Lower than Camry, Accord, Fusion and Altima
DETROIT – The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, the most fuel-efficient, connected and technologically advanced version in the nameplate’s history – will be available with a starting suggested retail price of $22,500 for the L model.
“We’ve continued our focus on delivering on the highest levels of quality, as evidenced by recent recognitions from J.D. Power on initial quality and long-term dependability,” said Steve Majoros, director of Chevrolet cars and crossovers. “The 2016 Malibu is engineered and priced to give customers impressive value and technology that’s hard to compete with.”
For 2016, Malibu will be offered in five models, L, LS, LT, Hybrid and Premier. Standard equipment includes 10 airbags, cruise control, push-button start with passive entry and fuel-saving stop/start technology on the base 1.5L 4-cylinder engine.
The LS model, starting at $23,995, includes standard Chevrolet MyLink Radio with 7-inch diagonal color touch screen, available compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a rear vision camera. CarPlay and Android Auto are subject to Apple and Google privacy statements and require compatible smartphone and data plans.
The starting price for the LT model is $25,895 and is projected to offer a General Motors-estimated 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway, when equipped with the Ecotec 1.5L turbo engine with stop/start. Official EPA estimates are not yet available. The LT model adds LED daytime running lamps and 8-way power driving seats.
A 2.0L turbo with an 8-speed transmission is available in the LT and Premier models as well, starting at $29,495 and $31,795 respectively. Malibu 2.0T models offer a GM-estimated 22 mpg in the city and 32 on the highway. Official EPA estimates are not yet available.
The 2016 Malibu adds several new-to-Malibu safety technologies including Lane Keep Assist, Front Pedestrian Braking and Low Speed Front Automatic Braking. Teen Driver – available on LT and standard on Premier trims – helps support safe driving habits by muting the audio or any device paired with the vehicle when front-seat occupants aren’t wearing their seat belts. It is also the first in-vehicle system in the industry that lets parents view information on how their teenagers drove the vehicle, which can be a teaching tool to reinforce safe driving habits.
Longer and lighter, the new Malibu offers more rear interior space than the current model. Its wheelbase has been stretched nearly four inches, and it is nearly 300 pounds lighter than the previous model, to assist with handling and fuel economy.
The 2016 Malibu reaches an exceptional level of fuel efficiency with an all-new, available hybrid powertrain that uses technology from the Chevrolet Volt. It helps offer a GM-estimated 48 mpg city, 45 mpg highway – and 47 mpg combined, which is unsurpassed in the segment. Official EPA estimates are not yet available.
Pricing for the Malibu Hybrid will be announced closer to its start of production in spring 2016.
The 2016 Malibu is built at the GM Fairfax Assembly facility, in Kansas City, Kan. from globally sourced parts.
| Chevrolet Malibu | Hyundai Sonata | Ford Fusion | Honda Accord | Toyota Camry | Nissan Altima | Mazda6 | |
| MSRP | $21,625 | $21,150 | $22,110 | $22,105 | $23,070 | $22,300 | $21,495 |
| Shipping | $875 | $825 | $875 | $820 | $825 | $825 | $820 |
| Total | $22,500 | $21,975 | $22,985 | $22,925 | $23,895 | $23,125 | $22,315 |
| All figures reflect starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price for entry/base models | |||||||
The 2016 Malibu goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2015. Additional vehicle highlights:
- Available segment-exclusive OnStar 4G LTE in-vehicle connectivity as well as available wireless phone charging
- Agile, sophisticated and sleek exterior design incorporates sophisticated 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
- 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 a GM-estimated 160 hp (119 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. The Premier trim, Chevrolet’s new uplevel designation, debuts in the 2016 Malibu. Additional model and trim details will be announced closer to the start of production.
Malibu Hybrid technology
The 2016 Malibu introduces new 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.
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.
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.
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 into the battery system to help maintain charge, and drive unit power electronics.
Sleeker design with lighter, stronger body structure
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.
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 enabled 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, more comfortable and more 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).
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 seven-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 eight-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 is optional on LT and standard on Premier trim.
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 is 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.
Approximately 300-lb weight reduction enhances efficiency, driving dynamics
DETROIT – Engineers developing the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu put the new midsize sedan on a strength-training program, making it sweat out a pound here and a gram there, in a quest to make it more fuel efficient, stronger and safer.
The result is an all-new Malibu that is nearly 300 pounds (136 kg) lighter than the current model – an achievement that not only gives it the segment’s lightest base curb weight, but also contributes to an estimated 48 mpg in city driving for the hybrid model and 37 mpg highway for the 1.5L turbo base engine. A lighter curb weight will also improve ride and handling.
“Imagine you’ve got a 300-pound lineman riding on the roof of your car and he decides to jump off – you’re going to notice a change in performance immediately,” said Jesse Ortega, chief engineer. “That’s what we’ve done with the 2016 Malibu, with the mass savings spread throughout the vehicle, providing greater overall balance, a more responsive and agile driving experience and lower fuel consumption.
“The Malibu team was challenged to look for weight savings in every area of the vehicle, no matter how small, because every gram adds up,” said Ortega. “The aim was to make Malibu the most mass-efficient car in its class.”
Here are five of the most noteworthy mass-saving achievements:
1. Leaner, stronger body structure
More than a third of the 2016 Malibu’s mass savings – approximately 120 pounds (54 kg) – comes from its all-new body structure, which features greater use of high-strength steels, enabling the use of thinner components in some areas, while delivering comparable or better crash performance.
The stronger-yet-lighter structure is also stiffer than the current model, which allowed suspension components to be tuned more precisely. Engineers had less body flex to account for, body flex, which contributes to the new Malibu’s sharper ride-and-handling reflexes.
Development of the Malibu’s structure is the result of extensive computational analysis, which employed sophisticated modeling programs to simulate dozens of design iterations that indicated the most strategic placement for high-strength steel elements such as the pillars and rockers – all while maintaining higher targets for strength, stiffness and crashworthiness.
“The analysis took the guesswork out of the Malibu’s development, allowing the chassis to be developed with the just-right level of structural components,” said Amir Sewani, structural engineer. “After the structure was determined, we started looking at all the components that are attached to it, evaluating where they could be optimized for lower weight.”
2. Greater use of aluminum
Light and strong, the incorporation of more aluminum in the 2016 Malibu contributes significantly to its lower weight. Examples include an aluminum hood that is 6.6 pounds (3 kg) lighter than current model’s steel hood, and aluminum suspension knuckles and chassis components, as well as lighter mounts.
An additional benefit of the aluminum suspension components is reduced un-sprung mass, which contributes to the Malibu’s responsiveness.
3. Streamlined instrument panel assembly and lighter power accessories
New power window regulators collectively save 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) – a 34-percent reduction over the current model, while another 2.2 pounds (1 kg) was saved by reducing the complexity of components within the instrument panel. That included simplified construction with more integrated parts – and fewer components in the assembly.
Even the center console has a streamlined, one-piece structural shell that is 1.75 pounds (0.8 kg) lighter than the current model.
4. Lighter leather seats and other soft materials
The Malibu’s available leather seats are collectively 40.6 pounds (18.4 kg) lighter than the current model. Additionally, about 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg) was saved with new trunk liner material and another 1.1 pounds (0.5 kg) was shaved with new, proprietary interior carpet material that also is more durable than the current model.
5. A lighter engine
The 2016 Malibu’s all-new, standard 1.5L turbo engine is 86 pounds (39 kg) lighter than the current model’s standard 2.5L engine, while delivering comparable performance. Its lighter weight also enhances the Malibu’s front-to-rear weight balance – another contributor of the car’s more responsive driving experience.
The 2016 Malibu goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2015. It will be offered in L, LS, LT and Premier trims, as well as a Hybrid model, which leverages Chevrolet Volt technology to offer segment-best estimated efficiency of 48 mpg city, 45 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined.
Curb Weights Compared
| CURB WEIGHT | EPA HIGHWAY FUEL ECONOMY | |
| 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 1LT (1.5L Turbo) | 3,100 lbs (est.) | 37 mpg (GM est.) |
| 2015 Ford Fusion SE (2.5L) | 3,461 lbs | 34 mpg |
| 2015 Toyota Camry LE (2.5L) | 3,240 lbs | 35 mpg |
| 2015 Hyundai Sonata SE (2.4L) | 3,252 lbs | 37 mpg |
| 2015 Honda Accord LX (2.4L) | 3,192 lbs (man. trans.) | 34 mpg (man. trans.) |
| 2015 Nissan Altima SV (2.5L) | 3,206 lbs | 38 mpg |
| 2015 Kia Optima EX (2.4L) | 3,272 lbs | 34 mpg |
New sedan projected to offer segment unsurpassed 47 MPG combined
NEW YORK –The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, which uses technology from the Chevrolet Volt, will offer a General Motors-estimated 48 mpg city, 45 mpg highway – and 47 mpg combined, unsurpassed in the segment, GM President Dan Ammann announced today.
Ammann made the announcement at an International Motoring Press Association breakfast before the 2016 Malibu was to be unveiled at the New York International Auto Show.
“Fuel efficiency is important to our customers, especially in the midsize segment and with an estimated 48 mpg city rating, the Malibu Hybrid delivers,” Ammann said.
An all-new direct-injection 1.8L 4-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.
An 80-cell, 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides electric power to the Hybrid system. The advanced lithium-ion based chemistry can power the Malibu hybrid at up to 55 miles per hour on electricity alone. The gasoline-powered engine will automatically come on at higher speeds and high loads when necessary to provide additional power.
Besides the Volt drive unit, the Malibu Hybrid also shares power electronics and a blended regenerative braking system, which provides maximum kinetic energy recovery during braking to be stored into the battery system to help maintain charge.
The Malibu Hybrid will be manufactured in Kansas City, Kansas, at the Fairfax Assembly plant from globally sourced parts. It is due in Chevrolet dealer showrooms in spring 2016.
