The Chevy Malibu is a bit of an odd duck in today’s auto market, offered as the last remaining Chevy sedan in the the U.S. at a time when crossovers are very much all the rage, and packing an internal-combustion engine at a time when most of the industry is transitioning to EVs. Nevertheless, GM Authority has learned that The General has decided to keep the Chevy Malibu nameplate alive for at least one more generation.
That news may come as a shock to those readers who have been following GM Authority’s coverage thus far. Back in 2019, we reported that the current ninth-generation Chevy Malibu was slated to sunset in 2024, while in 2020, we reported that the future of the Malibu nameplate was uncertain. Now, however, GM Authority has learned from sources familiar with the matter that GM has decided to keep the Malibu nameplate kicking for at least one more generation.
Not only that, but we now have some interesting details to share regarding GM’s plans for the next-gen Chevy Malibu. For starters, the new model will ride on a variant of the GM VSS-F platform, specifically the larger D/E variant. This variant differs from the smaller platform variant that underpins the Chevy Trailblazer and Chevy Trax, also known as the VSS-F B/C platform variant.
The upcoming next-gen Chevy Malibu will also be tagged with program code 9DSC-L, with “9D” referencing the VSS-F architecture, “S” referencing the sedan body style, “C” referencing the Chevy brand, and “L” referencing the long wheelbase structure. From what we understand, this architecture could also be considered a new iteration of the GM E2 architecture that underpins the current Chevy Malibu.
Looking ahead, the next-gen Malibu is expected to be produced at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas, the same facility that produces the current model. Production may kick off as early as 2025, and run through the 2031 calendar year. That said, it’s possible this timeline could change in the future.
The Chevy Malibu was ranked fourth in the midsize mainstream sedan segment in terms of sales through the first three quarters of the 2022 calendar year, with 79,799 units sold:
Sales Numbers - Midsize Mainstream Sedans - Jan - Sep 2022 - United States
MODEL | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 | YTD 22 SHARE | YTD 21 SHARE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
TOYOTA CAMRY | -16.50% | 214,403 | 256,769 | 35% | 36% |
HONDA ACCORD | -30.08% | 110,463 | 157,988 | 18% | 22% |
NISSAN ALTIMA | +40.54% | 106,122 | 75,508 | 17% | 11% |
CHEVROLET MALIBU | +148.17% | 79,799 | 32,155 | 13% | 5% |
KIA K5 | -27.08% | 53,563 | 73,456 | 9% | 10% |
HYUNDAI SONATA | -56.20% | 35,238 | 80,460 | 6% | 11% |
SUBARU LEGACY | -8.22% | 17,159 | 18,695 | 3% | 3% |
MAZDA MAZDA6 | -97.65% | 335 | 14,271 | 0% | 2% |
CHRYSLER 200 | -60.00% | 2 | 5 | 0% | 0% |
TOTAL | -13.00% | 617,084 | 709,307 |
Per previous GM Authority coverage, GM is also working on a new non-crossover, D-segment EV, likely a sedan, but possibly a fastback. For now, this new non-crossover EV looks as though it will be sold exclusively in China, at least for the time being.
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