Chevrolet Malibu Refresh To Address Rear Seating Somehow

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

The minor model change for the Chevrolet Malibu will be more than just a Honda Civic-style refresh. Chevrolet will apparently address the cramped rear seating area as part of the overhaul.

Citing unnamed sources, Bloomberg claims that the Malibu will feature a new front end that resembles the 2014 Chevrolet Impala, as well as “ …Updates [that] will make the back seat feel roomier…” GM executives are on record regarding the existence of the refresh, but have declined to specify what will be involved.

TTAC’s Michael Karesh, who was famously critical of the Malibu Eco, found the Malibu 2.0T to be a much improved car- something that I would concur with, having sampled the turbocharged version during a stay in Florida. The Malibu’s reputation as a toxic vehicle may have more to do with the botched launch rather than the Malibu’s merits as a vehicle. In that case, the fault lies with management rather than the Malibu itself.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Cargogh Cargogh on Jan 19, 2013

    I can't even remember the launch, but I dreaded it because the old Malibu was a lovely sedan in the midst of bulbous headlamps from Camcords and I knew it would not be an improvement. It was not. I don't know about the Impala. Sometimes from the front 3/4 view, it looks like a Crosstour--not something to copy. Hope that back seat redo is really nice.

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    • Lorenzo Lorenzo on Jan 19, 2013

      @PrincipalDan I've rented two Impalas recently, the last time at Christmas to haul five people around, and all the reaer seat passengers complained about it. I had to have an 80 year old sit in front because she couldn't get out of the back seat last time. The problem is raising the seat cushion to true full-size standards will reduce headroom. That's the downside of four-door coupe styling applied to full size sedans. My 6'2" nephew barely had enough headroom, and raising the seat cushion about 3-4 inches would have given him minus 2-3 inches of headroom. That's a pain in the neck! Murilee's 1965 Impala would have been ideal. I owned one, and nobody ever complained about the overstuffed sofa in back. As I recall, I could see out the back window when it was raining, too. Unfortunately, that car had a CD of .60 and the 14" wheels looked tiny by today's standards. At today's gas prices, the 12 MPG (on the freeway) is a non-starter, but it sure was comfortable.

  • Roberto Esponja Roberto Esponja on Jan 20, 2013

    "“…Updates [that] will make the back seat feel roomier…” Uhuh...I know what these updates will consist of: at home we owned one 1983 Chevy Celebrity, as well as a 1984 and a 1985. The 1983 had great front legroom, not so much in the back. Apparently there must have been complaints, as the seat track on the 84 and 85 was noticeably shortened. Which in my opinion sucked, as I was already 6'3" at sixteen and therefore much preferred the 1983 to the other two newer cars we had. So, my bet is seat travel: they'll diminish it.

  • FJ60LandCruiser FJ60LandCruiser on Jan 20, 2013

    Chebby needs to learn from BMW that you can make a comfortable seat, and make it thin. They keep stuffing pickup truck seats into their cars, which are a foot thick and eat up already crappy rear seat space. The Malibu isn't a terrible car, but bad impressions have been made with the Eco, and it has once again become forgettable. Don't know how they will address rear seat space without just hollowing out the front seats and cushions in the back... Maybe put a Rolls-style umbrella in the door that instead holds a tanto sword for decapitations.

  • Amca Amca on Jan 20, 2013

    Absolutely it was the launch that queered the current Malibu. The Eco is kinda a joke compared to real hybrids. And it doesn't drive particularly well. They're going to do just enough with the car to completely re-launch it, new front facia. Changes to the rear facsia - make of plastic, easy to revise. Make the interior look different. Maybe launch with one of GM's rumored 9-speeds. Anything to differentiate it.

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