Modern Motoring – The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu
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[PRESENTED BY HOGAN CHEVROLET]
While the popularity of SUV/CUV/Crossovers show no signs of slowing down, there’s still a market for sedans. The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu presents itself well by blending good looks, a comfortable ride and a well-appointed interior, in addition to a plethora of available active safety features.
The Malibu’s exterior is just edgy enough to stand out but doesn’t fall into the fold of being aggressive and over styled. This ninth generation Malibu sports a sharp, sleek body design that’s found way to add a flair of fashion in this competitive marketplace. Wheel sizes range from 16” to 19” depending on what trim level you opt for and the rear trunk lid spoiler is a subtle yet attractive touch.
Power-wise, there are three engines available.
The L, LS and LT trims utilize a 1.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine churning out 160 horsepower and 184 lb-ft. of torque via a 6-speed transmission.
The top-trim Premier sees a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder motor pumping out a healthy 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque via 9-speed transmission.
The hybrid engine is a 1.8L 4-cylinder model, with 124 horsepower and 129 lb-ft. of torque and utilizing Chevrolet’s “Hybrid Propulsion Electric, 50 kW continuous power” motor.
Hybrid cars come with advantages and disadvantages, as with every vehicle on the market.
The disadvantage is that some perceive it to be a relatively new technology and potential customers may see it as a passing fad. Plus, as with anything electronic, the hybrid battery won’t last forever and in some cases, can be costly to replace.
However, the clear advantage is that by blending gas power with battery power, fuel efficiency is increased, the amount of gasoline used is reduced, you’re able to drive for longer between fill ups and you’re doing your part to help the environment.
In the case of the Malibu, if you’re asking yourself “should I buy a hybrid car?” carefully consider what your current driving patterns are and what the next 3-5 years may look like for you.
If most of your weekly driving is done in a small radius (50 km to 150 km) then there’s a strong argument to be made for leaning towards they hybrid option. Similarly, if you’ve got a longer commute that sees you taking the highway, with the right driving style (read – non aggressive and smooth) then a hybrid can be your optimal vehicle as holding a consistent speed drastically reduces fuel consumption.
Interestingly, the Malibu has grown is size with this iteration over the outgoing generation, making it more attractive to those who want more passenger space and comfort. It’s close in size to its bigger brother, the Impala but at a lower price.
Inside, the Malibu is spacious and quite comfortable. Available leather appointed seats can come heated, there’s an 8” responsive touchscreen on our tester (7” for the L trim) with optional navigation and the overall feel of the cabin is certainly upscale.
All the controls are well-placed and extracting information is quite easy. The ingress/egress points are higher than its competitors, making the car ideal for those who value that benefit from a sedan and I recommend jumping on the 9-speaker premium Bose sound system if you want an enhanced sound experience in the Malibu.
On the road, our LT tester performed well with a strong amount of pickup getting on the highway, strong handling (due to its lower profile) and responsive steering. What’s especially noteable is the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot and the available Available Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, seeing as nearly all of us use smart phones.
The Malibu is filled with 49L of regular fuel and fuel efficiency rings in at 8.8 city and 6.5 highway for L/100 km, which is quite good for a mid-sized sedan.
On the safety side, the Malibu offers customers a wide suite of active safety features, including forward collision alert, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and our favourite, the “Teen Driver” feature, which Chevrolet describes as:
Letting you activate customizable vehicle settings associated with a key fob to help encourage safe driving behavior. Limit certain vehicle features, and automatically turns on certain safety systems if vehicle is equipped. An in-vehicle report card gives you information on your teen's driving habits and helps you to continue to coach your new driver.
Overall, the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu stands out in both the fashion and function columns and with a hybrid option, let’s you reduce your carbon footprint.
Starting at only $22,295 MSRP and reaching the mid-$30K mark, there’s plenty of choices for drivers who want to tote around town in the golden bowties mid-sized offering.
