2013 Chevrolet Malibu Video

The current-generation Chevrolet Malibu was a turnaround vehicle for General Motors in the midsize-sedan segment despite some of its shortcomings, including lackluster design and powertrain. The next-generation 2013 Malibu warms over those problem areas, according to Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder, though rear passenger space might be a little tight compared with other cars in the segment.

Comments

colin,

i'm not sure where you're getting lackluster design and powertrain from.

the current malibu won car of the year. it still looks good and the powertrain is competitive compared to the cars in its field.

the new malibu looks like it's going to be a big step forward. i like the styling and the interior. hopefully this car is lighter than the current malibu, which is really the current car's primary short coming.

i'm glad chevy didn't follow the trend of making their mid-size sedan a small large sedan like hyundai/kia, mazda, and honda have. of course, chevy didn't have to because they have the impala.

You don't "have" an Impala. As anyone who has to drive one knows, you are "stuck with" an Impala.

Tom, I have an Impala and love it, certainly not stuck with it. Get 30 mpg commuting, no problems after 3 years, carries a lot of people and stuff. Very well optioned for less then 18K. May not be glamorous but it does a lot of things very well.

I don't get the negative remarks in the video. The cureent car offers similar color scheme as this show car. Why would you wonder if it would really make it to production? Either way, its optional so there is no point in complaining about it being over the top. Other color combinations are available and the eco show car had a conventional pallette. I also don't get why the front end styling is called conservative. Compared to what? Its more distinctive than camry, altima or accord.

This looks the same as the last one. Tail lights are a little different. More of a re-fresh. I can't imagine this competing very well against the newer completely redesigned competition. Not bad, just ho-hum. I guess I'll decide next time I'm stuck with this as a rental.

Mike,

pull up pictures of the current malibu and look at them side-by-side. there are no shared pieces of sheet metal and the wheelbase is shorter on the 2013. they really do look quite different.

a re-fresh is what ford did with the fusion (only changing the plastic pieces on the front and back) and updating the interior or what toyota did with the corolla.

The previous generation Malibu was late in adding making the 6 speed automatic widely available for the 4 cylinder engine. The 4 speed automatic wasn't dropped entirely until the '11 model year.
The 3.6 V6 had lackluster performance for the returned mileage.
The market was demanding higher performance/mileage, and what does GM do? NOT add direct injection but add E85 compatibility.
and the hybrid without a spare wheel, and the slowness from taller gearing, and so-so mileage.
and the whole retro 3.5 pushrod V6 & 4t45 transmission thing, lets not talk about that.

George

This car has direct injection. Camry and accord do not. Accord doesn't even have a 6 speed auto yet. The last gen malibu got a 6 speed for the four cylinder in 2009. The base model had the four speed until last year but that was for fleets. You rarely even see ls models on the road.

The eassist model will not be slower than the regular car. Regal eassist is supposed to be slightly faster than the gas only cxl model. As for the pushrod v6, that was in the 2007 model so you are a little late on that complaint. The 2008 model only had dohc engines.

Mike,

This car is all new. You say it can't compete with the all new competition but don't name which cars you are referring to. No other major midsize redesign has been announced. Camry and altima are 5 years old right now. Accord is 4 years old and just got a refresh so all new model is likely 2 years out.

Well guess what? the Malibu is a 2013 and all the other midsize sedans will be re-done by then. Camry is new for 2012, Altima and Accord are due for 2012 and 2013, Malibu will be outdated by then since the one that just came out finally catches up. The new Accord is 2 years out when the "New"-ish Malibu comes out in 2013.
Whats your point? All the other models ARE getting redesigned. just google it, it's pretty easy. To say there are no announcements is pretty silly since the announcements seem to be everywhere. You are stuck in a dilusional GM haze. Oh and P.S., I'm not biased, I don't own ANY of these boring midsized cars.

@ Sheth. Got reading comprehension?
Cody asked about the points Colin brought up. I helped expand on those points about the LAST generation Malibu. (and Pontiac G6/Saturn Aura) GM had the 6t40 in the LTZ trim for '08, too bad they didn't sell very many of those. The 3.5 pushrod was a carryover from the G6 & Aura (just look at the G6, all over the map, one year it had 4 engines & 3 transmissions!)

Yes, GM finally installs the direct injection engine into the Malibu! GM should have dropped the 'iffy' V6 years ago, and replaced with the 2.0T and 6t45 transmission (2.0T was available in the HHR SS, but only with 4 speed auto, and power/torque reduced to 250hp 222ft-lbs)
GM can't beat the Camry/Accord by following in their footsteps, so it [GM] should have been the first to make direct injection standard. GM missed that opportunity, and Hyundai capitalized-see Sonata.

and the previous platform was too narrow, low, and long for American tastes. (Space wasting transverse muffler, no full size spare wheel ability, a small gas tank, the higher than class average curb weight, large turning circle [though the Ford Fusion at the time was nearly equally bad]). For the love of pete, look under the back of a Nissan Altima! space efficient mufflers, full size diameter mini-spare, or full size spare wheel, and 20 gallon fuel tank.

Now for this generation. A small electric motor, which is biased toward low engine speed assist, can not compensate for much taller gearing. The Malibu ECO will be slower than regular car, albeit with better mileage. Does it have a spare wheel though?

LTZ is nice, but you have to be out of your damn mind to pay over $30k for a Malibu. Thats crazy.

until it becomes a benchmark it'll just keep turning into a fleet 'classic'

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