When we last tested a Chevrolet Malibu, the 2019 sedan in RS trim, we ended our First Drive with, “If Chevy wants to keep selling Malibus a few years on, it’s going to need more than a revised grille and some exhaust tips — or a shady plot in the graveyard of runner-up sedans, next to the Fusion, awaits.” We got the timing wrong. In 2024, the Malibu still shows up on the Cars page of Chevrolet’s retail web site — the only car. The fate, however, was inevitable. At the beginning of this month, The Detroit News reported that the page will soon be empty, GM having made the decision to send the Malibu to meet the Grim Reaper this fall. The move comes despite the Malibu being the third-best-selling vehicle in the Chevrolet roster last year, outdone only by the Silverado and Equinox. Looking to the future, GM needs to get the Fairfax Assembly plant that builds the sedan ready to build the all-new Chevrolet Bolt.
The order guide shows small price increases on the two lower trims for the last year of the long-lived nameplate. The guide didn’t include the destination price; if the current $1,095 charge doesn’t change for next year, pricing for the lineup and the changes from 2024 are:
- Malibu LS: $26,895 ($700)
- Malibu RS: $27,895 ($800)
- Malibu 1LT: $29,195
- Malibu 2LT: $32.595
These prices still make the Malibu less expensive than any of the midsize competition, the Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry, while the Chevy’s lack of updates make it “an affordable and inoffensive choice.”
Checking the guide for info about what might be new for next year, the answer appears to be almost nothing. Until Chevrolet puts out something official, what we’re seeing is the keyless entry pad getting an all-new vertical design that won’t be available at the start of production, and an exterior color called Night Shade Metallic joining the palette. We assume that color will replace Mosaic Black Metallic. By the looks of it, that’s all, folks. Word has it the 2025 Malibu enters production today, so if you’re in the mood to collect a future classic (everything old is a classic nowadays — a 2,900-mile 1985 Chevy Chevette CS Coupe, anyone?), call your Chevy dealer in a few weeks.
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