Mid-sized sedan goes upscale with
flashy new upgrades
flashy new upgrades
By Graeme Fletcher, Driving.ca - The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, a namplate that's been around since 1964, takes Chevy's mid-sized sedan upmarket yet again. Following on from its total revamp in 2013, the '14 model receives upgrades including a new front fascia, improved handling and a revised engine lineup to go along with a neat new interior feature. All are as a direct result of customer feedback.
While the stylistic change up front is modest (it brings the Malibu more in line with the Impala's look fascia-wise), the bigger changes are found beneath the skin.
As before, the Malibu is offered with two engines. The base 2.5-litre, our-cylinder has been reworked so that it now uses both cam phasing and variable intake valve lift along with direct injection. The combination produces 196 horsepower and 196 pound-feet of torque (both down very slightly from last year). This engine also benefits greatly from the addition of a sophisticatyed start/stop system. As with all such systems, it shuts the engine down when the car comes to a rest and restarts it the instant the driver begins to lift off the brake pedal. However, the system employed in the Malibu is a little different from the norm.
Inside the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, there's a reworked centre console with two new cellphone cubbies, and the backside of the front seats have been scooped out, which gives the rear riders 32-millimetres more legroom.
It uses a new dual-battery system -- the primary battery sits under the hood with the secondary unit in the trunk. The latter powers the 12-volt items when the engine is stopping, leaving the primary battery at its best and ready to restart the engine. Both batteries are absorbent glass mat (AGM) types. GM says the advantage is the life cycle of an AGM battery is up to four times that of a lead-acid battery -- continually starting/stopping the engine and the long-term effect it has on the battery has been a bone of contention. This system also uses a hydraulic pump to keep the fluid in the transmission primed and ready to move the car. During the drive, I was surprised by how well it came together. The restart was less jarring than many systems and the takeoff after the restart was smoother -- there was less of a jerk as the transmission came back on line.
How much gasoline the start-stop system will save is open for debate. For someone who lives close to the highway and commutes to a workplace beside said highway, the savings will likely be small. However, for an urban commuter the potential savings should be significant, which is reflected in the revised fuel consumption numbers. The 2014 Malibu and its 2.5L engine is now rated at 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 5.3 L/100 km on the highway, which is an improvement of 14% and 6%, respectively.
The top-line 2.0L turbocharged engine has also seen some work. It puts forth 259 hp, which is the same as last year, but it gets a 14% increase in torque -- up to 295 lb.-ft. This gave the Malibu 2LZ noticeably more hop off the line during the drive and a sub-six second run to 100 kilometres an hour.
The chassis has also been returned to improve ride comfort. In a nutshell, the base car adopts the dampers from last year's turbo model. Driving it proved the revision reduced body roll through a corner while lending a more refined feel on the highway. Ditto the reworked brake pedal -- it now has a crisper feel. Chevrolet has also upped the safety quotient in the advanced safety package. It now includes forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, a sonar-based back-up warning system as well as rear cross-traffic alert.
The top-line 2.0L turbocharged engine now puts out 259 hp, which is the same as last year, but it gets a 14% increase in torque -- up to 295 lb-ft.
Inside, there's a reworked centre console with two new cellphone cubbies, and the backside of the front seats have been scooped out, which gives the rear riders 32-millimetres more legroom. So far, nothing earth shattering.
However, one of the neat features is Chevy's MyLink infotainment system and the new extension it earns. As before, it features a large touchscreen (with a cubby behind it) that integrates the entertainment/media, phone and, if equipped, navigation functions. However, it now comes with a new text-to-voice feature that's compatible with most smartphones. It converts incoming messages to speech and relays them through the audio speakers. It also allows the driver to reply with a preset message. The driver can create his/her own menu of responses (when parked) or pick one of the canned messages like, "I'm driving and will contact you later."
For iPhone users, MyLink goes one further by allowing Siri, the iPhone's built-in concierge/information guru, to perform many of the tasks. This minimizes distracted driving -- I have long wondered what the difference is between using a car-mounted touchscreen to type in the numbers to place a call versus doing it on the phone's screen. To my mind, there is no difference, as the driver is equally distracted. This makes the ability to tap into Siri a valuable extension -- I paired my phone quickly and easily, and I also used Siri to place a call from my contact list.
The improvements do make for a better Malibu -- 2014 pricing runs from $24,995 for the LS to $34,715 for the full-zoot LTZ with the 2LZ package. It's all pretty heady stuff for a company that is only now beginning to move away from the push-rod V8 engine it introduced in the '50s. Likewise, the abaility to react to customer observations within a single model year is something previously unheard of at General Motors -- unless one counts the Pontiac Aztek!
While the stylistic change up front is modest (it brings the Malibu more in line with the Impala's look fascia-wise), the bigger changes are found beneath the skin.
As before, the Malibu is offered with two engines. The base 2.5-litre, our-cylinder has been reworked so that it now uses both cam phasing and variable intake valve lift along with direct injection. The combination produces 196 horsepower and 196 pound-feet of torque (both down very slightly from last year). This engine also benefits greatly from the addition of a sophisticatyed start/stop system. As with all such systems, it shuts the engine down when the car comes to a rest and restarts it the instant the driver begins to lift off the brake pedal. However, the system employed in the Malibu is a little different from the norm.
Inside the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, there's a reworked centre console with two new cellphone cubbies, and the backside of the front seats have been scooped out, which gives the rear riders 32-millimetres more legroom.
It uses a new dual-battery system -- the primary battery sits under the hood with the secondary unit in the trunk. The latter powers the 12-volt items when the engine is stopping, leaving the primary battery at its best and ready to restart the engine. Both batteries are absorbent glass mat (AGM) types. GM says the advantage is the life cycle of an AGM battery is up to four times that of a lead-acid battery -- continually starting/stopping the engine and the long-term effect it has on the battery has been a bone of contention. This system also uses a hydraulic pump to keep the fluid in the transmission primed and ready to move the car. During the drive, I was surprised by how well it came together. The restart was less jarring than many systems and the takeoff after the restart was smoother -- there was less of a jerk as the transmission came back on line.
How much gasoline the start-stop system will save is open for debate. For someone who lives close to the highway and commutes to a workplace beside said highway, the savings will likely be small. However, for an urban commuter the potential savings should be significant, which is reflected in the revised fuel consumption numbers. The 2014 Malibu and its 2.5L engine is now rated at 8.0 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 5.3 L/100 km on the highway, which is an improvement of 14% and 6%, respectively.
The top-line 2.0L turbocharged engine has also seen some work. It puts forth 259 hp, which is the same as last year, but it gets a 14% increase in torque -- up to 295 lb.-ft. This gave the Malibu 2LZ noticeably more hop off the line during the drive and a sub-six second run to 100 kilometres an hour.
The chassis has also been returned to improve ride comfort. In a nutshell, the base car adopts the dampers from last year's turbo model. Driving it proved the revision reduced body roll through a corner while lending a more refined feel on the highway. Ditto the reworked brake pedal -- it now has a crisper feel. Chevrolet has also upped the safety quotient in the advanced safety package. It now includes forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, a sonar-based back-up warning system as well as rear cross-traffic alert.
The top-line 2.0L turbocharged engine now puts out 259 hp, which is the same as last year, but it gets a 14% increase in torque -- up to 295 lb-ft.
Inside, there's a reworked centre console with two new cellphone cubbies, and the backside of the front seats have been scooped out, which gives the rear riders 32-millimetres more legroom. So far, nothing earth shattering.
However, one of the neat features is Chevy's MyLink infotainment system and the new extension it earns. As before, it features a large touchscreen (with a cubby behind it) that integrates the entertainment/media, phone and, if equipped, navigation functions. However, it now comes with a new text-to-voice feature that's compatible with most smartphones. It converts incoming messages to speech and relays them through the audio speakers. It also allows the driver to reply with a preset message. The driver can create his/her own menu of responses (when parked) or pick one of the canned messages like, "I'm driving and will contact you later."
For iPhone users, MyLink goes one further by allowing Siri, the iPhone's built-in concierge/information guru, to perform many of the tasks. This minimizes distracted driving -- I have long wondered what the difference is between using a car-mounted touchscreen to type in the numbers to place a call versus doing it on the phone's screen. To my mind, there is no difference, as the driver is equally distracted. This makes the ability to tap into Siri a valuable extension -- I paired my phone quickly and easily, and I also used Siri to place a call from my contact list.
The improvements do make for a better Malibu -- 2014 pricing runs from $24,995 for the LS to $34,715 for the full-zoot LTZ with the 2LZ package. It's all pretty heady stuff for a company that is only now beginning to move away from the push-rod V8 engine it introduced in the '50s. Likewise, the abaility to react to customer observations within a single model year is something previously unheard of at General Motors -- unless one counts the Pontiac Aztek!
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