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2025 Car Mileage with the Best Gas Mileage2023 Chevrolet Malibu: Comfortable City Car
There are a couple of updates on the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, but are they for the better? Find out how the new Malibu fares in several different areas!
2023 Chevrolet Malibu – chevrolet.com | Shop 2023 Chevrolet Malibu on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu?
One of the more significant changes with the 2023 Chevy Malibu is that the 2.0-liter engine has been eliminated. So has the Premier trim. A 1.5-liter engine is now standard. Other than that, the 2023 Malibu is mostly the same as the 2022 Malibu. There are a few new safety features that have become standard across the lineup. Other minor changes include the addition of three new colors: Riverside Blue Metallic, Sterling Gray Metallic, and Radiant Red Tintcoat.
The Breakdown
Decent fuel efficiency
Spacious interior
Economical pricing
A few trims to choose from
Flat acceleration
Interior could be better
Look at higher trim levels for the best options
2023 Malibu Specs
- 160 horsepower from base engine
- 184 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 4 available trims
- 15.7 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 8-inch touchscreen
- 5-star overall front NHTSA rating
- 5-year/65,000-mile powertrain warranty
2023 Chevrolet Malibu Powertrain
Every one of these ninth-generation Chevy Malibu models uses a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It puts out 160 horsepower using a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It’ll get 184 lb-ft of torque. The engine doesn’t accelerate that well, but city driving isn’t an issue. The 2023 Malibu uses front-wheel drive (FWD). Unfortunately, while some of the competition, like the Toyota Camry, offers models in all-wheel drive (AWD), that’s not an option with the Malibu.
2023 Chevrolet Malibu Fuel Economy & MPG
When it comes to fuel economy, the 2023 Chevy Malibu does a respectable 27 miles per gallon (MPG) in the city and 35 MPG on the highway. This is a decrease from the 2022 Malibu, which could get 29 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu cabin has good space. Legroom up front equals 41.5 cu. Ft. Rear legroom totals 38.1 cu. ft. The trunk offers 15.7 cu. ft. of cargo space, too. The seats don’t fold entirely flat, but they do fold down, so larger items can be easier to store. The dashboard is laid out well. Every control is easy enough to reach.
The Malibu interior doesn’t have a lot of personality, but it does come in black or tan. The black looks sharper, but the tan looks a little more luxury. While there’s no real sense of refinement or elegance, the Seats are comfortable, especially with the leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and heated front seats that are available at certain trim levels.
Entertainment & Technology
There is a lot of infotainment that comes with a 2023 Chevy Malibu. Even at the base level, you’ll get quite a bit. An eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, a WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth, a six-speaker stereo, a USB port, and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay all come standard on every 2023 Chevy Malibu. Proximity keyless entry and push-button start are also standard here.
Going up into higher trims gets an eight-inch digital gauge cluster, navigation, wireless device charging, and an extra USB port. A nine-speaker Bose stereo and satellite radio are also included at higher trim levels. Other technology infused in the 2023 Chevy Malibu? Dual-zone climate control, remote start, and a sunroof.
Safety Features
Most modern cars come loaded with driver assistance features, and the 2023 Malibu is no exception. General Motors equips the Malibu with a Teen Driver package, which lets you set speed and audio limits for secondary drivers. It also gives parents updates on driving performance and suggested areas of improvement.
A Buckle to Drive feature stops the car from shifting out of ‘Park’ for 20 seconds if the driver’s seat belt isn’t securely fastened. The following are standard features on the 2023 Malibu: a rearview camera, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, front pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Of course, there are a couple of driver assists saved for the higher trims: blind-spot monitoring and a rear cross-traffic alert.
2023 Chevrolet Malibu Trims & Pricing
There are four trims to choose from with the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The base LS model starts at $26,220. Then there’s the RS, LT, and 2LT trims. A certain list of features are exclusive to each trim.
LS – $26,095
Starting off the 2023 Chevy Malibu lineup is the LS trim. It comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and remote start, and cruise control (but not adaptive cruise control). Inside is regular cloth upholstery, an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, a six-speaker audio system, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Finally, the standard driver assistance features include: forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, automatic high beam headlights, and a rear seat reminder when something is left in the rear seat as you exit the vehicle.
A Driver Confidence Package is offered at every trim level, so interested buyers can add blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic warning and rear parking sensors.
RS – $27,095
The sportier RS trim adds aesthetics and performance in the form of 18-inch wheels, a rear spoiler, a black grille, black badging, dual exhaust, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu RS doesn’t add any extra driver assists, though.
LT – $29,195
Moving up to the LT trim brings a handful of extra, or updated, features. It has 17-inch wheels (bigger than those on the LS, but smaller than the RS), heated outside mirrors, and LED running lights. The front seats are also heated. Satellite radio and dual-zone automatic climate control are also included at this level.
2LT – $32,595
At the top of the ladder is the 2LT with 19-inch wheels, LED headlights, and LED taillights.
In the cabin is leather upholstery, a driver’s seat with memory settings, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, and ventilated front seats. A nine-speaker Bose audio system, wireless device charging, and auto-dimming rearview mirror also enhance the cabin.
The Driver Confidence and Cruise package, which is only available with the 2LT, adds adaptive cruise control, a semi-automated parking system, and automatic emergency braking at speeds above 50 mph.
Warranties
Two warranties come with a brand-new 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The limited warranty provides coverage for three years or 36,000 miles. A powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles.
What we think
2023 Chevrolet Malibu – chevrolet.com | Shop 2023 Chevrolet Malibu on Carsforsale.com
There are certainly areas that could use some improvement, but the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu is a comfortable city car. It gets respectable gas mileage, has a few trim options, and doesn’t cost too much money.
The area where the 2023 Chevy Malibu lacks is some of the standard features. Other vehicles offer more driver assistance features and larger infotainment screens starting with the base model or lower trims. You don’t get a power-adjustable driver’s seat until the RS trim or dual-zone climate control until the LT trim. However, it is nice that the Driver Confidence Package can be added at any trim level. Plus, it’s cheaper than a lot of vehicles so bumping up to the top trim level isn’t out of the question.
