Completely reimagined 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is larger, more advanced and fuel efficient
The Chevrolet Malibu has remained an enduring classic among its peers since it was introduced more than 50 years ago. Now, the quintessential midsize sedan boldly steps into the future with an all-new 2016 model that is completely restyled and engineered to offer more efficiency, connectivity and advanced safety features than ever.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
The 2016 Malibu reaches an exceptional level of fuel efficiency with an all-new hybrid powertrain that uses technology from the Chevrolet Volt. The hybrid helps offer a GM-estimated 48 mpg city, 45 mpg highway – and 47 mpg combined, unsurpassed in the segment. The Malibu’s standard 1.5L turbo powertrain is projected to offer 37 mpg highway.
Longer and lighter, the new Malibu also offers more interior space. Its wheelbase has been stretched close to four inches (101 mm), and it is nearly 300 pounds (136 kg) lighter than the previous model.
“Midsize car customers tell us they want great fuel economy and connected technologies, wrapped in a gorgeous exterior. This is exactly what the 2016 Malibu was engineered to do,” said Jesse Ortega, Malibu chief engineer.
Additional vehicle highlights:
- Available segment-exclusive OnStar 4G LTE in-vehicle connectivity and available wireless phone charging
- Agile, sophisticated and sleek exterior design incorporates details that advance Chevrolet’s signature cues
- Standard preventive safety technologies include 10 standard air bags, with available features such as Forward Collision Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Automatic Parking Assist is also available
- New Chevrolet MyLink with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility
- All-new Teen Driver feature, which allows parents to view their kids’ driving statistics, such as maximum speed, warning alerts and more
- All-new, power-dense Ecotec 1.5L turbo engine with fuel-saving stop/start technology is standard, offering an SAE-certified 163 hp (121 kW)
- High-output 2.0L turbo with GM-estimated 250 hp (186 kW) is available and is mated with a new eight-speed automatic transmission.
The new Malibu will be offered in L, LS, LT and Premier trims, as well as the Hybrid model.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
Malibu Hybrid technology
The 2016 Malibu introduces strong hybrid technology that leverages components and knowledge directly from the plug-in Chevrolet Volt. The Malibu Hybrid offers a GM-estimated 48 mpg city, 45 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined – while maintaining the styling, comfort, driving dynamics and connectivity as gas-only models.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid 1.8L Engine and Drive Unit © General Motors
An all-new, direct-injection 1.8L four-cylinder engine mated to a two-motor drive unit, slightly modified from the 2016 Chevrolet Volt drive unit, powers the Malibu Hybrid. The drive unit provides additional power to assist the engine during acceleration, for 182 horsepower (136 kW) of total system power.
The engine also features Chevrolet’s first application of Exhaust Gas Heat Recovery, or EGHR, technology, which uses exhaust heat to warm the engine and cabin. EGHR improves engine warm-up and ensures consistent fuel economy performance in cold weather. Additional fuel economy benefits come from Exhaust Gas Recirculation, or EGR.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Lithium-Ion Battery System, 1.8L Engine and Drive Unit © General Motors
An 80-cell, 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides electric power to the hybrid system. It can power the Malibu Hybrid up to 55 miles per hour (88 km/h) on electricity alone. The gasoline-powered engine automatically comes on at higher speeds and high loads to provide additional power.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Lithium-Ion Battery System © General Motors
In addition to the drive unit, the Malibu Hybrid also shares the 2016 Volt’s blended regenerative braking system, which provides maximum kinetic energy recovery during braking to be stored in the battery system to help maintain charge.
Turbocharged performance and efficiency
An all-new, Ecotec 1.5L turbo is the standard engine in the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, offering a GM-estimated 37 mpg on the highway. It is part of a new global family of small-displacement gas engines designed with greater power density to deliver confident performance with excellent efficiency.
The new 1.5L turbo employs the stop/start technology introduced on the 2014 Malibu, which enhances efficiency in stop-and-go driving, contributing to a GM-estimated 27 mpg in city driving – an 8-percent increase over the current model. On the highway, 1.5L-equipped models also feature active grille shutters that reduce aerodynamic drag to optimize efficiency.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
The Malibu’s more-efficient standard engine delivers a GM-estimated 160 horsepower (119 kW) and 184 lb-ft of torque (250 Nm). The torque is comparable to the current model’s standard 2.5L naturally aspirated engine in a vehicle package that’s nearly 300 pounds lighter.
A higher-output 2.0L turbocharged engine is available, offering a GM-estimated 250 horsepower (186 kW) and 258 lb-ft of torque (350 Nm), for a higher degree of performance – but not at the expense of good efficiency. Malibu 2.0T models are EPA-estimated at 22 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway.
An all-new, GM-developed eight-speed automatic transmission – the first eight-speed automatic in a GM front-wheel-drive vehicle – contributes to the 2.0T’s balance of performance and efficiency. The 1.5L turbo engine is matched with a six-speed automatic.
Teen Driver and an expanded range of safety features
Teen Driver supports safe driving habits by muting the audio or any device paired with the vehicle when front-seat occupants aren’t wearing their safety belts. Teen Driver also provides audible and visual warnings when the vehicle is traveling over predetermined speeds.
To use Teen Driver, a parent enables the feature with a PIN in the Settings menu of the Malibu’s MyLink system, which allows them to register their teen’s key fob. The system’s settings are turned on only to registered key fobs.
The all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu spent thousands of hours fine tuning its cooling systems in the Climatic Wind Tunnel as part of its extensive testing before it goes on sale in late 2015 © General Motors
Chevrolet’s system is the first in the industry with a built-in component that lets parents view on a display how their teenager drove the vehicle. Maximum speed reached, distance driven and number of times active safety features were engaged are among the parameters that can be confirmed.
Teen Driver complements a roster of standard and available safety features, including 10 standard air bags and a rear-view camera system standard on LS, LT, Hybrid and Premier models.
Available active safety features include:
- Front Pedestrian Alert that uses a forward-looking camera to help avoid or reduce the harm caused by crashes with pedestrians ahead of the vehicle. The system can apply automatic last-second braking
- New Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert
- New Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Front and Rear Park Assist
- Intellibeam, which automatically switches the headlamps to high beam for better road illumination and improved visibility
- Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Automatic Braking
- Automatic Parking Assist.
Sleeker design with lighter, stronger body structure
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
With a wheelbase stretching 3.6 inches (91 mm) longer than the current Malibu, along with a 2.3-inch (58 mm) longer overall length and the same overall width, the 2016 Malibu strikes a sleeker-looking proportion. The added wheelbase helps provide better in-cabin comfort and functionality.
With styling influenced by the 2014 Impala, the all-new Malibu advances Chevrolet’s global design language with features such as slim, sweeping headlamps and a progressive take on the brand’s characteristic dual-port grille. Three body-side creases also add drama to the design and help distinguish the Malibu as a contemporary Chevy.
The hood and the cowl – the area where the windshield meets the hood – are lower than the current model and contribute to the Malibu’s greater aerodynamic performance, as do active grille shutters on LS and LT models.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
Premium design cues are incorporated on all models, with contemporary lighting technology featured across the lineup, including light-emitting diode (LED) daytime running lamps on LT and Premier models. The Malibu Premier also receives LED taillamps.
Beneath the new Malibu’s athletic-looking skin is a stronger, lighter body structure that contributes to its efficiency and driving dynamics. Greater use of high-strength steels enables engineers to design the body structure with thinner components in some areas, delivering comparable crash performance with lower weight. The all-new body structure accounts for more than one-third of the Malibu’s nearly 300-pound weight reduction.
Roomier, with a more comfortable and connected interior
The longer wheelbase allows a more open execution of Chevrolet’s signature dual-cockpit interior. Rear legroom improves by 1.3 inches (33 mm).
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
The cabin’s open, expansive feel is reinforced with a greater emphasis on comfort, convenience and connectivity, allowing the Malibu to keep pace with customers’ connected lives. Highlights include:
- Chevrolet MyLink with a 7-inch-diagonal color capacitive touch screen is standard on LS, LT and Hybrid models
- Chevrolet MyLink with an eight-inch-diagonal capacitive touch screen is available on LT and Hybrid models and standard on Premier model
- Chevrolet MyLink with navigation is available with the eight-inch MyLink system and features three-dimensional map views for most major U.S. cities and attractions
- All-new Teen Driver feature is supported by the 8-inch MyLink system, allowing parents to restrict certain vehicle functions to support safer driving and to view their kids’ driving statistics such as maximum speed, warning alerts and more
- OnStar 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot is standard on all models with a three-month/3GB data trial (whichever comes first)
- Wireless phone charging available on LT and Hybrid and standard on Premier
- Dual rear-seat USB ports and a 110-volt power outlet are optional on LT and standard on Premier.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
The instrument panel “center stack” is all-new, with greater delineation between the infotainment system and climate system controls for easier, at-a-glance operation. The Malibu’s interior also features:
- Galvano (satin) chrome accents on the instrument panel and center console
- Dedicated storage slot for mobile phones, which incorporates wireless charging, if equipped
- Perforated leather-appointed seating surfaces available on LT and Hybrid and standard on Premier
- Ventilated seats – a first for Malibu – are standard on Premier.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility
Malibu’s 7-inch MyLink infotainment system gives owners a smart and simple way to access Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The eight-inch version of MyLink will be compatible only with Apple CarPlay at the beginning of the 2016 model year. While development and testing are not yet complete, Android Auto compatibility may be available on the 8-inch version of MyLink later in the 2016 model year.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
Each system builds off of the features smartphone users rely on most. Android Auto is built around Google Maps, Google Now and the ability to talk to Google, as well as a growing audio and messaging app ecosystem that includes WhatsApp, Skype, Google Play Music, Spotify, and podcast players. A full list of supported apps is available at Android.com/auto.
Apple CarPlay takes the iPhone features customers want to access while driving and puts them on the vehicle’s display in a smart, simple manner. That allows drivers to make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music right from the touchscreen or by voice via Siri. Apple CarPlay supported apps include Phone, Messages, Maps, Music and compatible third-party apps. A full list of those apps is at Apple.com/ios/carplay.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu © General Motors
Many features can be controlled via voice commands through a button on the steering wheel, helping drivers spend more time with eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
Manufacturing
The 2016 Malibu is built from globally sourced parts at GM’s Fairfax Assembly Plant, in Kansas City, Kan. GM will invest $174 million in the Fairfax plant for new tooling and technology to support its production and improve customer satisfaction.
Prices
2016 Chevrolet Malibu price starts from $21,625
