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Chevy Malibu Sales Gain Market Share During Q1 2022

Chevy Malibu sales decreased in the United States and South Korea but increased in Canada during the first quarter of 2022.

Chevrolet Malibu Sales - Q1 2022 - United States

In the United States, Chevrolet Malibu deliveries totaled 25,682 units in Q1 2022, a decrease of about 5 percent compared to 26,987 units sold in Q1 2021.
MODEL Q1 2022 / Q1 2021 Q1 2022 Q1 2021
MALIBU -4.84% 25,682 26,987

Chevrolet Malibu Sales - Q1 2022 - Canada

In Canada, Chevrolet Malibu deliveries totaled 873 units in Q1 2022, an increase of about 16 percent compared to 754 units sold in Q1 2021.
MODEL Q1 2022 / Q1 2021 Q1 2022 Q1 2021
MALIBU +15.78% 873 754

Chevrolet Malibu Sales - Q1 2022 - South Korea

In South Korea, Chevrolet Malibu deliveries totaled 416 units in Q1 2022, a decrease of about 53 percent compared to 887 units sold in Q1 2021.
MODEL Q1 2022 / Q1 2021 Q1 2022 Q1 2021
MALIBU -53.10% 416 887

Competitive Sales Comparison (USA)

Chevy Malibu sales during the first quarter of 2022 kept the Bow Tie’s only remaining sedan in fourth place. The Toyota Camry took first place yet again with a 21 percent decrease in sales to 61,505 units while the Honda Accord remained in second with a 10 percent decrease to 42,039 units. The Nissan Altima took third with a 20 percent increase in sales to 38,295 units. The Malibu placed fourth with a five percent slip to 25,682 units, while the Kia K5 took fifth with a 13 percent drop to 17,822 units. The rest of the midsize mainstream sedan segment posted less sales than the K5 on a combined basis.

Sales Numbers - Midsize Mainstream Sedans - Q1 2022 - United States

MODEL Q1 22 / Q1 21 Q1 22 Q1 21 Q1 22 SHARE Q1 21 SHARE
TOYOTA CAMRY -21.30% 61,505 78,151 31% 33%
HONDA ACCORD -9.77% 42,039 46,591 21% 19%
NISSAN ALTIMA +19.61% 38,295 32,017 19% 13%
CHEVROLET MALIBU -4.84% 25,682 26,987 13% 11%
KIA K5 -12.54% 17,822 20,378 9% 8%
HYUNDAI SONATA -62.33% 7,744 20,557 4% 9%
SUBARU LEGACY -12.45% 5,520 6,305 3% 3%
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT -48.29% 2,345 4,535 1% 2%
MAZDA MAZDA6 -92.42% 325 4,285 0% 2%
CHRYSLER 200 +103.03% 2 1 0% 0%
TOTAL -16.07% 201,279 239,807

From a segment share standpoint, the Malibu held a 13 percent share, up two percentage points. The Camry held a 31 percent segment share, down two percentage points while Accord held a 21 percent share, up two percentage points. The Altima held a 19 percent share, up six percentage points while the K5 held a nine percent share, up one percentage point.

It’s worth noting that the two entries fielded by the Hyundai and Kia conglomerate – the Sonata and K5, respectively – accounted for a cumulative 25,566 units, good for a 13 percent segment share. That still keeps the Malibu in fourth place, though just within a little over 100 units of the combined Hyundai-Kia total.

Sales Numbers - Hyundai and Kia Midsize Sedans - Q1 2022 - USA

MODEL Q1 22 / Q1 21 Q1 22 Q1 21 Q1 22 SHARE Q1 21 SHARE
HYUNDAI SONATA -62.33% 7,744 20,557 30% 50%
KIA K5 -12.54% 17,822 20,378 70% 50%
TOTAL -37.54% 25,566 40,935

The midsize mainstream sedan segment contracted 16 percent to 201,279 units during Q1 2022, meaning Malibu sales outperformed the segment average.

The GM Authority Take

Chevy Malibu sales performance during Q1 2022 drastically improved over the preceding quarter, during which point the Bow Tie’s midsizer saw 7,221 deliveries for a four percent segment share. Even so, the Malibu still saw a 5 percent drop in sales volume year-over-year.

The performance might have been better if not for extremely limited Malibu inventory at the dealer level in the U.S., with just eight days’ worth of supply available as of the first week of March 2022, as GM Authority previously reported. As a reminder, a 60-day supply is considered ideal, but those figures have not been seen whatsoever since the start of the pandemic.

2019 Chevy Malibu

Limited inventory is the result of production of the Malibu being idled for the better part of the 2021 calendar year at the GM Fairfax Assembly plant thanks to the ongoing global semiconductor microchip shortage. Beginning in February 2021, no new units of the midsize sedan rolled off the assembly line until production resumed in early November. Clearly, that wasn’t in time for inventory to return to sufficient levels in order to post an uptick in sales during Q1 2022.

It’s also worth noting that the Malibu was among the vehicles that were impacted the hardest by the semiconductor supply issues, with 116,598 units cut from production as a result of the nine-month lull assembly.

Additionally, 2022 Chevy Malibu production commenced on December 10th. The 2022 Malibu sees a few minor changes and updates for the seventh model year of the nameplate’s ninth generation.

The Malibu is currently the only Chevy sedan offered in the U.S., as the brand has already discontinued its other sedans, including the Impala, Cruze, and Sonic. Additionally, the subcompact Spark hatchback will be dropped after the 2022 model year. The Malibu itself is expected to hit the chopping block around 2024, continuing GM’s shift toward more desired trucks, crossovers and SUVs, along with a forward-thinking focus on EVs. Fortunately for GM, Chevy sedan owners are moving into crossovers and are not being lost to rivals that still offer sedans.

But even with production disruptions limiting Malibu supply, buyers have continued to choose the Bow Tie brand’s only available sedan in spite of rivals regularly introducing refreshed and all-new models. And although the top three entries this quarter from Honda, Toyota, and Nissan, respectively, have continued to offer strong competition for the Chevy, the Malibu’s fourth place showing says much for the brand’s holdout sedan. It even placed ahead of a challenge from the Hyundai-Kia duo, both of which have significantly newer offerings.

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About The Numbers

Vince grew up in a GM family, likes manuals, and thinks this is the golden age of the automobile.

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Comments

  1. I guess I must be challenged in math! Chrysler 200 sales of 2 vs 1 is 103%????

    Reply
  2. Love my 2017 Malibu, would buy a new one if there were any available? Where is the Dealer STOCK!

    Reply
  3. Plenty of new Malibu near where there built, they’re coming…

    Reply
  4. Keep telling yourself GM that Chevy sedan owners are all crossing over to one of your high riding overpriced wagons. This current 2019 Impala owner will migrate over to Kia or Hyundai when he needs a replacement sedan and we have seen a load of customers do the same in the past several years. My moms long time friend that has a 2012 Impala will be looking for a sedan soon. With GM’s refusal to make and put any Malibus on the lots she will probably also go to the competition as there are plenty of Accords and Camrys on the lots to choose from.

    Reply
    1. Joe Y: If you read and look at the numbers, the Malibu beat the kia/hyundai combined. Stop saying that GM doesn’t have or sell them. If you, your mom’s friend or anyone else really wants to buy one, they can find it and buy if. Just like I did a few months ago.

      Reply
      1. Well FYI they have announced that the Malibu only has 2 model years left so that eliminates me as a buyer when I’m ready. Moms friend is looking into one this year but there are none on any local dealer lots and all 3 dealers tell her that she can order one and wait indefinitely so that is a no go. She can go to the local Toyota or Honda dealer and they have many examples on the lot! The other sedan buyers I’m speaking of are Impala’s, Cruze and Sonic, all of which GM has killed off.

        Reply
        1. Joe Y: I get that GM doesn’t advertise or promote them or the other sedans they did have. I’m not arguing about that. My gripe on here is when people say things like you did above and act like Kia or Hyundai or Toyota are doing things totally different from GM. They’re not. Where I’m at, if you do a search of dealer inventory for Chevrolet, Kia, Hyundai, Toyota and Honda, you find very few sedans available. However, they certainly have a lot more SUV/CUV’s to choose from. However, because of this chip shortage and inventories being horrible, nobody has anything right now. A mile south of my house there’s a large Toyota store with 3 to 4 new vehicles sitting. A mile north of me is a Honda dealer with nothing showing but used cars. My point is that it’s getting really tiresome reading people on here acting like GM is doing this on purpose, without acknowledging that it’s the same for all the brands out there.

          Reply
  5. This just goes to show that sedans are still selling and will sell. Now imagine if GM actually advertised the Malibu!! Let people know the car exists. Let them know they can buy one. I can tell you from personal experience now, my 2021 Malibu is very nice vehicle that can stand it’s own against anything out there.

    Reply
    1. I have a ’21 premier. Love it. I agree it should be advertised, and they’d probably sell more. Only thing advertised is SUV, cross overs, and electric. Sedans still have a place IMO.

      Reply
  6. Well, the old gray mare (Malibu) still has some life in her. 👍 GM is making another mistake in killing it! 👎♐

    Reply
  7. GM no longer uses celebrities for endorsement. Remember tiger woods was Buick spokesperson. They paid him a lot only for him to get into a car accident in a Lexus and then his wife hitting him with a golf club bc he was cheating on her. Now with everyone being woke showing cars and women like they used to do is out.

    Reply
    1. Kevin
      Shaquille O’Neal was Buick’s Spokesman
      Tiger was driving Genesis GV80
      and Regina King currently is Cadillac’s Spokeswoman.
      But you almost got it right.

      Reply
  8. I have a 2020 Malibu and love it. I have always had a Chevy and when the time comes, I will probably get another one, but if Chevy drops the sedan than I guess I will have to look elsewhere. Not all senior citizens that drive want a SUV/CR-V. People are not aware of the fact that the Malibu still exists cause the ads do not promote them

    Reply
  9. Ever since I started driving I had a Malibu, Malibu, Lumina, Impala and now another Malibu. Each car lasted me well over ten years with the Impala being the longest 16yrs. Each gave me great service. Don’t think I can get that from some of the foreign ones.

    Reply
    1. Marilyn: I’m not defending import brands here in any way. But yes, you can get that with any brand car no matter where it’s from as long as you keep them up and fix stuff that breaks down along the way. Anyone on here knows I’m a fierce defender for buying American brands. But that’s not just hype or over-the-top patriotism. I have 20 years experience in the auto business. I’ve worked directly with every GM brand as well as Honda, Volvo and Mazda. I’ve been around nearly every brand of used car known. I’ve seen the problems the imports have, or had and can have. I’ve witnessed first hand the cost cutting/cutting corners that the Japanese brands take.

      I’ve said this many times on here. The Japanese brands are average at best. No better than anything from GM or Ford. Personally I find the interiors on GM to be far nicer than anything from Toyota and Honda. But the bottom line is this: I can tell you that you would not have gotten the miles out of those import brands without spending a lot more on services and upkeep to do so. That’s where your Chevrolet cars have given you great service with low costs. And that matters.

      Reply
  10. J ai aussi une Chevrolet malibu 2019 qui 85000 milles je roule bcp dans 2 ans je reprend une malibu 2.0T et apres j irai chez BMW eux auront tj des berlines je deteste les suv , alors Gm si vous ne voulais pas voir Vos clients se barrer ailleurs remetter vous en questions malibu et impala de tres bonne voiture etfaite de la pub pour c est 2 voiture qui en valent la peine

    Reply
  11. One of the main reasons GM is now behind Toyota in US sales is because they don’t offer more sedans. The popularity of the Malibu proves this. Until GM offers vehicles people want to buy they will stay in second behind Toyota. Heck, they may drop to 3rd within a few years. The Malibu is selling better than all of GM EVs combined!!

    Reply

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