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Chevy Malibu Sales Place Ninth Out Of 12 Rivals During Q2 2021

Chevy Malibu sales decreased in all markets tracked by GM Authority during the second quarter of 2021, including the United States, Canada, and South Korea.

Chevrolet Malibu Sales - Q2 2021 - United States

In the United States, Chevrolet Malibu deliveries totaled 4,899 units in Q2 2021, a decrease of about 61 percent compared to 12,661 units sold in Q2 2020.

In the first six months of the year, Malibu sales decreased about 33 percent to 31,886 units.
MODEL Q2 2021 / Q2 2020 Q2 2021 Q2 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 YTD 2021 YTD 2020
MALIBU -61.31% 4,899 12,661 -33.49% 31,886 47,944

Chevrolet Malibu Sales - Q2 2021 - Canada

In Canada, Chevrolet Malibu deliveries totaled 460 units in Q2 2021, a decrease of about 27 percent compared to 630 units sold in Q2 2020.

In the first six months of the year, Malibu sales decreased about 16 percent to 1,214 units.
MODEL Q2 2021 / Q2 2020 Q2 2021 Q2 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 YTD 2021 YTD 2020
MALIBU -26.99% 460 630 -15.75% 1,214 1,441

Chevrolet Malibu Sales - Q2 2021 - South Korea

In South Korea, Chevrolet Malibu deliveries totaled 837 units in Q2 2021, a decrease of about 67 percent compared to 2,541 units sold in Q2 2020.

In the first six months of the year, Malibu sales decreased about 54 percent to 1,724 units.
MODEL Q2 2021 / Q2 2020 Q2 2021 Q2 2020YTD 2021 / YTD 2020 YTD 2021 YTD 2020
MALIBU -67.06% 837 2,541 -54.03% 1,724 3,750

Competitive Sales Comparison (USA)

Chevy Malibu sales performance places the model in ninth place out of a total of 12 rivals during Q2 2021. The midsize Chevrolet sedan was outsold by the Toyota Camry in first place (with an astounding 104 percent increase), Honda Accord in second (with a 63 percent growth rate), Hyundai Sonata in third (with an impressive 129 percent growth rate), Kia K5 in fourth, Nissan Altima in fifth, Volkswagen Passat in sixth (see VW Passat sales), Subaru Legacy in seventh, and Mazda6 in eighth (see Mazda6 sales).

Placing ninth, the Malibu outsold the recently-discontinued Ford Fusion (see Ford Fusion sales), Chrysler 200, and the Kia Optima, which has been replaced by the K5.

Sales Numbers - Midsize Mainstream Sedans - Q2 2021 - United States

MODEL Q2 21 / Q2 20 Q2 21 Q2 20 Q2 21 SHARE Q2 20 SHARE YTD 21 / YTD 20 YTD 21 YTD 20
TOYOTA CAMRY +104.31% 99,520 48,711 34% 25% +41.12% 177,671 125,899
HONDA ACCORD +63.63% 68,116 41,629 24% 21% +29.24% 114,707 88,754
HYUNDAI SONATA +129.05% 33,641 14,687 12% 8% +78.94% 54,198 30,289
KIA K5 * 30,726 * 11% 0% * 51,104 0
NISSAN ALTIMA +37.84% 29,913 21,702 10% 11% -10.31% 61,930 69,049
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT +65.83% 6,832 4,120 2% 2% +12.53% 11,367 10,101
SUBARU LEGACY +23.29% 6,616 5,366 2% 3% +8.57% 12,921 11,901
MAZDA MAZDA6 +60.41% 5,741 3,579 2% 2% +24.01% 10,026 8,085
CHEVROLET MALIBU -61.31% 4,899 12,661 2% 6% -33.49% 31,886 47,944
FORD FUSION -85.44% 3,564 24,484 1% 13% -81.35% 11,453 61,421
CHRYSLER 200 * 2 0 0% 0% 0.00% 3 3
KIA OPTIMA -100.00% 0 18,480 0% 9% -99.96% 16 38,825
TOTAL +48.18% 289,570 195,419 +9.14% 537,282 492,271

From a segment share standpoint, the Camry led the segment with a dominant 34 percent, up 9 percentage points year-over-year. The Accord took 24 percent, up 3 percentage points, while the Sonata had 12 percent, up 4 percentage points. The K5 claimed 11 percent and the Altima took 10 percent, down 1 percentage point. The Passat, Legacy, Mazda6, and Malibu all accounted for 2 percent share each. All other rivals held a 1 percent or less share.

It’s worth pointing out that the Hyundai and Kia conglomerate has delivered a cumulative 64,367 units of its mainstream midsize sedans during the second quarter of 2021, easily outselling the Malibu both individually and combined. The performance nets the Korean automaker a healthy 22 percent segment share, just behind Honda’s second-place 24 percent share.

Sales Numbers - Hyundai and Kia Midsize Sedans - Q2 2021 - USA

MODEL Q2 21 / Q2 20 Q2 21 Q2 20 Q2 21 SHARE Q2 20 SHARE YTD 21 / YTD 20 YTD 21 YTD 20
HYUNDAI SONATA +129.05% 33,641 14,687 52% 44% +78.94% 54,198 30,289
KIA K5 * 30,726 * 48% 0% * 51,104 0
KIA OPTIMA -100.00% 0 18,480 0% 56% -99.96% 16 38,825
TOTAL +94.07% 64,367 33,167 +52.38% 105,318 69,114

The midsize mainstream sedan segment expanded over 48 percent to 289,570 units in Q2 2021, meaning that Malibu sales significantly underperformed the segment average.

The GM Authority Take

After being the fifth-best-selling model in its segment during Q3 2020, the Malibu moved up one spot in the rankings during the fourth quarter of 2020, and held on to that position in Q1 2021. Unfortunately the sedan fell to ninth place in its segment during Q2 2021.

We attribute the Malibu’s significant 61 percent drop in U.S. sales to the following factors:

  1. Impeded inventory levels due to the ongoing microchip shortage. In fact, recent reports indicate that the Malibu (along with the Chevy Equinox) was hit the hardest by chip-related production constraints.
  2. Increased competition from newer (and potentially more desirable) rivals from Toyota, Hyundai and Kia.
  3. In addition to newer competitors, the Malibu’s age is starting to show, as the current, ninth-generation sedan has been on sale since the 2016 model year, receiving a refresh for the 2019 model year.

We don’t see Chevy Malibu sales increasing much in the near future, though higher inventory levels will likely cause sales volumes to rebound.

It’s worth noting that the the Malibu is currently the only Chevrolet sedan offered in the United States. Other Chevy sedans like the Cruze, Impala, and Sonic have been discontinued. For its part, the Malibu is expected to be sunset at the end of its lifecycle around 2024.

About The Numbers

  • All percent change figures compared to Chevrolet Malibu sales in Q2 2020, except if noted
  • In the United States, there were 77 selling days for Q2 2021 and 77 selling days for Q2 2020
  • South Korea sales figures reflect actual vehicle registrations rather than wholesales
  • China sales figures represent retail deliveries and not wholesales

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Comments

  1. Well now, isn’t that special. I’m looking forward to the varying comments on this article. Seems that, at least so far this year and for this latest quarter, others and myself included may be quite wrong about the sedan market going away. As much as I dislike them, the Camry and Accord sales are certainly a force to be reckoned with. I have been consistent with the comments that I feel GM (and Ford) really need to keep some sedans in the mix. This sales report should only affirm to GM and Ford that they are missing the mark when going fully SUV/CUV.

    Where Toyota and Honda really outshine GM and Ford is with consistency. Nothing more.

    Reply
    1. All of those companies that are doing good with sedans are also doing even better with their SUV/CUV products.
      If you can only build so many products, you may as well build what people actually want to buy. Sure, you’ll lose a few customers that want a sedan, but probably more than make up for it in sales of SUVs.
      It’s like those guys that used to beg for wagons and never get them. Yeah it sucks, but that’s business.

      Reply
      1. GM runs 3 mainstream divisions: Chevrolet, Buick and GMC. This gives The General a unique flexibility. Chevrolet only markets six non truck based models excluding niche Corvette and Camaro.
        For Chevrolet to mean more than bad credit and tradition a sedan surpassing the interior and exterior design of Accord or K5 MUST be built. The Malibu platform is great so this is really about reskinning with attention to detail.
        Ford plans to build a Fusion sedan CUV like X3 or Crosstour which is a great way to distinguish the model from rivals. Chevrolet must find a solution because they aren’t Stellantis (formerly FCA). There is a lot of room for the Bowtie to grow aside from “first cars” like Sonic, Trailblazer and Trax. It has reached the point where one sees more Subaru models than those made by GM in upstate NY.

        Reply
        1. Excellent comment, and inline with what I also have been saying. The Malibu platform is already good, just needs a major body and interior redesign with the interior especially being class leading with no excuses. This would be the last Malibu until a fully electric replacement is ready.

          However, GM’s cost cutters have been ham stringing the Chevrolet division for nearly 4 decades. They have severely impacted the ability of the brand to properly dominate their home market much less to compete, which have resulted in multi generational avoidance from a large sector of the consumer base especially on both coasts.

          Reply
          1. I feel like GM thinks it must dumb down Chevrolet to justify GMC & Buick. It’s that Sloan’s Ladder Ladder thinking that became obsolete in the 1980s when Japanese brands finally achieved a strong foothold.
            VW can support multiple brands all with about the same quality but at different price points due to strong marketing. GM must paste and copy this formula for success while avoiding the lower margins seen with the VW brand in Europe as it brushes up with never should have been purchased Skoda.

            Reply
    2. I agree with you here. GM has cut almost all sedans from their lineup, while citing poor sales, but while also simultaneously producing half-*** sedans that can only be sold with huge discounts. Sedans are here to stay, wether the automakers believe that or not. There will always be people who will die before buying an SUV. The studies showing customers switching to CUV’s when buying a new car, is only evident because GM hasn’t given those customers ANY CHOICE.

      Reply
      1. A few weeks ago, I delivered a Mazda 6 to a customer who was currently driving a 2011 Buick Regal Turbo. As I was talking with the couple, I found out that she drives a Buick Encore and loves it. He’s had the Regal for years (purchased new in 2011) and loved it. But this guy was not interested in any type of SUV even though his wife drives one and loves it. Because Buick didn’t offer a sedan any more, he went to what he felt was the next best car, the Mazda 6 Touring. His Regal was so nice that I almost offered to buy it, but I don’t even need two cars let alone 3!! At the end I asked him if Buick still offered a sedan if he would have gotten one. His answer was absolutely.

        This is where GM is losing market sales (maybe not share, but sales). And now that this guy left Buick and went to Mazda, chances of Buick/GM getting him back are razor thin. The sad thing is how disappointed he will be when he finds out that 2021 is the last year for the Mazda 6. Anyhow, I’ve said it before and will again now: GM MUST come out with an updated/refreshed Chevy Malibu and build a Buick on that same platform but with different styling and interior. Maybe even build an entry level Cadillac from that same platform with the front drive and softer ride for those who like that. Build all three in one plant and keep it going.

        Reply
        1. GM use Accord or K5 as a benchmark for Chevrolet, not Buick. Buick, Sloan’s Ladder thinking, results in dumbed down Chevrolet product. VW does NOT do this and instead designs Skodas that are fantastic.

          In the long run GM will become a far smaller company should a Colder War develop with China or Chevrolet EVs fail to be industry leading. Barra should consider a merger or acquisition with Honda to gain access to both the Japanese and European markets and a true global

          Reply
          1. The Japanese wouldn’t buy Honda’s if they were American owned. They’re nationalist… Mary just needs to make a cheap, well designed ICE vehicle based on the Trailblazer platform, bring production stateside, give it a 4 cylinder turbo… Everyone forgets how well the Cruze/sonic sold for half a decade. It helped save gm… And they let it die on the vine… Pathetic.

            Reply
            1. Why bring production stateside though?

              Reply
              1. Nate: I feel that vehicles in this market seem to sell better when made in the USA. People who want to buy a Malibu or Regal seem to want one built here. That could be said about any products, but the family sedan seems to be even more like that.

                Reply
          2. That’s exactly why GM is down on sedans, copying Asian fwd garbage. Guys on here toll about copying Europe for performance but “Thou Shall copy Camry”, really?.

            Yes a quality sedan is needed but it needs to be an American style sedan like Charger or so, otherwise don’t waste the effort, even the Monza can be offered here for an entry level vehicle or IMO offer Buick in RHD markets to expand it beyond it’s current markets.

            Reply
            1. Wouldn’t that be something? Building vehicles that are actually interesting and fun. Can’t have that I guess.

              Reply
        2. The Mazda6 isn’t being discontinued, it’s being improved… Big difference. It’s going to be a RWD biased platform that will steal sales from what little foothold Cadillac has in the luxury sedan market.

          Reply
          1. h4cksaw: I can’t agree with how you put that. Mazda has told us (dealers) that the CX3 and 6 are done at the end of the 2021 model year. They haven’t given us any info on if the “possible” new 6 replacement will be called the Mazda 6 any more. So unless you have inside info that we don’t, I think it’s quite misleading to say the Mazda 6 isn’t being discontinued but improved. Don’t forget this is a company that promised the Mazda 6 diesel for years, even having a teaser for it on their website, and never produced a single one for the USA. They also promoted the CX5 diesel for a couple years, then brought it out for one year and then dropped it. They have also been promising other products that they never seem to produce.

            Reply
            1. Lowercase gm and mary have been misleading us about the capability of their BEVs for years. Do you take issue with their misleading claims? I think a RWD Mazda6 is far more probable than a gm BEV that sells in any real volume.

              Reply
              1. h4cksaw: That’s fine if that’s what you feel about it. But don’t put it down as factual, because it’s not. You are kind of taking what you feel GM has been doing and applying the opposite projections onto Mazda. In the 5+ years I’ve been working with Mazda, they have quite a history of promising things that don’t come to fruition. See my other comment for several examples.

                Reply
          2. Uh, no, it is being discontinued. They decided not to bring the planned RWD 6 to the US. And the CX3 is going away, too, since the CX30 is eating it’s sales.

            Reply
        3. At least Mazda can use the excuse that it is smaller manufacturer. The General is still the General and could be competitive in sedans if it wanted to be. Besides, Mazda may bring back the 6 with the new inline 6.

          Reply
          1. Mazda can bring it back, but so can GM. They’re no better or worse positioned to do so. And I wouldn’t put any money on them bringing the 6 back to our market, or with an inline 6 (given their recent electrification announcement, it’s hard to see them developing a totally new gas engine).

            The 6 is a fantastic car. I wish it was sticking around/coming back. But the numbers just don’t justify it. Same for the Malibu. At GM’s scale, they can’t have a low volume product with low margins. Just basic business decisions.

            Reply
        4. I totally agree with you Dan on every thing you said. It is slim picking out there right now and is kind of scarey.
          I went to a Chev dealer where I live in Wisconsin and all they could show me was a
          customer used service car. I was looking for a new malibu.

          Reply
          1. Thanks Linda. About where in WI do you live? I grew up just south of the WI/IL state line and have lots of family in WI. My most favorite city anywhere is Madison!!

            Yes, pickings are slim to say the least. But that’s with all brands all over the world at this time. Once this micro-chip issues is resolved, things will be better, but you still won’t see many Malibu’s on the lots because that market is shrinking and partly due to the decisions GM and Ford are making.

            Reply
    3. honda/toyota are consistently good. gm/ford are consistently average at best.

      Reply
    4. Of course.
      It only took these soaring gas prices to put an end to the crossover crack addiction.
      Now the American Automakers look even more dumb especially Ford.

      Reply
    5. Dan Berning
      After 6 year of falling car sales, one good quarter doesn’t count for much. Honda’s Accord plant in Marysville OH is down to 1 shift, and they’re not hiring. Toyota pulled the Camry out of Lafayette IN, and now moving some RAV4 production into the main Camry plant in Georgetown.
      I take it neither company sees a recovery in sedan sales any time soon

      Reply
      1. Peter G: I do agree with you on that. But things trend in the auto business. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think the SUV craze is at it’s highest and will slowly taper off (heading down). I do believe that sedans will come back, just not as strong as they were in the past. To me, GM and Ford should be alarmed at the above numbers put out by Toyota/Honda and they should be planning an all new Malibu with a Buick version of that same car but with different exterior/interior styling. GM is giving a lot of sales to imports for no reason.

        I’m a perfect example of this. I’ve been going back and forth from sedan to SUV for years. My last 2 cars were SUV form and now my current two are sedans. People tend to want something different from what everyone else is driving. Now that the streets are totally clogged with every brand and form of SUV/CUV, I feel many people will begin to want anything that’s not an SUV. Personally, I think the smart money is on a higher sitting sedan.

        Reply
    6. You see an article showing that Malibu sales are, for all intents and purposes, dead last in the segment, and that makes you realize how badly GM needs it?

      Also, just because other companies are selling sedans does not mean they’re making huge profits on them alone. Toyota and Honda CUVs outsell their sedans by a not-insignificant margin.

      Reply
      1. John. If you read what I’m saying, you will see that I’m speaking more about the trends and GM not cutting off their nose to spite their face. If GM (or any of the brands out there) decide to sell only high profit models, then they box themselves into a corner. You need to keep the less profitable models around for when the trend changes. This is what I give huge credit to Toyota and Honda: For understanding that they need to be consistent with models, names, etc. For example: many people would not consider the Chevy Cavalier the best car out there in it’s day. Had GM kept the Cavalier and continued to improve it, they would have a lot of customers with them now who have defected to Toyota Corolla’s or Honda Civic’s.

        I’ll use another totally un-related example. I used to own a restaurant. Funny thing is that the profit margins on higher priced items like steaks and seafood are way less than the margins on cheap fried appetizers. But all the food has way less profit margin than alcohol. But a restaurant doesn’t just stop selling food because of that. In many ways, keeping the lower profit food on the menu brings people in and then you up sell the higher profit stuff. It’s no different with cars.

        Reply
  2. I’ve been in Camry and Malibu rentals on business trips. The Malibu is more comfortable and better equipped of all the rental cars. The Malibu will have more, easier to access USB ports with higher amps. The Malibu’s radio will have more features for Apple and Android users. The Malibu has a better engine and transmission combination that doesn’t make you wait when accelerating. Moreover, when I travel to Asia it’s easy to see the Malibu is a bit larger and nicer looking then the typical Asian brands.

    Reply
    1. Dude: Many on here will say I’m just a broken record saying the same anti-Toyota or anti-Honda stuff over and over. Well, I am consistent at least. Anyhow, what I say is what I believe to be very true and it’s based on many years of experience and being in/around those brands. What you just said above is very real and true. The problem is that so many buyers are just sheep and they don’t even look at the Chevy or Ford or Buick cars and instead just go buy another Toyota. So these same people don’t know any better and wouldn’t know a better car if it ran over their foot. You and I are in many different cars of all brands and years and can see first hand how much cheaper that Camry is. Too bad more people don’t care.

      Reply
    2. And the Malibu’s 1.5 Turbo will blow up at 72,000 miles.
      Gotta love those glassoline engines.

      Reply
  3. It’s a sad fact: the only cars they beat are discontinued.

    Reply
  4. Nice work Ms. Barra.

    Reply
  5. Waiting for Anne Robinson.. Malibu you are the weakest link, good bye.

    Reply
  6. Of course, because it was none built….

    We’ll see real results where the Malibu is after the chip shortage.

    Reply
    1. Yeah maybe they can go back to 8th spot…the chip shortage is just an excuse for a vehicle GM is simply not investing in.

      Reply
      1. Jason: The “chip shortage” is not an excuse for any brand. It’s certainly real and causing major chaos for everyone.

        Reply
    2. Agreed.

      Fairfax has been shut down since Feb 2021; was recently extended from July to August.

      Reply
  7. My 2 bits, the last gen Malibu was a superior vehicle in every aspect than the last gen Camry, yet nobody were takers. The current gen Malibu is a good looking/riding machine that can turn heads and can be had for less than a Corolla as it was designed to be offered with large incentives. The problem here isn’t the cars themselves. It’s people who don’t do math when buying their cars nor research ( do a little research on VW problems and you’ll never buy one ever ever ever) how to you convince zombies? I think that’s the point of the new blazer and trailblazer. Meatier vehicle for same price as a Camry.

    Reply
    1. The new Trailblazer is GM-SAIC engineered garbage. I’d much rather drive a Camry… Not even close to the same caliber of vehicle.

      Reply
      1. You are comparing a passenger car to a little CUV, get real, apples to apples please.

        Reply
        1. @hacksaw

          Wrong. No involvement of SAIC in relation to developing the Trailblazer. It was GM USA and GM Korea that birthed the vehicle.

          Your anti trailblazer propaganda machine has been terminated and you have been outed as a blatant troll.

          Reply
          1. So then smarty pants, where exactly was the 1.2t and 1.3t engineered? The answer is mostly GM-SAIC, with a little bit of Opel at the beginning. Your cancel culture can’t stop the truth. Why don’t you actually know what you’re talking about before you lie to people.

            Reply
        2. I didn’t make the comparison… The parent comment did… I know its a ridiculous comparison because the TB is junk.

          Reply
  8. My 2 bits, the last gen Malibu was a superior vehicle in every aspect than the last gen Camry, yet nobody were takers. The current gen Malibu is a good looking/riding machine that can turn heads and can be had for less than a Corolla as it was designed to be offered with large incentives. The problem here isn’t the cars themselves. It’s people who don’t do math when buying their cars nor research ( do a little research on VW problems and you’ll never buy one ever ever ever) how to you convince zombies? I think that’s the point of the new blazer and trailblazer. Meatier vehicle for same price as a Camry.

    Reply
  9. Only problem is that Zombies don’t seem to be flocking to Blazer in large enough numbers to compete with Camary or Accord. It seems like Blazer competes with Jeep on price without off road chops meaning it should have been Equinox.
    Trailblazer is doing great even besting Honda but Chevrolet does well in the smaller segments frequented by new or younger buyers. Chevrolet needs to dominate the midsized space and can’t do it with two offerings plus help from Buick and GMC.
    I’m starting to think if China’s Buicks were sold in the US as Chevrolet then sales might actually spike. This would be easy because Chevy is weak in China and Buick is weak here. Rebadging, like Opel and Vauxhall, isn’t a terrible thing.

    Reply
  10. 9th out of 12.
    A rating that mary Barra can strive to reach.

    Reply
    1. She’s 50% divested from lowercase gm and has one foot out the door. Wait until they continue to struggle to move BEVs and the governemnt infrastructure bill doesn’t just hand them money. The real value of skeleton crew gm will show its ugly head. It’s all about low production and high profits right now, but just wait until they keep losing market share… they’ll be pretty disappointed they just gave up on the 10-20K units per month the Cruze/sonic regularly sold per year for a decade. How gm stock is over 55 dollars a share makes zero sense to me.

      Reply
  11. GM Ford Stellantis and associated domestic manufacturers need to have their chips made in the US to prevent foolishness like this. The limited availability of chips have caused GM and others to prioritize their high profit trucks and SUVs, the demand is only going to get worse as electrification gains momentum.

    Reply
    1. Hate to see Malibu get the Impala treatment. Malibu at least got a freshened front and rear design.

      Reply
  12. gm designed the Malibu a bit bigger to replace the Impala which gm cancelled last year. BTW, was in second place behind the Charger due to the Chargets v8. Now being in 9th place is a shock for gm despite the chip shortage but still behind… They didn’t expect that. Holding on to the current design while the competition made new design changes and beat gm to the market. Now gm is playing catch up and will make good in 3 yrs to break even in this segment. (JMO) I like the rear of the new Malibu but the front sucks. I liked the last generation, I owned a 14 LTZ 2.0T, which I sold it for an Impala Premier…lol, I now own a Traverse Premier.

    IMO, gm has a ways to catch up in this segment. The competition have some good looking cars. On the positive side a change of the fugly front could turn around sales until the next generation is completed….

    Reply
  13. Interesting discussion. What many here seem to have forgotten is that GM lost both the quality and value wars to Toyota and Honda years ago. Talk of a herd buying mentality reminds me of when the herd only wanted to buy American, even if the product was clearly inferior. GM has read the handwriting on the wall and determined that its only hope is to push their truck and EV agenda. To this I can only add, “No more taxpayer bailouts if and when the roof caves in on Mary Barra and Company”.

    Reply
  14. This car always screamed “fleet” to me, even more than the previous one.

    Reply
  15. Camry has been king for basically my entire life.

    Reply
    1. And Walmart has been selling more products in higher volumes basically my entire life.

      So………………………….

      Reply
    2. My wife had a Camry and cried of marketing hype. The front brakes were weak when the car had 4 passengers, how about another 10′ of street when braking and scary around corners… The 4 cylinder was just fine with her alone but once my 6′ 220 frame and 1 other passenger it screamed of stressed acceleration. The interior would put me asleep…the 4ohm speakers sucked…no wonder the elderly are the 90% buyers, nothing over 55 mph… She bought it for gas mileage. She test drove a 2006 GTP 265hp SC and sold the Camry. She drove the GTP error free until she bought a 16 Impala Premier. It has taken Toyota to get the Camry to the GTP standard 14 years later…with the new Camry Sporty Coup. Nice car. They realize they need youth in the Camry segment to catch Nissan Altima and Maxima, Honda Accord v6 and 2.0T, Mazda and the Korean twins. Unfortunately little gm has nothing competitive….and losing share. These cars are not for teenage families active in outdoor sports…JMO since I drove that slug….

      Reply
      1. There are no Camry coupes, only sedans.

        Reply
  16. I had a 2016 Malibu, it was a really good car, great mpg. I replaced it with a Regal TourX, for all wheel drive and more power…main reason i didn’t get another Malibu was too expensive to get the 2.0 motor. I knew i would sacrifice mpg and the 1.5 on the Malibu was decent but ultimately when it seemed they would not put the 9 speed with the 1.5 (and went to a CVT).

    A good friend has a 2019 Malibu company car, he loves it.

    By 2022 they could have made some interior changes. I like the interior but admit to make it more expensive feeling would help. Nice room and space though. They could have considered AWD option now that others in the segment have it and buyers want AWD.

    GM really doesn’t do marketing and option packaging very well. I think the RS package should be more than an appearance package on this vehicle. It should be an inexpensive package that includes the new 2.0 LSY and 9 speed, and sport suspension. And perhaps a cloth leatherette seat combo could be made available besides full expensive leather.

    Even to just have a 2.0 LSY option, sunroof, heated seats, remote start, for a great price and I think you’d have gotten a lot more buyers back. 1.5 not an option for many buyers, neither is CVT. Stepping up to Premier to get the 2.0 costs you 10 grand. That’s too much, a standalone option for the 2.0 at 1000 bucks would make much more sense and get buyers and market share back.

    Reply
  17. Lowercase gm definitely designed this for the rental car fleet. It is a lame vehicle and the sells show this. No appealing trims on it and gm should have kept updating it just like they should have with the impala. American car companies can cry all they want. But people still want sedans just not detroit ones unless one is talking a Charger. Even then some people want more sophisticated sedans than a charger that are reasonably priced. Just look at the asian competition. So this corporation is just a sore loser just like ford. Fortunately for gm their core competency is what keeps them well above red. But no excuse not to have cars. Such a shame as gm used to be so big with many offerings that tried in their respective segments.

    Reply
  18. …as I said in my earlier post, I sold my 14 Malibu LTZ 2.0T to my youngest daughter. She loved it. Said it was fast. I had it tuned by HP Tuners, from 257hp to 292hp and 295tq to 315tq. Her friend in a 2.0T Stinger ended up racing each after work and the Stinger came in second everytime… Yeah, not appoved of racing even if its her car now. Not a fan of street racing. Which is why I now know after she traded the car for a GMC Acadia, new baby is the reason for the trade. She didn’t want to trade it but the babyseat didn’t fit the rear seat…
    I asked about a 2019 Malibu, she told me it’s to big and the front is ugly and down on hp so she didn’t consider it at all.
    Son in law had an old Nissan SUV, someone hit him, totalled and he ended up getting a used Sporty Camry v6 blacked out version. He said gm and Ford had nothing sporty to choose from in that segment, I had to agree…
    Camry, Accord, MX6, Volkswagen, and Maxima were on his radar. He got the VW but every alarm dash light kept coming on and he took it back. Ended up with the Camry.
    My point, gm is failing in the segment. Make it leaner and meaner…lol

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  19. Great another excuse for our fearless leader Mrs Barra to cancel this car even sooner. I’m shocked they are still even offering the old 2.0T engine in the Premier! What I would do is give the Malibu a heavier MCE for 2023 or 2024 and offer the Regal’s AWD, upgrade the 1.5T to 170-180 HP, upgrade to the newer more efficient 2.0 LSY and upgrade the interior a bit. If this car isn’t kept fresh it will whither just as it’s doing now having not seeing any meaningful changes since 2016! But then Barra could care a less and continues her journey into fantasyland.

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  20. Malibu is a good look, nice and comfortable to drive but on the automatic transmission. The problem GM i think do not see is they make the new models with a cvt trans which is boring to drive that is why when custoners learn about the difference of cvt vs auto, they prefer other brand with auto trans.

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  21. Greeeeeeeeeaaaaaat It is beating the Kia Optima, Ford Fusion, and the Chrysler 200?
    Who cares. All three of those sedans have been cancelled. Malibu needs a refresh (AN ALL NEW Interior) if not an all out Brand new one from the ground up ASAP.

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  22. They should also back to automatic transmission not cvt.

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  23. Sedans, in general, could really benefit from better marketing and smarter decisions by their builders and marketers. Yeah, SUVs are probably always going to be more comfortable, and capable, and convenient, but at least stop exaggerating the differences so much. Quit lowering sedans even closer to the ground with every redesign, for example.

    For me, though, it’s the Malibu powertrains. Yes, I like my Traverse’s size and usability better, but the Malibu would be a lot more attractive if it had decent powertrains. The base engine just is not enough, and the 2.0’s too hard to get… and they haven’t even updated it with the new… read, “better…” 2.0 from the Blazer. Not even in their “sporty” RS model. There’s not even a basic AWD system and some totally-computer-generated-but-still-cool-looking selling shots of it plowing through hard snow and rain. Like, we get it, the Malibu won’t be climbing the Rubicon, but at least act like you care enough to make it look appealing in as wide a range of environments as possible. Treat it like part of the family.

    It’s not because anyone really wants more Dodge Charger act-alikes, it’s that the Korean options and TOYOTA CAMRY look cooler than a Chevrolet Malibu. Surely, someone at GM could figure it out.

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    1. If they can’t put a V6 in the Malibu, at least put in a big four.

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