2013 Chevrolet Malibu Review and Prices

Styling: The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu’s styling is more curvaceous than that of the car it replaces although it’s still recognizable as a Malibu thanks to carried-over elements such as an updated version of Chevy’s horizontal-bar split front grille. A wider stance along with broader shoulders and a trunk lid with molded-in spoiler help lend a more aggressive appearance.

As it did with the all-new 2012 Buick Regal, GM turns to its German-designed Opel Insignia sedan as the basis for the 2013 Malibu. The 2013 Malibu is about 1.5 inches shorter in overall length than the outgoing car, though it’s 3 inches wider, which contributes to sportier proportions and several inches additional shoulder room.

The more noteworthy dimension is wheelbase, and the 2013 Malibu’s is a significant 4.5-inches shorter than the previous Malibu’s. Wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear axles and a key determinate of a car’s passenger legroom. Chevy says the 2013 Malibu has just fractions of an inch less front and rear legroom than the 2012 model, though in practice, rear-seat knee clearance feels notably tighter than in rivals such as the Camry and Sonata. And relatively small rear-door openings make for some challenging entry and exit, too.  

Trunk volume in the 2013 Malibu depends on the model. The conventional-powertrain version has a generous 16.3-cubic feet, an increase of 1.2 cubic feet over the 2012 Malibu. In the 2013 Malibu Eco model, however, the housing for the electric-motor’s battery behind the rear seat eats into trunk space, reducing it to 14.3 cubic feet.     

Inside, the 2013 Malibu has a modern, sporty “dual-cockpit” layout with main gauges housed in rectangular binnacles similar to those on the Camaro. Malibu’s central dashboard section innovates with an articulated radio faceplate that swings up to reveal a 6-inch deep illuminated covered storage bin behind the seven-inch touch-screen radio display. Chevy says this is a U.S. first in a midsize car.

The 2013 Malibu’s cabin achieves an upscale feel with good materials quality, strategically placed soft-touch surfaces, ice-blue ambient lighting, and chromed accents. Except for prominent engine roar in full-throttle acceleration, noise levels are pleasantly low. In fact, Chevy says generous use of sound-deadening materials make this the quietest Chevrolet ever.  

The conventional-powertrain 2013 Malibu comes in four levels of trim, LS, 1LT, 2LT, and top-line LTZ. The 2012 Malibu Eco is available in two grades, called1SA and better-equipped 2SA, which are roughly equivalent to the 1LT and 2LT. The only wheel and tire size available upon launch are 17-inch tires on alloy rims.

Mechanical: The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu’s newfound European roots pay off in reassuringly composed road manners and a ride unruffled by dips and bumps. Chevy follows modern fuel-saving practice and eliminates the engine drag of hydraulic power steering for an electric setup. The result is straddles the middle of the steering-reaction-and precision spectrum – not really sharp but reasonably natural-feeling in most circumstances.

Chevy also falls in step with the latest trend by eliminating a V-6-engine alternative (in Malibu’s case, a 252-horsepower six) in favor of four-cylinder choices only. It does hew to midsize-sedan convention with a front-wheel-drive layout that concentrates the mass of the powertrain over the tires that also propel the car, resulting in good wet-surface traction.  Sportier-handling rear-wheel drive is the province of more-expensive sedans, while the only cars in Malibu’s competitive set with all-wheel drive are the Subaru Legacy, where it’s standard, and the Ford Fusion and Suzuki Kazashi, where it’s optional.

The 2013 Malibu’s conventional powertrain employs an all-new 2.5-liter four-cylinder preliminarily rated at 190 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque (think of torque as the force behind acceleration, horsepower as the energy that sustains momentum).  This is the ’13 Malibu’s base engine and is among the most powerful base four-cylinders in the class. The 2.5 replaces the outgoing Malibu’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder, which was rated at 169 horsepower and 160 pound-feet of torque. The 2.5 has advanced direct fuel injection, a precision technology that introduces fuel directly into the cylinders to minimize fuel consumption and exhaust emissions and maximize power.

New for model-year 2013, the Malibu Eco version uses a 2.4-liter four-cylinder augmented by GM’s eAssist technology, which draws its name from the electric motor assist it lends the gas engine. The small electric motor delivers an additional 15 horsepower during rapid acceleration or on demanding inclines, though as with similar systems offered in the Buick LaCrosse and Regal, the eAssist Malibu is rated according to the gas engine’s output of 182 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque.  

The eAssist’s electric motor is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack charged through regenerative braking and energy captured during deceleration. Unlike full hybrids, the eAssist system can’t propel the car on electricity alone. Its principal function is to ease loads on the gas engine, thereby reducing fuel consumption. It also allows fuel delivery to be suspended in certain coasting conditions, frees Chevy to use a gas-saving final-drive ratio, and as in other hybrids enables the gas engine to shut off when the car comes to a stop, then restart when the brake pedal is released, without interrupting accessory function.

The 2013 Malibu Eco is also among the first vehicles in the midsize segment with a standard fuel-saving, active shutter system. Located in the lower grille, the system automatically closes airflow when air intake is least needed. When closed, the shutter system enhances aero performance by redirecting airflow around the front of the vehicle and down the sides, rather than through it. The shutter is open or closed based on engine coolant temperature and speed. For example, the shutters open when the car is traveling up a hill or in hot city driving; the shutters close at highway speeds when less engine cooling is required.

As in the 2012 Malibu, the only transmission available in the 2013 Malibu and Malibu Eco a six-speed automatic, though Chevy says this is a new transmission that allows manual-type gear control via the floor-mounted shift lever.

The forthcoming Malibu Turbo in effect will take the place of the previous V-6 (see the “What’s Next” section below). But at the time of this review, the Malibu Eco was the only model available for testing. It works as advertised, delivering slightly better acceleration than expected of a modestly sized four-cylinder in a relatively heavy 3,620-pound midsize sedan.

There’s little sensation of the onset of electric assist or of fuel shutoff during coasting. The stop-start system is not intrusive beyond a slight drivetrain shudder and is signaled, along with the various other Eco-powertrain modes, by a message displayed on a screen in the main instrument pod. The only untoward behavior is occasional nonlinear deceleration as the system captures regenerative braking to recharge the battery.      

Features: The 2013 Malibu is the most-connected Malibu ever. It’s the first available with a navigation system and a rear backup camera. It’s also the first available with the Chevrolet’s new MyLink infotainment package. This builds on the OnStar security- and service-assist system and seamlessly integrates online services like Pandora Internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio.

MyLink is standard on the Malibu Eco and every 2013 Malibu model comes with a nice array of features that includes air conditioning, power locks, windows, and mirrors, tilt/telescope steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, a driver’s seat with height and lumbar adjustments, remote keyless entry, and a CD/satellite audio system with an auxiliary input jack for connecting a portable digital audio device.

Pushing the midsize-class safety envelope, the 2013 Malibu offers optional lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems, features usually available only on higher priced midsize cars. Lane departure warning alerts if the car drifts from its highway lane and forward-collision warning sounds an alarm if sensors detect the car closing too fast on traffic ahead.

Depending on trim level, standard features or options available individually or in groups include remote engine start, a power moonroof and rear sunshade, leather upholstery, Bluetooth wireless phone connectivity and a USB connector for iPods and other MP3 players.