The 2019 Chevy Malibu First Drive Review Chevrolet Malibu that makes it significantly different than its predecessor. The midsize sedan's midcycle refresh focuses largely on powertrain and generation improvements, Chevy Malibu First Drive Price MSRP $22,090 Invoice $22,024 with some styling tweaks to spherical out the up to date package deal. The cease end result is a Malibu this is as spacious and smooth to power because it's always been. But some of inherent shortcomings will maintain to save you the Malibu from being greater than, at quality, a midpack choose The massive news for 2019 is the addition of the RS trim you notice here, with unique 18-inch wheels, a rear spoiler, twin exhaust retailers, black badges and a black gloss grille. It's a styling package deal think Toyota Camry SE supposed to offer a chunk extra visible flair at the decrease end of the Malibu's price range.
Of path, you will should like the manner the refreshed Malibu appears initially, and pretty frankly, I do not. That large grille does not do the automobile any favors, nor do the over styled plastic trim portions inside the lower flip signal housings With 163 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission replaces the preceding six-speed automatic, which must result in improved efficiency. The EPA hasn't released reliable gas financial system for the 2019 Malibu with the 1.5-liter engine, but the 2018 model was rated at a decent 27 miles in line with gallon town, 36 mpg toll road and 30 mpg mixed.
Only the pinnacle Premier trim gets the greater effective 2.5-liter faster engine, with 250 horsepower, 260 pound-toes of torque and a nine-speed automatic transmission. If you are looking for gas efficiency especially, Chevy will continue to offer a Malibu Hybrid, with its outstanding forty nine mpg town rating. With best 1.Five-liter models to be had at this take a look at force, I cannot communicate a great deal to the on-road revel in of these Malibu models, so stay tuned for in-intensity opinions as these automobiles roll into various Roadshow workplaces.
As for the 1.Five, it is in large part inoffensive and ordinarily quiet in operation, with enough electricity to get the Malibu up and shifting, although in reality now not in a rush. The CVT has a tendency to hang around among 2,500 and three,500 rpm below normal acceleration, however dig deep into the throttle and the transmission will "shift" at better revs, mimicking the movement of a traditional automatic.
Even on upsized 18-inch wheels and P245/forty five-series all-season tires, the Malibu has a perfectly compliant ride. There's enough damping to without problems clean out smaller imperfections on the dual carriageway, and the automobile does not completely fall apart when driven via extra attractive corners at the gorgeous, tree-coated roads of my take a look at route south of Seattle, Washington. With light steering and strong, progressive braking feel, the Malibu is convenient and satisfactory to drive. It's no longer nearly as enticing as a Honda Accord or Mazda6, but gives a solid in the back of the wheel experience.
Chevy's new Infotainment 3 setup unearths its manner into the Malibu for 2019, with an eight-inch touchscreen widespread across all trim degrees. I clearly like this interface the high decision display uses well organized and intuitively labeled icons, and inputs are met with instantaneous response. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come general, and a Wi-Fi hotspot and embedded navigation are to be had on better trim ranges. The 2018 Malibu's Chevy MyLink system is already one of the better on-board tech services available nowadays, and Infotainment 3 absolutely improves upon this notable layout to make it even less complicated to use.
Too terrible the relaxation of the Malibu's indoors isn't always so adorable. The Infotainment three display sits atop a dash blanketed in a few truly cheap substances, from the bad plastics that make up the switchgear to the fabric material that traces the passenger facet sprint and flows beneath the center stack. Buttons and dials are neatly organized and all vehicle controls are smooth to discover fast, but seriously, this whole cabin seems like it's a decade old.
Much of the interior is made from chunky black and gray plastics that look as horrific as they experience. Commonly used contact points like the wiper and flip sign stalks, as well as the middle console garage cover, experience flimsy and cheap, or like they are just going to break the gray cloth seats are at ease enough, however offer no real support on your thigh or again. But at the least they're energy operated, even at $25,000 RS stage. The Malibu gives beneficiant lodges for rear seat passengers, with sufficient head- and legroom, in addition to 15.8 cubic ft of cargo space in the trunk to handle a own family's worth of baggage.
Same as it ever turned into
2019 Malibu pricing begins at $22,965, together with $875 for destination, and that new RS trim comes in at $24,995. That's a little bit less than the $25,780 of an Accord Sport 1.5T, although $785 is a small price to pay for the Honda's notably nicer indoors and greater enticing driving dynamics.
Honestly, I cannot blame Chevy for no longer setting a ton of effort into the Malibu's midcycle update. As increasingly more clients step out of sedans and into more functional, simply as lower priced crossovers and SUVs, it is a extra profitable investment to strengthen that booming utility car lineup. The 2019 Malibu is no special than its predecessor, with ok on-street manners and seating for five adults. But I'd a lot rather have an Equinox. And I'm pretty positive maximum new vehicle buyers might, tools
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