Instrumented Test
TESTED
As Chevrolet’s mid-size sedan, the Malibu is tasked with covering the high-volume territory between the brand’s compact Cruze and full-size Impala. The mission comes with an array of competitors vying for customers’ dollars. Models such as the gracefully penned Ford Fusion, the enduring Honda Accord, the fresh-baked Mazda 6, and the stylish Kia Optima have kept the traditionally hard-fought segment a battleground. Launched as an all-new vehicle for 2013, the Malibu failed to meet sales expectations, and Chevy wisely called it back to the war room for a hurry-up refresh for the 2014 model year.
Still based on GM’s versatile Epsilon II platform, the face lift focused largely on the front fascia and interior, the latter of which came under fire in our test of the 2013 Malibu for its mishmash of interior materials and colors. Outside, the fascia received a minor update that expands the lower grille and tightens the upper, a simple move that lends some familial resemblance to the Impala.
Interior Refinement
Compared with the schizophrenic insides of the 2013 Malibu, the 2014 car’s interior is an exercise in minimalism. Called Jet Black/Titanium in Chevrolet-speak, our test car’s cabin combined a neutral shade of gray with black on virtually every surface. The new, slightly larger console features a woodesque grain finished in an equally complementary dark hue. Our car had the Leather package ($1000), which adds heated power front chairs. Selecting the Leather package requires the Electronics and Entertainment package ($1175), which brings a Pioneer nine-speaker system, a backup camera, a 120-volt power outlet, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a universal home remote, a cargo convenience net, and body-color exterior moldings on the doors. Rounding out the options were a Safety package ($890) with lane-departure warning as well as forward, rear-traffic, and blind-zone alerts; and the Audio System with Navigation package ($795), which adds nav to the color seven-inch touch screen. All in, the Atlantis Blue Metallic Malibu you see here crossed the cash register at $29,900.
Cramped rear seating was a major complaint when the 2013 Malibu debuted, and Chevrolet addressed it by sculpting out the front seatbacks for more kneeroom; we applaud the effort, but it’s still a snug fit. The driver and the front passenger have no problem stretching their legs, however, at least when the rear seats are unoccupied. Squared-off binnacles for the speedometer and tach bracket a bright high-res information screen on the instrument panel; info is easy to read even in direct sunlight.
Running with the Pack
As we outlined in depth when we got our first look at the 2014 Malibu, the base 2.5-liter four features variable valve timing and intake-valve lift control to enhance low-end torque and lower emissions output. The technology operates transparently, and the accelerator-response programming doesn’t use overly aggressive tip-in to try to fool you into thinking there’s more than the advertised 196 horsepower hiding under the hood. Shifts transpire discreetly, the revised-for-2014 six-speed auto (no manual is offered) shuffling all 186 lb-ft of torque to the wheels automatically or via an awkward tap-shift button located atop the shifter. Matting the throttle revealed some mild torque steer; staying on it produced a best 0-to-60 time of 7.9 seconds, the quarter-mile mark arriving in 16.2. Although not exactly neck snapping, those times are comparable to those of recently tested competitors such as a six-speed manual 2014 Mazda 6 i Sport and a 2013 Ford Fusion equipped with its tech-laden 178-hp, 1.6-liter EcoBoost four and a six-speed auto. The revised 2014 Malibu 2.5 is finally running with the pack.
