The 2021 Chevy Malibu is the last sedan still being sold by Chevrolet in the United States and Canada. The Chevy Malibu, now in its ninth generation, received a midcycle enhancement (otherwise known as a refresh) for the 2019 model year. Today, we’re bringing you this live photo gallery of the refreshed Chevy Malibu taken in South Korea.
The most immediately obvious alteration of the 2019 refresh was to the front fascia, where the headlights are now integrated with the upper grille.
Meanwhile, the lower grille is larger and bolder than before. The grilles and headlights are also more defined thanks to the use of chrome accents.
The lower front lights and air intakes were also completely redesigned during the MCE. Along with the other changes, this has given the front end of the Chevy Malibu a more “drawn back” appearance, in contrast to the “jutting forward” look of the pre-MCE model (2016-2018 model years).
From the side, the current Malibu is almost indistinguishable from the pre-update version. However, Chevrolet also offered some of the exterior colors and added a new wheel design as part of the MCE updates.
The new taillamps fitted to the Malibu since the 2019 model year deliver a more dramatic execution of the Bow Tie brand’s signature dual-element taillamp design. A new rear valance places the dual exhaust outlets further at the edges of the sedan, giving a greater sense of width even though that dimension has not in fact changed.
Inside, the Chevy Malibu now has the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system with an eight-inch diagonal color touchscreen.
The Korean-market Chevy Malibu is built at the Bupyeong plant in South Korea. Examples sold in North America are built at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kansas, USA, while the GM Jinqiao plant in Pudong, Shanghai builds cars for the Chinese market.
The current ninth-gen model, introduced for the 2019 model year, is based on the GM E2 platform. The same version of the platform underpinned the sixth-generation Buick Regal family, along with its various international-market variants, including the Opel Insignia, Vauxhall Insignia, and Holden Commodore. A longer-wheelbase version of the same platform underpinned the third-gen Buick LaCrosse before its discontinuation in the Americas, though the model is still available in China. Yet another variant of the E2 platform is used for the first-gen Cadillac XT4 and second-gen Buick Envision.
In North America, the 2019 and newer Malibu is mostly fitted with the 1.5L I4 LFV turbo gasoline engine, which produces 163 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The range-topping Premier version has the 2.0L I4 LTG engine, rated at 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The up-level engine is paired with GM’s nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Due to consumers’ ongoing love affair with crossovers, the Malibu isn’t expected to be around for much longer. The sedan is expected to be discontinued at the end of its lifecycle, around 2024.
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Comments
Nice the Malibu is built their in a former Daewoo factory, that should make the car more affordable for S. Koreans. My sister-in-law and her relatives said they always liked American cars but the government had set high import taxes on them. Being the Malibu is built in S. Korea no need for import taxes any longer which is great for the people of S, Korea and more competive to the prices of the Hyundai Sonata & Kia K5.
What a nice looking car. Shame it’s been replaced by lame crossovers
When the Malibu is phased out I will probably buy a Camry. There is a reason GMs marketshare will be 15% by 2025. The sedans constitutes 19% of the market while EVs have 1.5% market share. Do the math.
Akear
Just did the math and the answer came out to be -459F = -273C
In other words the chance that I ever buy a Camry is Absolute Zero.
Once gm quits making the Malibu in KS. probably will be exported from S. Korea
It’s long in the tooth. GM hasn’t put in the effort to remain competitive building cars unlike the Asians and Germans and we therefore welcome a soon to be all electric SUV and giant megadollar offroad monstrosity company. Good luck with that.
Idiot boy
2020 U.S. midsized car sales
The Nearly Dead:
Subaru Legacy – 27,240
VW Passat – 22,964
Mazda6 – 16,204
^^^ I’m guessing these aren’t the models you were thinking of when you said “competitive”
The Wannabe’s
Kia Optima/K5 – 80,140
Hyundai Sonata – 76,997
^^^ all that time and trouble of designing a new model, and Kia could even hit a 6 figure sales number. So sad. Still 2 of the lowest cost midsized, and they have to put a 10 year warranty on the hood and a pork chop in the back seat for the dog to get inside.
The Americans:
Ford Fusion – 110,665
Chevy Malibu – 102,655
^^^ The plan is to get out before we embarrass ourselves.
The J3
Nissan Altima – 137,988 down from 300,000. in 2015
Honda Accord – 199,458 down from 380,000 in 2015
Toyota Camry – 294,348 down from 427,000 in 2014
———
Total 1.1 million down from 2.6 million in 2014
I hate statistics, dude. Facts and figures do nothing for me. As long as the last Korean upstart keeps improving the breed, GM should be right there going toe to toe. America wasn’t built by quitters and statisticians. We are much better than that. Or, at least we were.
If only GM would put the effort into marketing this as a true Camry competitor instead of just walking away from yet another market segment it finds to hard to be competent in. Toyota must be laughing all the way to the Bank
Simon
The laughing you heard at the Toyota dealership may have been directed at the Venza or CH-R.
I’m going to miss the sedans. I believe they should keep at least one sedan and convertible line. American auto makers need to stop giving in and put up a fight. With the competition. Although the cheap labor in other countries makes pricing hard to complete. The quality difference is no longer an issue and hasn’t been for years. I’ll never buy a foreign car. I will continue to support the american car companies.
That what got GM in trouble in cars, making Crapanese copies instead of an better American sedan. People just want reliability and quality. Many people are turned off that they can’t buy a new US sedan.
Gewilakers, are they any better than the unreliable junk they build here!
XTS, Impala, Mustang, Caprice, are what I own now. Always bought American brands. My next purchase could very well change that, as I’m not into suv or electric or 4 bangers. Anyone listening? Didn’t think so.
I own a 1978 Chevy Malibu that I’ve had for 20 years…
Amen, Baby you’re my kindof girl. Keep the faith.
Slap a 3.6L 300hp v6 in it and make a Malibu hatchback version like they had in the Regal and GM would have a functional sedan alternative where everyone does have to jump to a crossover.
I have an older GM. 84 c3500. My wife and I own 2 4Runners and daily drivers. Being in New England on a hill. Also we go off road with our family. Crossovers don’t cut it. I don’t care what Honda commercials show, the ridge line and pilot wouldn’t make it 25’ where we go. That said, I’d have no problem buying a nice Malibu if it suited our needs. Much nicer looking than the imports, great size and solid power train no cvt trans. But an equinox, traverse whatever other crossovers they sell I wouldn’t touch they have a terrible reliability rating and it’s not a truck. No frame, no solid rear axle, no 2 speed transfer case, no ground clearance, a transverse engine and transaxle that don’t like abuse or towing. Not just GM either the offering a are slim from everyone
Malibu uses cvt trans with standard motor since 2019.
When this generation Malibu was released I was expecting much better things for it due it’s sleek coupe like design. It looked great. And then that was it…nothing more in the form of performance options, body kits, etc. For people of a certain age like myself (57) a Malibu SS would have garnered some sales. But nothing, and nothing for young people also. It’s like GM is catering to the same demographic they did 50 years ago – loyal midwest middle aged working people. Even the most loyal customer – and I was one of them – want a car that’s desirable…to drive!
Loving my 2021 MALIBU❤❤❤