2021 Chevrolet Malibu Walkaround

Overview
While other automakers doing business in the family-sedan market have been busy improving and reimagining what a mid-size car can be, Chevrolet has left the 2021 Chevy Malibu to languish. Its styling is handsome but its interior is bland and unembellished. Two different turbocharged four-cylinder engines are offered—a 1.5-liter and a more potent 2.0-liter—paired up to either a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) or a nine-speed automatic; front-wheel drive is the only choice. When compared to class leaders such as the Honda Accord and the Mazda 6, the Malibu evokes an unfortunate rental-class feel—unless the buyer is opts for the most-expensive Premier trim. Touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard but Chevy requires adding option packages to unlock the Malibu's available driver-assistance features—something many of its rivals offer as standard.

What's New for 2021?
The Malibu continues to fall behind its rivals for 2021 as it rolls into the new model year without any substantive updates. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto join the standard-features list this year and a Sport Edition appearance package is newly available on the LT trim. The Sport Edition package adds black Chevrolet logos on the grille and trunk lid, a black grille, and 19-inch black wheels. General Motors's new Buckle-to-Drive feature now comes on every Malibu model and requires that the driver's seatbelt is secured before the transmission will shift out of park.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
L $23,265
LS $24,395
RS $25,395
LT $27,795
Premier $34,495
We continue to recommend buying the LT trim, as it comes with more standard features than the lowly L and LS. The LT comes standard with the Malibu's 160-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine—the more powerful 2.0-liter engine is reserved for the top-level Premier—as well as 17-inch wheels, LED taillights, an acoustically laminated windshield, remote engine starting, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver's seat. If driver-assistance features such as blind-spot monitoring, automated emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist are on your list of must-haves, the Driver Confidence I and Driver Confidence II packages add those features and more.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Like many mid-size family sedans, the Malibu offers several powertrains. Most Malibu models are propelled by a dutiful 163-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through a CVT. When we tested the car with the new CVT, we recorded a wholly average 7.8-second zero-to-60-mph time. This combination is slower than similar rivals in our acceleration tests, but it delivered a smooth, even pull. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four—which is exclusive to the top-tier Premier trim—makes 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The last Malibu 2.0T we tested—a 2016—ran well enough, but neither its real-world fuel economy nor its performance bested those of its competitors, many of which made do with V-6 engines rather than turbochargers.

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