Chevy Malibu Has Top-Quality Seats, Study Shows
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The Chevy Malibu currently has the best quality seats in its segment of “Mass Market Midsize / Large Cars,” according to new research released by data and market analysis firm J.D. Power.
Per data published in the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Seat Quality and Satisfaction Study the Chevy Malibu comes in first in its category, with its 6.2 seat problems per 100 vehicles putting it ahead of the second-place Kia K5 and third-place Toyota Camry.
Via J.D. Power
The study based its findings and selected the Chevy Malibu as the top vehicle for seat quality in its segment based on two factors. These include the number of problems per hundred vehicles, or PP100, and the level of satisfaction with the seats which study respondents report. Both measures are based on the first 90 days of ownership.
The study notes that power-adjusting seats generally result in higher levels of satisfaction and lower numbers of problems with manually adjusting seats being more problematic on average. More and more power-adjustable seats are finding their way from premium vehicles into mass-market vehicles such as the Chevy Malibu. For now, memory seats are still lagging and mostly found in premium models only.
The J.D. Power senior director of global automotive supplier benchmarking and alternative mobility Ashley Edgar remarks that “mass-market brands have the ability to benchmark what premium brands do well.” Using this information will create “an opportunity to deliver seat features in a more intuitive, less problematic way,” Edgar added.
The J.D. Power seat study collected seat satisfaction and problem data between February and May of this year from purchasers and lessees of 93,380 new vehicles. The study is specifically designed to make data on seat and seat belt features, designs, and technology available as “a powerful benchmarking tool that allows suppliers and manufacturers to easily identify strengths and weaknesses.”
As a reminder, the 2023 Chevy Malibu is the only sedan remaining the Bow Tie’s vehicle lineup. It represents the eighth model year of the sedan’s ninth generation, and follows a mid-cycle refresh that arrived with the launch of the 2019 Chevy Malibu. GM extended production of the 2023 model year through July 2023, pushing back the start of 2024 Chevy Malibu production.
For motivation, the 2023 Chevy Malibu currently only offers a single powerplant and drivetrain configuration. This is based on the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LFV gasoline engine, rated at 163 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission.
The Chevy Malibu lineup previously included an additional engine choice, the turbocharged 2.0L I4 LTG, rated at 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, which delivered power to wheels via the GM nine-speed automatic transmission. GM dropped that powertrain combination when the automaker replaced the Premier trim level with the 2LT.
Under the skin, the Malibu rides on the GM E2 platform, while production began back on September 7th, 2022 at the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas City.
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Wow, this is scrapping the barrel to say something positive on the hopelessly uncompetitive Malibu.
Hopelessly uncompetitive? It’s currently #3 in sales behind the Accord and Camry. It outsells the Altima, Sonata, Subaru Legacy, etc.
And that’s with ZERO advertising, promotion or dealership enthusiasm. Just imagine if GM advertised the car so people knew it exists, if dealers stocked them and if the lazy sales people actually cared enough to walk customers to them.
You mean lazy uninformed salespeople.
Never worse. Not many pros left. At least in the southwest
NoPro: I 100% agree with that and I work (kind of) in auto sales still after 24 years. I’m actually in the fleet department where I work and most of the sales staff here don’t know sh*t. Most of the time they come to me for product info!
When I first got into sales back in 1988, I was so excited and learning the product was like a drug for me. Every year when the new or updated model info came out was my Christmas! haha. I was at a Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Honda dealer and the owner saw my enthusiasm for the product, so they made me the product training contact and I had to administer the tests for the GM line and I had to take the tests for Honda. Any more, that just doesn’t seem to exist in dealers and the turnover is way too high.
At $34K fully loaded (before discounts…which dealers are offering on Malibu), it offers everything anyone would ever need in a sedan. It’s perfectly competitive in a class of increasingly shrinking offerings. Your only real options are this, Camry, Accord, Sonata, or K5. Each one has their own specific strengths and weaknesses; none are perfect.
Interesting. This is a study I’ve not seen before, but I can see why the Malibu ranks highly. In the 2021 Malibu that I had, I would say those seats were of very high quality. But more importantly, they were about the most comfortable seats I’ve had in any vehicle in years (not including my two older Cadillac’s I have). I’ve said this before on here that I wish my 2023 Bolt had the seats from the Malibu.
Funny thing. Just this past Tuesday I was at the Chevy dealer for my first service on the Bolt and I walked around the dealership looking at all the vehicles. I sat in the new Trax and can certainly see what others have said about some really cheap trim inside, but the seats were ok. I sat in the Bolt EUV with leather and the interior materials were nicer than the Trax, but seat was the same as my Bolt other than the leather. I sat in the Trailblazer, and the same. Then I sat in the Malibu and could immediately tell the difference. Much nicer.
One thing of note: the dealer had a large display with a flip through chart showing the different models paint and trim. As I flipped through it, they had all the SUV/CUV/Trucks but ZERO on the Bolt or Malibu’s. Between this and the survey GM sent me the other day, it is painfully obvious that they are not interested in selling or promoting anything sedan/car. So disgusting.
A SEAT satisfaction study? You’ve got to be kidding. What’s next, a steering wheel comfort study? Get a grip, JDP.
Why not? We don’t drive vehicles standing up, no?
Quite frankly, this study is passed due.
If they still offered the 2.0 turbo in this, then I would say it’s a good competitor. But the weak 1.5L? hellll no. I’d rather get a 23 Camry V6 301HP
And pay 42000???? For a sedan???? Yuk! The reason that this is the only engine offered by chevy is they are mainly stealing Camry buyers by significantly undercutting toyotas pricing. FYI for 40K im looking at a camaro/charger with the entry engine and plenty of options, and the same fuel economy as toyotas archaic V6.
A new Malibu is the way probably for 2025. If they give it a bigger engine it might sell very well if not better than current one. Don’t be surprised if the new Camry only has a 4 cylinder only also.
Joe: This is just my thought and from what I’ve been reading, I think it’s probably correct.
I don’t think you will see GM/Chevy spending any capital on a new engine for the Malibu. The current engine is perfectly adequate for now and it’s smooth/quiet/fuel efficient and does the job. So it’s my feeling that anything new from GM, such as a new Malibu, will only be EV.
I think it’s safe to say that the only ICE moving forward in new or completely re-designed vehicles will be for the trucks and larger SUV’s. Anything else will most likely be EV only.
The Malibu shares the 1.5L with the Equinox.
The Nox will be updated in 25 and have likely the updated 1.5 with more power/ torque and dual exhaust outlets.
What ever is the powertrain in the 25 Nox, will likely mirror what you see in the revised Malibu for 25
Equinox has 6 speed automatic, not the lame CVT.
Maybe I read the part wrong about “mass market cars like the Malibu” not having “memory seats” but my ’19 Malibu Premier has them. I bought my Malibu new 4 years ago today and I still love it.
Premier was discontinued.
All this vehicle needs is a decent powertrain. Prediction: Mary Buick Envision Made in China-Barra will order it discontinued at a short moment’s notice and have it replaced with a product that costs twice as much.
Yes. Mary is in charge and because she will never get fired for running the company into the ground with high priced EV’s, you are correct.
Affordable is gone from GM. I challenge you to look , anywhere but Michigan, see what’s in the local shopping center parking lot. Mostly foreign branded, made here sometimes, sometimes not.
Clueless Mary and of course Ford too. Give away a huge part of the market to the competition. What a shame.
When I visit my family in Florida, I rent a Chevy Malibu at Enterprise. It is the best medium sedan ever. I once rented a Nissan Maxima and it was bad. I still cannot understand why U.S. buyers still want foreign brands and not support their domestic brands. Seems that many are still brainwashed to believe that foreign is better. BTW, my two cars are Chevy and Ford models.
Okay, I’m a bad person … can’t get past the totally generic zero-personality styling.
Just went to build one.. standard and only available with CVT. And that is an “end of this effort, deal breaker.. Next!”.
You don’t want a snowmobile transmission in your car?! Well, I don’t know what to say. LOL, I agree with you.
marty: Although I was once a huge anti CVT person and for good reason, I now sing a different tune. I’m not at all going to try to make you wrong for feeling that way, but I would suggest one thing. Go drive one before putting the axe to it. I’m very serious here.
Going way back, my first experiences with CVT’s was about how they felt and I didn’t like that feel. I knew several people who had them (my niece had a Dodge Caliber with one) and once they got used to the feel, they actually liked them. However, I think Nissan gave the CVT’s a really bad name because theirs would self destruct at about 60K. My niece drove the life out of her Dodge with zero issues ever. Now fast forward to 2020 when I decided to go more basic and I purchased a Chevy Spark with the CVT. That trans was amazing. I also had a Cadillac CT4 with the 8 speed and I liked the CVT more. I then had a Malibu with the CVT and loved it as it’s so much better (different) than the early ones. So that’s just a little history of my change of mind on them through real experience. Before you say no, just give it a try and at least you can know from driving it.
Dan B, ask the Saturn owners about the CVT’S. They were terrible. I owned one and couldn’t get rid of it fast enough. GM put those pigs out again and people need to research them before buying or they will end up with a hefty transmission repair bill.
David H: Again, you are talking cars from 15 years ago and more. I agree that they were mostly bad back then. I’m talking just the past 5 years or less. And I’m still not in love with the CVT overall, but just feel it’s no longer a reason to not purchase one. All the brands use them and I think GM’s are some of the best out there. But again, I also don’t think we need all these 8, 9 and 10 speed transmissions either. I’ll take the old 4 speed overdrive that was in nearly every GM for years or one of my favorite transmissions in the past few years is actually the 6 speed like my 2018 Encore had. I also had a 6 speed auto in the 2016 Jeep Patriot as well. Loved them.