BAY CITY, Mich. - In need of a makeover, GM revealed on Friday the new and improved Chevrolet Malibu to consumers, with hopes that the vehicle will be able to compete with other midsize segment cars. After the redesigned 2013 Malibu failed to keep up with other vehicles such as the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima, and Honda Accord, GM regrouped and regathered their thoughts for the 2014 car.
GM's redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Malibu boasts a bolder and sleeker front, an improved powertrain and upgraded interior. The Malibu's grille was lowered, while they reconfigured the center console inside the vehicle. The console is now longer, with enough storage space for two cell phones. Engineers boosted rear-seat knee room by 1.25 inches and made chassis and suspension improvements. With all thoughts on the interior and front end, there is little to no change in its rear styling.
As for technology, the Malibu's standard 2.5 liter, 4-cylinder engine, now has 2 new features: start-stop technology and variable valve lift control. The start-stop technology allows the engine to turn off while the car is stopped and restart when the driver presses the accelerator, a feature boosts mpg. The refreshed 2014 Malibu will get fuel economy of 35 mpg on the highway (increase of 3%) and 23 in the city (increase of 5%).
GM North America President Mark Reuss says that GM has to effectively relaunch the vehicle, even though it spent a large portion of 2012 doing that for the 2013 car. "In this hotly competitive segment, we can't afford to stand still, ever," he said. "We have to move quickly, invest heavily and strive for continuous improvement and perfection."
This strive for perfection is apparent, as most products get notable upgrades every three years, and GM has decided to redesign the Malibu a year after the redesign.
Reuss said he wouldn't hesitate to adjust quickly when a product is falling short.
"I'm not going to wait for the marketplace to tell us that. I live in the future," he told reporters. "When I think things are going to taper off, or we know there's competitive pressure and we know what's coming out in a competitive way, then we're going to go at it."
The new standard Malibu produces 196 horsepower and 186 pound-feet torque, down from 197 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque for the 2013 version. GM will continue to offer the LS, LT and LTZ trim options, as well as the Malibu Eco (which uses mild-hybrid eAssist system).
GM will offer an optional 2-liter turbocharged engine with 259 horsepower, the same as the previous turbo option, and 295 pound-feet of torque, a 14% improvement from its predecessor.
