2024 Chevrolet Malibu

The last sedan in Chevy’s portfolio, the Malibu still delivers reliable transportation in a handsome package. Passenger comfort ranks high on its reasons-to-buy list, as does its trunk space, which is about average for the segment. Although its looks don’t betray its age, all of Malibu’s key rivals are younger with more up-to-date goodies. However, if what you need is dependable transportation and want it for a value price, the Chevrolet Malibu is a solid pick.

For 2024, rear park assist backup warning now comes standard. The only other change worth mentioning, or maybe not, is the addition of a tire inflator kit as standard. In need of an update, the Malibu may fade away before Chevy makes any real improvements to it. However, rumors abound that a new midsize fully electric (EV) Chevy sedan earmarked for China may wind up in U.S. showrooms wearing the Malibu nameplate.

Before buying a new Malibu, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. The Malibu’s resale value lags behind the rest of the midsize sedan segment.

Generating the Malibu’s go falls to a 163-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. This is the least amount of horsepower in its class. As with many others in the segment, the Malibu uses an automatic transmission engineered for fuel efficiency rather than maximizing engine power. Consequently, it requires nearly 8.0 seconds to meander from a standstill to 60 mph. For most families that simply need to get somewhere safely, acceleration isn’t a major concern. The Malibu has sufficient grunt to propel it up a freeway entrance ramp into the flow of traffic. However, in comparison, the Camry with its 4-cylinder does the 0-60 mph run about a second quicker.

Even so, the Malibu’s ride quality is comfortable, the handling is completely predictable, cabin noise levels are acceptable, and if this was the last available vehicle on the rental-car lot, we wouldn’t demand to see the manager.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating the current collection of midsize sedans, including this Chevy Malibu.

Fuel Economy

There’s not a lot of daylight between most of Malibu’s peers where mileage is concerned. The Malibu delivers 30 mpg in combined driving (27 city, 35 highway). The Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, and Nissan Altima post 32 mpg for combined mileage. The Hyundai Sonata and Kia K5 are at 31 mpg. The all-wheel-drive (AWD) Subaru Legacy matches Malibu’s 30 mpg. If you sweat a mile or two difference per gallon, there are other choices but the Malibu’s fuel economy is respectable.

Where the Malibu begins showing its age is its cabin furnishings. Compare the cabin of the 2024 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 the Malibu debuted.

For example, all Malibu trims have an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is small by today’s standards. 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. Only the Honda Accord among the competitors has more rear-seat legroom, and the trunk space is about average for the segment.

Looking about the same as the 2016 model, the exterior of the 2024 Malibu is aging gracefully. Its lines are still sharp and appealing. “Classic” is probably an overused term; however, here it seems quite appropriate.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

When Chevy jettisoned the 250-horsepower turbo 4-cylinder that was in the Malibu’s top trim in 2022, it signaled that this midsize sedan no longer had any aspirations of being a performance model. We find that the remaining 1.5-liter 4-cylinder simply doesn’t have the grit to keep up with newer rivals. However, as long as the driver has given up Saturday night drag racing on Main Street, the Malibu’s less-than-enthusiastic acceleration won’t be noticed. Although its torque delivery is midpack, most of Malibu’s segment competitors generate 30-to-40 more horsepower.

Its front-wheel drive (also a staple of the segment) and a transmission designed to maximize fuel economy conspire to deprive the Malibu of class-leading performance. Despite all of this, we felt like the Malibu was just fine for making runs around town or cruising the highway on a family trip to Wallyworld.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Covering the Malibu for three years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first) the limited bumper-to-bumper warranty is average for the segment, as is the 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Chevy also covers the first two years or 25,000 miles of scheduled maintenance.

Safety Ratings

Earning a top score of Good in five of the six tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Malibu also received an overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of 5 Stars (out of 5 Stars). The Malibu scored Poor in the new IIHS Side updated test created after the current generation Malibu was introduced. Most vehicles released before the advent of this test are scoring poorly on it.

Every Malibu comes with 10 airbags, frontal automatic emergency braking, rear park assist, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure warning. For all trims, you can add blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane-change assist from the options list.