2014 Chevrolet Malibu: Winning confidence

THE MALIBU is Chevrolet’s contender in the 2014 midsize executive sedan segment. Photos by Aida Sevilla-Mendoza

CORVETTE-INSPIRED gauges and the MyLink infotainment system dominate the cockpit’s layout.

This Saturday, the Malibu will celebrate its 50th birthday, having been launched by General Motors on Oct. 5, 1963 in the United States for the 1964 model year as Chevrolet’s first “intermediate” car.

The Malibu was introduced as a premium family sedan but in the late 1970s took over the Chevelle’s role as GM’s downsized muscle car. The Malibu was retired in 1984 and was reborn in 1997 as an all-new front-wheel drive sedan offering four- and six-cylinder engines, and won the 1997 Motor Trend Car of the Year in the process. In 2008, the seventh generation Malibu gained another trophy as the North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The eighth (2013-2014) iteration of the Malibu was brought here last July by The Covenant Car Company Inc. (TCCI), the exclusive Philippine importer and distributor of Chevrolet automobiles and parts, as a new contender in the midsize executive sedan segment.

THE 2.4-LITER, four-cylinder Ecotec twin-cam 16-valve aluminum engine produces 164.71 horsepower and 225 Newton-meters.

A CLASS-LEADING 16 cubic feet of trunk space

The Malibu is positioned in the market between the compact Chevrolet Cruze and the full-size Impala sedan, from which it derives front-end design cues. In the United States, its country of origin, the 2014 Malibu is sold with a new 196-horsepower, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline-fed powerplant replacing the 2.4-liter DOHC gasoline engine of the 2013 model, but the Malibu sold here retains last year’s 165-HP Ecotec engine and has six airbags instead of 10.

On the other hand, the features offered as options in the North American market are standard equipment in the Malibu LTZ (P1,528,888) that TCCI sells here. These include, among others, leather seats, remote control engine start/stop, 18-inch rims, rear backup camera, rear parking sensor assist and chromed dual exhaust tips.

The windswept HID (high intensity discharge) auto-leveling projector headlamps of the LTZ variant have a high-pressure washer and resemble eagle’s eyes. At the rear, two pairs of LED taillight housings bring to mind those of recent Camaros. Chrome trim surrounding the dual port grille, chromed outside door handles, chrome door highlights and front fog lamps framed with chrome trim add a distinctive look.

SPACE and comfort are premium in the back with leather seats and plenty of knee room.

THIS PAIR of taillight housings was inspired by the Camaro’s.

Big car comfort. The plain, conservative design of the 2014 Malibu won’t take your breath away, but there’s something to be said about its big street presence. Although categorized as a midsize sedan, the Malibu offers big-car comfort and a quiet, smooth ride.

After spending a day working, you will find that the Malibu is a car to relaxingly and pleasantly drive home in. The comfy front seats are eight-way power adjustable with lumbar support power adjustable in four ways. Due to the front seats’ low-slung position that works perfectly with the low-cowl dashboard and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel with long travel, it is easy to find a comfortable driving position. Visibility from the low-slung driver’s seat is good.

The tight, rattle-free cabin exudes an upscale ambience with leather seats and quality soft-touch materials complementing silver trim and chrome accents. The cockpit is dominated by big, Corvette-style square-ringed gauges behind a thick, leather-wrapped, three-spoke steering wheel, a 7-inch LCD infotainment touchscreen and 40 buttons, knobs and switches of the MyLink system that require some study to use intuitively.

THE WIND-SWEPT HID projector headlights resemble an eagle’s eyes.

WITH an overall length of 4,865 millimeters, the Malibu slots in between the compact Cruze and the full-size Impala sedan.

The center console has two cupholders and two slots for smartphones, yet has no air vents on its backside for rear seat passengers. The audio system has nine speakers while electronic climate control automatically adapts to the outside climate.

Headroom front and rear is excellent. At the rear, Chevrolet added 1.25 inches more knee room by making the front seatbacks thinner, but the shorter wheelbase compared with competitors limited the carmaker’s options. Shoulder and hip room in the back are competitive, yet the knee room problem can only be solved by changing the Malibu’s wheelbase length. Trunk space measures an impressive 16.3 cubic feet, one of the largest in the midsize sedan segment.

Decent power. The Ecotec 2.4-liter, four-cylinder, twin-cam aluminum engine produces 164.71 HP and 225 Newton-meters max torque and is well-matched to a six-speed automatic transmission that kicks down smartly and upshifts smoothly. The engine provides decent power, enough for passing on the highway and climbing hilly roads.

THE MALIBU is midsize but projects a big car presence on the road.

The Malibu is supremely composed even over imperfect road surfaces, the steering is responsive and its handling inspires confidence, yet it lacks the exhilarating fun-to-drive feel that some of its competitors offer.

On the other hand, the responsive electric power steering, not overly weighted or feeling detached, gives a measure of feedback that is not found in the Malibu’s rivals. It is mainly why the Malibu is easy to drive, easy to park, easy to keep true on the road and to keep going where you point it. It does what a midsize sedan is supposed to do and does it well. In the United States where the 2014 Malibu is sold with 10 airbags, it was voted a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and won a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The Malibu LTZ sold in the Philippines is one of the safest cars on the road with six airbags, remote control entry, remote engine start/stop function, electronic stability control, traction control system, antilock braking system (ABS) with electronic braking distribution (EBD) and brake assist (BA), collapsible pedal release system and remote panic alarm—not to mention its reversing camera, rear parking sensor assist and GPS navigation system.

Summing up, the unpretentious Malibu is neither stunningly stylish nor sporty, but it is the kind of car that slowly but surely wins your confidence with its quiet composure, refined road manners and extremely comfortable ride.