WASHINGTON: The auto market has been booming as of recent, and General Motors saw hefty increases across the line-up save for Cadillac. Boosting this trend is the solid offering of many mid-size sedans from a plethora of automakers. Unfortunately, the Chevrolet Malibu has been a sour spot in this arena.
The current-generation Malibu never seemed to capture the aura it did with the previous iteration, partly due to very tight competition from imports and domestics alike. Chevrolet knows this, and just three years after the current car’s debut, an all-new Malibu is on the way and slotted to arrive at dealers this Fall.
Previously, an emergency refresh was commissioned after lackluster sales and disappointing reviews on the vehicle. Even though the mild refresh helped in a few areas, the 2014 Malibu has been left behind by the likes of the Ford Fusion and Honda Accord.
Mark Reuss spoke with Edmunds on the situation, and he is confident the new Malibu will exceed expectation on what to expect from the mid-size sedan.
“You are going to be blown away styling-wise,” Mark Reuss, GM’s executive vice president of global product development, said in an interview, regarding the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
He added to this saying, “I think it is more true to what Chevrolet should be. Think about Impala. It’s not luxury, but it is more than what you thought you would get for that price. That is what Chevrolet should be and you will see that in the (redesigned) Malibu.”
Previously, we reported on upcoming Chevrolets featuring trickle-down design elements from the Corvette Stingray, which may be apparent in this new design as Ed Welburn, GM Vice President of Global Design, calls it spirited and full of energy, to paraphrase. He also mentions the tail-lights having a “hint” of Stingray. The upcoming 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will also boast a significant upgrade in rear-legroom and front-seat hip room, two of its defining flaws in the current generation car.
