The 2021 Chevrolet Malibu receives a few minor updates for the sixth model year of the nameplate’s ninth generation. The changes come after the 2019 Malibu received a mid-cycle refresh, and after several minor changes were made for the 2020 model year.
Noteworthy new features include a new exterior color option, the addition of new technology such as Buckle to Drive, and a new Sport Edition package.
Exterior
On the outside, the 2021 Chevy Malibu sees the deletion of two exterior colors – Stone Gray Metallic and Cajun Red Tintcoat – as well as the addition of a single new hue: Cherry Red Tintcoat. A dealer-installed gloss black grille is also available, and 19-inch aluminum wheels are now available on LT models.
Interior
On the inside, the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu sees a small design change in the gear selector / shifter. The sedan also sees the addition of Wireless Apple CarPlay and Wireless Android Auto, as well as the customizable Buckle to Drive safety system.
Mechanical
On the mechanical front, a dealer-installed sport lowering suspension kit is newly available for the 2021 model year.
Powertrain
Like the 2020 model, the 2021 Chevy Malibu continues to offer two engine choices:
- The turbocharged 1.5L I-4 LFV engine with an output of 163 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, and
- The turbocharged 2.0L I-4 LTG with 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque
Packages
New for the 2021 model year is the Sport Edition. The new package is essentially the Midnight Edition for vehicles painted in any other color except for black, which is reserved for the Midnight Edition. The package includes the following features:
- Black nameplate badge in Black
- Black front and rear bowties
- Blacked-out grille
- 19-inch Black-painted aluminum wheels (Q94)
- 245/40R19 all-season blackwall tires
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Leather-wrapped shift knob
Additionally, the package requires a Jet Black interior, and is not available with aforementioned exterior color Mosaic Black Metallic or the following options:
- Appearance Package
- Illuminated Black bowtie emblem
- Gloss black emblems
- Black bowtie
- Dark Chrome horizontal leading edge grille
- Redline Edition
One other small change affects the Redline Edition, which now includes dealer-installed Redline outside mirror decals.
2021 Chevrolet Malibu Availability
The 2021 Chevrolet Malibu is produced across three GM plants globally:
- GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City, Kansas, USA supplying the Americas
- GM Bupyeong plant in South Korea South Korea
- Shanghai GM Jinqiao North in China (GM China) supplying China
The 2021 Chevy Malibu began arriving at dealers in Q3 2020, meaning units are already on dealer lots as of this writing. Looking ahead, we expect the current-generation Malibu to remain in production until the 2023-2024 timeframe.
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Comments
Unfortunately not enough to make it competitive against the competition. I own a 2017 Malibu hybrid and it’s been a great car but GM doesn’t make hybrids anymore. Recently my brother who’s a Chevy guy like me was looking for a zero down lease to go back and from work. He owns a 2019 Silverado 2500HD which he uses to pull a 5th wheel toybox trailer. No matter what Chevy dealer he went to he couldn’t get one without money down. He ended up getting a Ford Fusion for 2 years with nothing down for $179 per month and 12k miles a year. That’s very disappointing and it’s no wonder why I see tons of newer Fusions on the road compared to newer Malibus. Why Ford is dropping from their lineup it is beyond me. So combine that with GM not doing anything to make the Malibu more competitive then it just falls farther behind the competition.
Jimbo:
Unlike the Fusion, the Malibu is still in production.
The reason your brother got such a good deal on the Fusion is because the last one was built 8 months ago! (July 2020). Ford is almost literally giving them away to clear the inventory. I don’t know just when your brother got his Fusion, but the fact there was inventory available so long after the last one was built should tell you all you need to know about why it’s gone.
The reason Ford has discontinued it is precisely because they have to offer no down, less then $200 monthly leases to move them.
Still doesn’t change the fact that the Malibu isn’t as competitive and the Chevy dealers aren’t helping.
Jimbo
Lease terms (including money down) are specified and governed by the factory, not the dealers. The Ford dealer did not set the terms of your brothers lease. Ford did.
As for the Malibus competitiveness, you may be right. The point is moot. It’s going away soon too.
Ah the Morbid Malibu.
The car that has its glassoline engine blow up at 72,000 miles.
Evan
Did you change the oil regularly?
A better question: did the engine actually blow, or is this just a tale?
The engine blew up with cracked pistons & misfiring due to bad software.
It’s a very common issue but of course I GM fanboys refuse to hold them accountable
Yes of course.
Doesn’t excuse GM’s poor quality.
Such a waste of a great design, all it needs is an updated/quality interior and better powertrain availability.
My only beef with them is that when doing an RS you can’t get things in the LS or LT trims on it like they’re trying to make it a bottom feeder like the L but yet the RS looks so much better than the other trims. DAMMIT GM/Chevy why must you have such a pathetic standards and options mix?
Exactly. The Malibu RS should never been a separate trim by itself, but a appearance package for LS to Premier trims levels. But GM took a good idea and hobbled it with weak trim options.
Hurry up and die Mailbu. Anyone who buys a Malibu clearly doesn’t research.
Amen. Adios to the Morbid Malibu
I’m surprised the package options are only for the 1.5L engine trims and not the Premier. I think you can technically get the Midnight Edition for the Premier with the mosaic black color, black wheels and black badges. With the advent of the CUV, the Malibu really has no place in the lineup anymore (same reason the Impala got canned).
We have had a few of them as DDs. Always a nice car for the money. Like the other people said, it’s to bad they don’t let us put our own packages together. Can never get it just the way we would like but close enough.
I so dislike the name premier I wish they’d go back to LTZ
I’ll bet GM will do what they have been doing and dumb this down to one engine (the mighty lowest power in it’s class 1.5T) and less colors and trim levels for 2022 and anything beyond with 50 different black trimmed editions and no other changes effectively rotting it on the vine.
So when is GM going to offer me a rebadged Honda Accord?
I have had Chevy Malibus since 2012 and they are great cars. I would definately buy another. I have never done anything to these cars other than have the tiers rotated and the oil changed. Love mu Malibuj……….
I’ve owned the Gen 7 and currently own the Gen 8 and Gen 9. They have all been excellent reliable Malibu’s. The Gen 7 was a gas hog with the 3.6 V6 but had excellent trade value for my Gen 8. With both the newest Gen Malibu’s, the 2.0 has plenty of horsepower and improved gas mileage. They have costed me tires and brakes. OMG what a bad car since they have been the most reliable cars I’ve ever owned!
I have a 2021 Redline edition overall it’s a nice car. I’m coming from 20 years of having a Silverado to a car. It’s holds less gas and give my the feel of a lower line sports car. Plus buying it new I have a 10 year 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty plus a lot more perks from the dealer.