chevrolet Malibu

It would be premature to start writing an obituary for the midsize sedan. The Honda Accord is about to enter a new generation, the Toyota Camry is still a favorite in its class. The Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5, meanwhile, have breathed new life into the category’s traditionally unadventurous styling approach.

If we were taking bets on which car might be next for the chopping block, though, the Chevy Malibu seems an obvious contender. This generation is seven years old and things are starting to fall away. Like the more powerful engine option and various little features.

It’s hard to think who might buy a new Malibu. Government agencies, perhaps, and rental fleets. Every rival is newer and offers fresher technology. And although the pricing of the 2023 Malibu undercuts leaders like the Accord and Camry, the ownership experience and subsequent resale values tip the scales away from the Chevy.

A change of name for the top Premier trim means that the Malibu model lineup this year is LS, RS, 1LT, and 2LT.

Out of the two drivetrains that used to be available, Chevy has stuck with a 163-horsepower 1.5-liter engine/continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) combo and discontinued the 250-horsepower version. Which is a bit like choosing kale instead of almost any other food.

Like kale, however, it does what it’s supposed to. It’s just not an experience to be savored. And this engine makes the 2023 Malibu the least powerful car in its class. Newer midsize sedans can still achieve better fuel economy, though. And some can offer all-wheel drive.

Even so, the ride quality is comfortable, the handling is completely predictable, cabin noise levels are acceptable, and if this was all the rental car company had left, we wouldn’t demand to see the manager.

The main positive aspect is that forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection is now included in every new Malibu. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert is still optional across the lineup.

In other driving-related news, an electronic parking brake is also standard.

Compare the cabin of the 2023 Malibu with something more contemporary like the Hyundai Sonata, and it’s readily apparent that automotive interior design has developed quite a bit since 2016, when this generation of Malibu debuted.

For example, all trims have an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is small by today’s standards. The Sonata, by comparison, offers a 10.25-inch display and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The Malibu is not young enough to be modern, not old enough to be old-school.

The timeless quality of human accommodation, however, is another matter. The Malibu does well here, with ample space in both rows. Rear legroom is generous at 38.1 inches. And trunk space of 15.7 cubic feet is respectable for the class.

Changes this year see leather upholstery and heated rear seats no longer being offered. What used to be a leather-wrapped steering wheel is now swaddled in simulated stuff — standard in the RS and 2LT, optional in the 1LT.

In versions with cloth upholstery (all but the top trim), the map pocket at the back of the driver’s seat has been deleted. And the trunk mat becomes optional. This seems unnecessarily cheap.

Riverside Blue Metallic, Sterling Gray Metallic and Radiant Red Tintcoat are new colors for the 2023 Malibu midsize sedan, replacing similar hues.

Both Midnight and the Sport Editions offered with the top two trims feature black exterior elements. So does the Redline Edition package, but they’re enlivened with a few red accents.

The 1LT loses LED taillights as standard. They’re reinstated with any of the above packages.

Other deletions across the lineup include heated side mirrors with LED turn signals, bright sill plates, and a dark chrome grille accent.

1. Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Smartphone integration without cables is a handy convenience feature. The whole infotainment system is user-friendly and includes Wi-Fi as standard as well.

2. Keyless Entry Keypad
Optional in all but the RS model, this is a 5-digit keypad set vertically in the driver’s side door pillar. It means drivers can lock their keys in the car and go surfing or something equally key-unfriendly, yet still have access.

3. Automatic Parking Assist
Available only as an option with the top 2LT trim, this function steers the car into a parallel or perpendicular parking space. The driver handles the throttle, brakes and gear selection while keeping hands away from the steering wheel.

4. Wireless charging
Although the 2023 Chevy Malibu is some distance from the cutting edge of technology, at least the top 2LT trim has wireless smartphone charging as standard.

5. Teen Driver
When newer drivers in the family ask to borrow the keys to the Chevy Malibu sedan, a standard pre-programmable key fob can control things like audio system levels, set speed limits, and provide an in-vehicle report card.

6. Buckle to Drive
Another standard feature with young people in mind. This encourages getting into good habits by not allowing the transmission to be taken out of Park before the driver’s seatbelt is secured.

One minor change under the hood this year is that the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine gains 3 more horsepower. The difference won’t be perceptible, but it is a little thirstier according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), returning 30 mpg in the combined cycle, as opposed to 2022’s 32 mpg.

We must bid farewell to the 2.0-liter alternative, since the 2023 Malibu sedan is propelled solely by this smaller 4-cylinder unit. It makes 163 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque on a diet of regular gasoline, going just to the front wheels through an automatic transmission.

1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
163 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
184 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500-3,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/35 mpg

3-year/36,000-mile Warranty

Chevrolet’s new-car warranty is for 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. The powertrain is covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles.