This combination is slower than similar rivals in our acceleration tests. A 2019 Malibu we tested recorded an average 7.8-second run 60 mph.

Unlike many other family sedans, the 2024 Malibu is only available with a single powertrain: a dutiful 160-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through a CVT. A blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert system are notably missing but dropping an extra $250 adds the two features. Every LT also features automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assist. The LT comes with 17-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote engine start, heated front seats, and a power-adjustable driver's seat. We recommend buying the LT trim, as it includes more standard features than the lowly LS. Chevy's mid-size sedan is no penalty box, but it's also nowhere near as well-rounded as its peers.

To put it bluntly, the Malibu's strengths fail to outweigh its weaknesses. The car's standard features list is also rather sparse compared to the competition, which includes the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata. More irksome is the middling quality of the Malibu's interior, which heavily relies on low-grade plastics.

The pair offer enough grunt to sufficiently push the bow-tie-badged four-door around at city speeds, even if the Chevy sedan lacks the punch of competitors' more powerful turbo four and six-cylinder engine options. A turbocharged four-cylinder and a continuously variable automatic transmission serve as the sole powertrain available. Though the near-decade-old Chevy is not a superstar in its class (nor was it ever), the Malibu remains a competent family sedan option that's bolstered by its good looks, comfortable ride, and competent handling. The 2024 Chevrolet Malibu's age isn't stopping it from successfully competing in the mid-size sedan segment.

2021 malibu redline edition