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2022 Chevy Malibu Turbocharged 2.0L Engine Available In Very Limited Quantities

The 2022 Chevy Malibu is the seventh model year of the nameplate’s ninth generation, introducing only a few minor changes as compared to the preceding 2021 model year. Now, GM Authority has learned that the 2022 Chevy Malibu will be available with the turbocharged 2.0L I4 LTG gasoline engine in very limited quantities.

The 2022 Chevy Malibu Premier is the only Malibu trim level available with the 2.0L I4 LTG gasoline engine. As such, the 2022 Chevy Malibu Premier will be available in very limited quantities.

The turbocharged 2.0L I4 LTG gasoline engine is one of two engine options offered for the 2022 Chevy Malibu, the other of which is the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LFV gasoline engine. The turbocharged 2.0L I4 LTG gasoline engine is rated at 250 horsepower at 5,300 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 rpm, while the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LFV gasoline engine is rated at 163 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 184 pound-feet of torque at 2,500 rpm. The 1.5L LFV engine connects to the GM continuously variable automatic transmission, while the 2.0L LTG engine connects to the GM nine-speed automatic transmission. Both configurations feed the front wheels exclusively.

As GM Authority covered previously, production of the 2022 Chevy Malibu restarted on November 1st. The General has since provided dealers with recommendations on trim level mix for the midsize sedan, with the RS set at 32 percent, the LT set at 58 percent, and the Premier set at 10 percent.

The 2022 Chevy Malibu follows a midcycle refresh introduced for the 2019 model year. Updates over the preceding 2021 model year include a few alterations to the options list and trim level structure, including deletion of the base L trim, making the LS the new entry-level variant of the lineup. As a reminder, the 2022 Chevy Malibu rides on the GM E2 platform, while production for the Americas takes place at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. One of the Dow sides of the LTG from what I read, was it had emitted higher emissions, and the LSY solved that. Also the LTG could have boost leak problems. Idk

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    1. For those of you downvoting, if you could correct me, that would be great. Constructive feedback would be awesome. Thanks 😊

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  2. LSY would be the next step, or 2.7 would be better…😉

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    1. 2.7 is to big to fit in that engine bay.

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      1. Slant it!

        Though in all honesty, that much torque is unusable in such a lightweight car.

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        1. Not really, I had a 5.3 GP and the tq wouldn’t fully kick in until the car was moving via software, maybe a 295 hp/310 tq version for fwd is possible?. Kia does it for the K5 and Stinger with the same motor.

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      2. Malibu had a 3.6 until 2016

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    2. My wife has the LSY engine in her Blazer…it does a surprisingly decent job at powering the truck down the road. We don’t tow anything, so we really didn’t need the V6. She just took it on its first road trip and averaged 27mpg over 600 miles. We had the LTG engine in our Equinox Redline (that we traded in on the Blazer) and it seemed to get better gas mileage (around 29-30mpg), but the power seems to be similar even though the LSY is about 20hp less than the LTG. I think the LSY engine would be great on the Malibu…just a shame that the General won’t bring back a couple more sedans as alternatives to the bland endless sea of CUV’s.

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      1. The Blazer is a truck?
        That’s even more of an exaggeration than calling it an SUV.

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        1. I agree…wife calls it a truck, I just call it one out of habit. To me it drives like a car because of how low you seem to sit in it. Its only redeeming feature is AWD, otherwise it wasn’t my first choice to replace our lease. But she likes it, so happy wife–sometimes happy life. At the end of its lease, if up to me, its going back to the dealership.

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        2. Nate: As per government classifications, yes an SUV/CUV is considered a “truck” in that sense. It’s based on a “flat floor” kind of like a truck has a flat bed floor. So technically speaking, it it a truck. But for all intent and purposes, it’s not.

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  3. Do we know if the 2022 is the last model

    Do we know, for sure, if the 2022 model year is the last for the Malibu? It’s not a BMW, nor in that price range, but is a nice all around car. GM should look at themselves to learn why it doesn’t sell better.

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    1. It might help if it were updated in some way. It also wouldn’t hurt if they didn’t force everyone to buy the +$10k Premier package just to not be saddled with a 1.5L and CVT.

      If you look at other vehicles available on the market today, and I’m talking just the sedans in that price range, the Malibu doesn’t make a lot of sense.

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    2. Jerry: I personally own a 2021 Malibu LT. I’ve had the car for about 4 months now and so far I really like it much better than I thought I would. A large part of the problem is lack of marketing and nearly zero advertising. When I got the car I came out of a 2021 Volvo S60 T8 Inscription (sold because I made a nice profit on it). The Volvo was a $55 grand car and although it had some great things about it, that car was certainly NOT worth 25 grand more than this Malibu. Before the Volvo, I had a 2020 Cadillac CT4 with the 2.0L Turbo and 8 speed auto. Again, I liked that car a lot, but was able to sell and make some money on it. And yet, would I say the CT4 was worth 7 grand more than my Malibu? No. GM is totally in the wrong for not supporting and marketing the Malibu way more as well as building a Buick version of it as the Regal.

      Nate: Your 10 grand number is wrong. The average LT runs 28 grand. The RS about 26 grand. The standard Premier package is 34 grand and comes extremely loaded up. Also, there are no cars that outdo the Malibu in the same class and I’d say the Malibu holds it’s own against many cars much higher priced.

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      1. It’s +$10k for a Premium. That’s what the package costs.
        Average prices are irrelevant. Just because you can add extra crap to an LT doesn’t mean the package costs more.

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        1. Sorry Nate. It’s not 10 grand. Go to Chevy’s site and build a Malibu. Base MSRP on the RS with zero options is $25,500. Base MSRP on the LT with zero options is $27,900. Base MSRP on the premier is $35,000 and comes with nearly every possible feature you can think of including A/C and heated heats, leather, Bose sound, Navigation, huge sunroof, upgraded wheels and so on. So even if you take just the base MSRP’s, you are talking 7100 to 9500, which does get you close to the 10 grand. But dealers seldom stock the absolute base RS or LT and most of the RS’s have an MSRP of close to 27 grand while most LT’s come in closer to 29 grand. Meanwhile, most premiers (but not all) will be just the standard features for the 35 grand. The point in all this is that on average, you will not pay 10 grand more for the top car.

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          1. It’s a $10k option over base price to get the 2.0L turbo.

            It doesn’t matter what people tend to buy or dealers like to stock. Your argument is like saying gas doesn’t really cost me $20 more now, because I usually picked up a case of beer and some Slim Jims at the gas station anyway.

            LS is $24,495
            Premier is $34,595

            It’s a $10k option.

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            1. Your an idiot. The LS is barely stocked and is mostly for fleet. Your failed analogy is lame at best.

              Fact: People buy the RS and it’s 27 grand. People buy the LT and it’s 28 to 30 grand.

              So with your (lack of) logic, someone goes into the Toyota store and wants to buy a Camry. The base model is the LE for a “base” price of $25,900. The loaded up most expensive one is the XSE V6 at $36,300. That a 10,400 higher priced just to get the goods??

              So even though the average on the Malibu isn’t 10 grand like you think for the top line, how do you feel about Toyota wanting a true 10,400 MORE for the top dog? Why are you even trying to make it seem like Chevrolet is bad for asking 4 to 9 grand more for the fully loaded version? And have you driven a Malibu with the 1.5? It’s actually quite pleasant and efficient to boot.

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  4. I have a 2017 Premier with the 2.0 purchasednewoffthelot. At 104k began getting reduced engine power indicator.
    Dealership evaluated and stated that I had low compression on all 4 cylinders.
    Engine and turbo replacement cost me $9200.
    Next had to replace all 4 coils.
    When it’s running well it’s a lot of fun to drive but lately has been a nightmare.

    Reply
    1. Those repairs cost a lot, but if it still runs well, keep it. I had a 1995 Buick Regal with the NA 3.8 L (231 CI) V6 and in 2016 I sold it to a friend. As of today he is still driving it .

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    2. My 2020 2.0 turbo Equinox has to have Premium gas to run at its best. That’s another 50 cents per gallon, just sayin!

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  5. I was hoping that they would spend a little money and put the LSY engine into the Malibu before they retire it. I have been putting off ordering one in hopes that it would happen but to no avail yet.

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  6. Due to the higher gas prices, GM now offers a turbocharged I4 engine instead of a small V6 with better torque but weaker MPG. I expected GM to reissue the Malibu Hybrid because I was comparing it with the Ford Fusion Hybrid in 2015, and I went for the Fusion Hybrid. After six years I will NEVER go back to a conventional gas engine! The hybrid gives me over 40 MPG every day and on some trips I have reached 54 MPG. Engine maintenance is just one oil and filter change a year because the 2.0 L gas engine runs about 30% of the time, has no belts or pulleys, all the accessories are electric (especially the A/C), and I run on electricity most of the time. Due to regeneration, the brake pads are still the factory originals.

    Thus GM must revive the Malibu Hybrid and sell them well. Or make it electric. We need more GM sedans to compete against the imports.

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  7. Come on people does anyone really care about what motor comes in this POS ??

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    1. steve: And you feel what is better? Why? Or are you just taking a break from polishing your troll trophies?

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  8. If the Malibu has auto start you could. It give me one! I have a 2014 Malibu often when I stop it will not crank back up ! Call GM nothing! The Malibu forum is full
    Of complaints where others are having issues – there is no option of cutting this feature off I have close to getting rear ended several
    Times due to this malfunction!

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    1. Christy: I too had a 2014 Malibu LS in white. I really liked the car and it was very nice, but you are totally correct in that the start/stop on that car can not be turned off. That was the exact reason why I got rid of that car even though I liked it. I hated it and it was very noticeable.

      However, in (I think) 2018 or 2019 they put a button on the dash where you can turn it off. My 2021 has that and I do turn it off some times. But I am here to tell you that the start/stop on my 2021 is 10X better than the system on my 2014. Thus I do leave it on most of the time.

      Reply

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