Chevrolet’s all-new 2016 Malibu was introduced today at the 2015 New York Auto Show and as expected, the redesigned midsize sedan promises to offer more efficiency, connectivity as well as advanced safety features. According to the manufacturer, the 2016 Malibu arrives with a new 1.5-liter turbo engine as standard, that delivers 160 hp (119 kW) and 184 lb-ft (250 Nm) of torque.
This engine will return a GM-estimated fuel economy of 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. In addition, there is a bigger 2.0-liter tubocharged engine available, producing 250 hp (186 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque. 2016 Malibu 2.0T models are expected to return a fuel economy of 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.
Chevrolet will offer the 1.5-liter turbo engine with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine will be bolted to a new GM-developed 8-speed automatic transmission. The 2016 Malibu Hybrid is the big surprise as it arrives with hybrid technology that leverages components from the plug-in Chevrolet Volt.
The hybrid version of the 2016 Malibu uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine bolted to a two-motor drive unit, slightly modified from the 2016 Volt unit. As a result, the total output delivered by the 2016 Malibu Hybrid is 182 hp (136 kW). Furthermore, the engine features Chevrolet’s first application of Exhaust Gas Heat Recovery (EGHR), which uses the exhaust heat to warm the engine as well as the cabin.
Moreover, the 2016 Malibu Hybrid uses an 80-cell, 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that helps the vehicle to achieve a top speed of up to 55 mph (88 km/h) on electricity alone. Just like the 2016 Volt, the new Malibu Hybrid gets the regenerative braking system, in order to recover the kinetic energy during braking and store it into the battery system.
Parents will be happy to know that the 2016 Malibu gets the Teen Driver as standard on most trim levels. Teen Driver mutes the audio or any device paired with the vehicle when front-seat passengers don’t wear a seat belt and provides audible and visual warnings when the vehicle is driven at over predetermined speeds.
As standard, the new Malibu is offered with ten airbags and a rear-view camera system on LS, LT, Hybrid and Premier models. Other safety features include Front Pedestrian Alert, New Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, New Forward Collision Alert with Following Distance Indicator, Front and Rear Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Automatic Braking, Automatic Parking Assist and Intellibeam, a system able to switch the headlamps to high beam for better road illumination.
Compared with the previous model, the 2016 Malibu features a wheelbase that is 3.6-inches (91 mm) longer, while it is 2.3-inch (58 mm) longer. The design is inspired by the 2016 Impala, featuring slim headlamps as well as the brand’s characteristic dual-port grille.