Chevrolet Malibu 2018 Review

A mid-size offering from the American manufacturer, the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu is a rival to the likes of the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, and Mazda 6. Feature-heavy and ready to challenge segment heavyweights, the Malibu is on the right path, yet it is let down by its polarizing styling and shoddy build quality.

Exterior

Currently in its ninth-generation, the Chevrolet Malibu sits lower and longer than the model it replaces. The broad, sulking mien lends the American sedan a cumbersome and lethargic appearance, which is a shame, because it most definitely isn’t. With the LTZ variant rocking a set of 18-inch alloys, the crisp contours along the bodywork fetch it a few extra points, but aren’t enough to make the Malibu turn nearly as many heads as its Impala sibling can.

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Interior

Supremely bland, with two shades of gray leatherette embellishing the dashboard, seats, door panels, and center console, the dull color scheme is as far from exciting as possible. Chrome embellishments highlight certain aspects of the cabin, but it simply isn’t enough to distract from the blatant use of flimsy hard plastics and the brand’s lousy approach to fit and finish.

Safety & Tech

Luring customers with its novel-long feature list, the Malibu is armed with plenty of tech that includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, multiple USB ports, a 230V charging outlet, an 8-inch infotainment screen, a 9-speaker Bose audio system, and a cooled glove box. The most interesting feature (and one that is bound to impress family and friends) is the Malibu’s ability to navigate itself into parallel and perpendicular parking spaces with the driver left only in charge of accelerating, braking, and shifting cogs.

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Drive

Utilizing the benefits of turbocharged powerplants, the Malibu puts aside its larger displacement engine for a potent 2.0-liter unit that produces 250 horsepower and an impressive 352 Nm of torque. Being the most powerful offering in the model line-up, the 2.0-liter engine allows the American sedan to accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.5-seconds and to a top speed of 250 km/h.

When not screeching its tires all through first gear, the Malibu returns a combined fuel economy figure of 14.2-liters/100 kilometers and encourages drivers to take it easy on the accelerator pedal by limiting manual shifting of cogs to just Low mode. Being a family sedan, the suspension is stiff without being jarring, yet firm enough to curb body roll on the enticing black tops of the UAE.

Verdict

At AED 115,000 the fully-loaded 2.0-liter Chevrolet Malibu occupies a baffling space in mid-size sedan segment. Well equipped with plenty of tech and a fabulous engine, the Malibu is a good car that is let down by its styling and unsatisfactory fit and finish.

Pros:

- Phenomenal engine

- Plenty of entertainemnt, safety, and comfort features

Cons:

- Dull interior and exterior design

- Shoddy fit and finish

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