Chevrolet Malibu. A luxury sedan with a sporty temper

Chevrolet Malibu is a mid-size D class passenger car produced by the American company General Motors under the Chevrolet brand since 1978. Today, in the Israeli market, you can buy the ninth generation of the Chevrolet Malibu sedan after the 2018 restyling.

In the 1960s, the Chevrolet Malibu was the luxury version of one of the most successful Chevrolet vehicles, the Chevrolet Chevelle. The Malibu became a separate model only in 1978, so generations are counted from this year.

First generation

The first generation (in fact - the fourth!) of Chevrolet Malibu was produced from 1978 to 1983 in sedan, station wagon and coupe bodies. The four-door Malibu was often used as an official vehicle by large companies and the police. The first Malibu was rear-wheel drive, and only from 1997 received front-wheel drive. The Malibu Classic was discontinued in 1982, the 4-door sedan in 1983, and the station wagons in 1984, and the front-wheel drive Chevrolet Celebrity began to be produced instead.

Second generation

The second generation of Chevrolet Malibu was produced from 1996 to 2003 and restyled in 2000. The front-wheel drive Malibu sedan was produced in the United States until 2003, and then for two more years this car continued to be produced under the Chevrolet Classic name exclusively for corporate fleets and rental companies. After a long break, Chevrolet decided to bring the Malibu back to the market. Built on the new GM N platform, the second Malibu became front-wheel drive and became very popular in the American market. It was named Car of the 1997 Year by Motor Trend magazine.

Third generation

The third generation Chevrolet Malibu was produced from 2003 to 2008, going through restyling in 2006. The third Malibu, transferred to the new Epsilon platform, on which the Opel Vectra was assembled, it had 2 body types: a standard 4-door sedan and a 5-door Malibu Maxx, a station wagon that looked more like a hatchback. And it became, in fact, the first hatchback of the Chevrolet company since 1980.

Fourth generation

The fourth generation of Chevrolet Malibu was produced from 2008 to 2012. The fourth Malibu, built on a revised version of the Epsilon platform with an extended wheelbase, is longer than its predecessor. And according to the European classification, it could even be classified as a business class. In 2008-2009, the Chevrolet Malibu first appeared with a hybrid powertrain.

Fifth generation

The fifth generation Chevrolet Malibu was produced from 2011 to 2016, having gone through restyling in 2013. The fifth Malibu has already become a truly business-class sedan. Built on the GM Epsilon II platform, the new Chevrolet Malibu features a dynamic silhouette with a sloping roofline. The large car with a length of 4.9 meters has gained popularity all over the world. It was sold in nearly 100 countries on six continents and was nominated for European Car of the Year.

Sixth generation (actually, the ninth one!)

The sixth generation of Chevrolet Malibu has been produced since 2015, having gone through restyling in 2018. The luxury sedan Chevrolet Malibu 2019/2020 has a high level of comfort, good noise isolation and aerodynamic design. Well, the serious and sporty character of the new Malibu is provided by a powerful engine. The increased level of safety of the Chevrolet Malibu 2020 is primarily guaranteed by a rigid body structure that provides maximum protection for passengers and at the same time contributes to better vehicle handling. The high level of safety is confirmed by excellent results in crash tests.

GM considers the new Chevrolet Malibu ‘the best choice for middle-class drivers’ and places it ‘on the same level with more expensive sports sedans.’