2019 Chevrolet Malibu

$22,090 is the MSRP you can expect to budget for when looking at the entry-level L sedan. Moving up one notch to the LS ups the price to $23,220, while the mid-ranger RS trim has a sticker price of $1,000 more, at $24,220. Jumping to $26,620, the LT model nears the top of the range, with the Hybrid model slotting in just above it. Right at the top, the Premier trim with the dialed-up engine is marketed at an MSRP of $31,820. These prices are all exclusive of Chevrolet's destination freight charge of $875 as well as tax, registration, and licensing fees.

A vehicle such as the Malibu has been designed for comfort over distances, and while it isn't necessarily performance-oriented, it does offer some sportier characteristics. This is evident in the precise and accurate handling characteristics which the Malibu possesses, and the punchy 2.0-liter engine that allows for it to accelerate, overtake, and generally maneuver with enthusiasm. Pliant and composed handling, even when thrown into a sudden corner at speed, is quite impressive for a mid-size sedan. Steering is a little lacking in terms of feedback, but it only needs a light touch to make placing the vehicle easy enough for even inexperienced drivers; more spirited pilots will find it adequate - maybe even fun. One excellent aspect of the Malibu is its braking prowess, beating rivals to a 113-feet emergency stop from 60 mph. The brakes are firm and inspire confidence, although some may feel like they need to apply more pressure than usual. Chevrolet has done a good job with the Malibu; it rides comfortably and absorbs most road imperfections to create a stable and poised overall feel.

The Malibu has a long history of capably carrying American families on their daily commute, and with a newly refreshed design for this year, things were looking up for this sedan. Sadly, it doesn't score particularly high in crash tests or reliability, mostly because all the valuable driver aids need to be optioned on at extra costs, where almost all rivals include this as standard, with some crucial features not even available on the cheaper models. Still, it offers a decent ride quality, more than adequate performance when equipped with the available 2.0-liter engine, and favorable levels of fuel economy. With pricing as competitive as it is - and taking into account that you will need to add on packages to get the same level of safety as what main rivals offer - it makes sense to shop around before deciding on the Malibu. The Honda Accord offers much more value for money, coming in at a very similar price; so while the Malibu manages to tick some of the boxes, we'd be hard-pressed to say it manages them all.

If you are fully convinced of your need to invest in a Malibu, ignore the bottom two trims entirely. Despite offering low prices and good in-cabin comfort, they are both devoid of any real advanced safety features, and none can be additionally specced. The RS trim, although sporty and quite cheeky in appearance, is a rather odd compromise of blacked-out style over driver aids and conveniences. To get any real value for money from the range, you need to start with the LT - with the addition of one of the driver confidence packages to cover your safety bases, at the very least. To be honest, if you aren't going to explore any of the rival sedans, rather go all in and spend on the Premier, as it opens up all the important safety aids and optional extras that would make this rather bland vehicle stand out, as well as giving you a more powerful engine to play around with. With all that said and done, we'd suggest you take a look at the Malibu Hybrid as a viable alternative to these gas-powered models as well.

The Malibu's big brother, the Impala, seems like an odd comparison, and it may very well leave you with more questions than answers to compare the two. But it stands to reason that the larger sedan would be more spacious and comfortable, and with a lengthier body, the Impala has much more cabin space, and quite a bit more cargo volume. It also sports a much more impressive base engine, equipped with a 2.5-liter inline-four that supplies 197 hp and 191 lb-ft to the Malibu's 160 hp and 184 lb-ft. The downside of more power is the decrease in fuel efficiency, and with much more to worry about in terms of your fuel budget, there doesn't seem to be much to convince us either way. The Impala, with its bulkier size and heftier price tag, doesn't handle quite as nimbly as the Malibu does, and so, if we had to choose, we'd stick with the smaller sedan purely for its soft and compliant ride and better gas mileage.

The Accord also offers two powertrain options, and at only a slightly higher price, it comes well-equipped with many advanced driver aids and safety features which are only available on the top-end Malibu. Both engine options on the Accord are impressive in their capabilities and their generally fuel-efficient nature, and together with adept and sporty handling result in a wonderfully engaging vehicle to drive. The cabin and trunk space on the Accord are only marginally better than what Chevy has managed to put together in the Malibu, but the Honda just presents a better package overall: a classy, roomy cabin a supple ride, good fuel economy and the things that the Malibu lacks the most - safety tech, included as standard from even entry-level models. There really is no contest in this regard - take the Accord, in any guise. It's worth the small increase in price.