2023 Chevrolet Malibu

2023 was the first Malibu year with a single powertrain: the 2.0L turbo and Premier trim were dropped, leaving the 1.5L LFV turbo four in every trim (LS Fleet, LS, RS, 1LT, 2LT). So the volume-trim figure is also the model-range maximum.

Peak torque of the sole 2023 powertrain; the turbo's low-rpm torque makes the car adequate around town despite modest horsepower.

The 1.5T/CVT pairing is unchanged since the 2019 refresh, so instrumented and estimated figures for it apply directly to 2023. Low-8-second runs are slow for a mid-size sedan, where rivals' base engines run in the 7s and hybrids faster.

The 1.5T is quiet and adequate at low speeds but reviewers call it unimpressive on the highway, growing coarse and short of breath under sustained load, with mild turbo lag off the line and no hybrid assist.

The CVT pulls away smoothly and simulates stepped shifts to limit drone, but it flares revs under hard throttle, some reviewers find it a bit unrefined, and there is no real manual mode.

The 2023 Malibu is front-wheel drive only on every trim; no AWD was ever offered on this generation, while Altima and Camry offered AWD in 2023.

One powertrain across the whole range: 1.5L turbo, CVT, FWD. The 2.0T/9-speed was cut for 2023 and the hybrid after 2019, so there is no performance or electrified alternative.

The 2023 rating dropped to 30 MPG combined from 2022's 32, then rose back to 31 for 2024. Competitive with gas mid-size sedans (Altima 2.5 ~30–32, K5/Sonata 2.5 ~31) but well behind hybrid rivals.

27 MPG city with standard stop/start is on par with naturally aspirated 2.5L rivals, far behind hybrids in stop-and-go driving.

35 MPG highway is decent for a gas mid-size, trailing the Altima's 39 and the hybrid mid-sizers' mid-40s.

A 15.8-gallon tank at the 30 MPG combined rating gives about 474 miles — ordinary for the segment and short of hybrid mid-sizers that clear 600.

EPA estimates $2,150 a year to fuel, saving $750 over five years versus the average new vehicle; single powertrain means no trim variance.

The 1.5L turbo runs on regular 87-octane with no premium requirement, and every trim shares the same engine. Held below the low 90s only because gasoline is the sole option, with no electrified variant.

NHTSA rates the 2023 Malibu 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in frontal and side crash and 4 stars for rollover resistance — the same result the ninth-generation (2016–2025) car carries across its carry-over years.

Good in driver-side small overlap, original moderate overlap, roof strength and head restraints, but Poor in the updated side test, and no IIHS award for 2023. A Poor result in a core crash test keeps this in the bottom band despite the otherwise solid structure.

Chevy Safety Assist is standard on every 2023 trim (AEB, front pedestrian braking, forward collision alert, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, following distance indicator, IntelliBeam auto high beams), but blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are optional packages and adaptive cruise is limited to a package on the top 2LT — rivals like Camry and Accord ship BSM and full-speed ACC standard.

The standard system earned Advanced (and the optional enhanced system Superior) in IIHS's now-retired vehicle-to-vehicle test, but pedestrian detection is only Basic in daylight and No Credit at night — it failed to slow in low-beam tests. Weak pedestrian performance, especially at night, puts it near the bottom of the segment.

Side Blind Zone Alert with Lane Change Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are alert-only and sold only in the optional Driver Confidence package; nothing is standard, and there is no active intervention or safe-exit warning. The thick rear pillars make the omission more costly.

Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning is standard on all trims, but it only nudges the car back from the line — no lane centering is offered at any price. Adequate as a lapse-catcher, not a steering aid.

Adaptive cruise control is available only through the Cruise package on the top 2LT; the LS, RS and LT trims that make up most sales cannot get it, and there is no combined highway-assist mode. Availability this restricted is a segment outlier in 2023.

No hands-free highway system is offered; Super Cruise was never available on the Malibu.

IIHS rates the halogen projector headlights on the LS, RS and 1LT volume trims Marginal, with inadequate visibility on the left side of the road on straightaways. IntelliBeam auto high beams are standard, which helps a little.

The ninth-generation fastback roofline brings thick rear pillars and a shallow rear window, and reviewers fault the thick A-pillars and deep dashboard for restricting side views. An HD rear camera is standard and rear park assist optional, but no surround-view camera is offered.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Marginal on both LS and LT configurations — anchors set deep in the seat bight — with two full LATCH positions and a tether-only center seat. Generous rear legroom and wide rear doors make seats easy to fit once installed.

Every 2023 Malibu trim — LS, RS, 1LT and 2LT (plus the LS Fleet) — is a five-passenger four-door sedan with a three-place rear bench. 2023 dropped the Premier trim and the 2.0T but did not touch the body or seating.

The ninth-generation Malibu publishes 39.1 in of front headroom, near the top of the mid-size sedan range; the optional sunroof costs a little over an inch. Carry-over dimension for 2023.

At 41.5 in the Malibu sits at the low end of the mid-size band — the 2023 Camry (42.1 in) and Accord (42.3 in) give front occupants more stretch-out room; the long wheelbase was spent on the rear seat instead.

37.5 in is respectable for a fastback-profile sedan and above the segment midpoint, though the sloping roofline puts taller adults close to the headliner and makes rear entry a duck-and-twist.

The 111.4 in wheelbase pays off in the back: 38.1 in of rear legroom seats two adults comfortably, level with the Camry (38.0 in) though well short of the 2023 Accord's 40.8 in.

A 15.7 cu ft trunk is above average for a mid-size sedan — larger than the Camry's 15.1 cu ft — with a wide, deep well and a standard 60/40 folding rear seatback.

Conventional but adequate: covered center console bin, a hidden shelf behind the sliding infotainment surround, decent door pockets and front/rear cupholders; wireless charging is 2LT-only. Nothing clever — no underfloor trays, no fold-flat front passenger seat, no AC outlet, and the single rear USB port is top-trim only.

Scored on the RS volume trim: cloth seats that Consumer Reports and U.S. News both fault for thin cushioning and support on longer drives, with an 8-way power driver's seat and a manual passenger seat. The better leather seats and power passenger seat are 2LT-only, so most buyers don't get them.

Ride compliance is the Malibu's strongest comfort trait — a soft, well-damped tune that Consumer Reports calls comfortable and that holds up against newer rivals. It floats a little over big heaves, and the RS volume trim's 18-inch wheels take a small edge off the base car's 16s.

Reviewers consistently call the cabin quieter than most in the class — genuinely above par for a mainstream sedan. Held off the top band because owner reviews report tire roar on coarse interstate pavement and the 1.5T gets raspy under load.

Back-loaded onto pricier trims. The RS volume trim — like the LS — has manual single-zone air conditioning and no heated seats; heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate and remote start start at the 1LT, and ventilated front seats plus a heated steering wheel are 2LT-only. 2023 also lost the Premier's heated rear seats when that trim was dropped. No rear climate controls. Marked a little below the 2025 LT-based figure because the volume RS gets none of the comfort upgrades.

The 2023 LS was the cheapest mid-size sedan on sale, undercutting a base Camry LE and Accord LX by roughly $1,000–2,600 delivered. Price rose about $1,300 over 2022 as Chevrolet dropped the 2.0T Premier and restructured the ladder.

The RS — an appearance step (18-inch wheels, black trim) on LS mechanicals — was the retail volume pick, $1,000 above the LS with little to option. Much of the Malibu's 2023 volume went to fleet LS units, which would put the representative price even lower.

Routine service on the 1.5L LFV turbo is cheap, but Edmunds' year-specific projection is high for the class, driven by out-of-warranty risk on the CVT250 and turbo/coolant complaints once powertrain cover ends at 60,000 miles. Scored slightly below the Edmunds total to reflect the much lower CarEdge and RepairPal nameplate figures.

Real-world data now covers three years of the 2023's life: it has lost about 32% so far, a pace that projects to the high 40s at five years. Heavy fleet/rental volume and the 2024 announcement that the nameplate would be discontinued weigh on the back half of the curve.

GM's 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty is the industry floor — matches Toyota, Honda and Nissan, two years short of Hyundai/Kia.

5-year/60,000-mile powertrain cover is the band floor, and it ends right where CVT complaints tend to begin — half the mileage Hyundai and Kia give original owners.

Chevrolet Complete Care covers one scheduled maintenance visit in the first year (oil change, tire rotation, inspection) on 2022-and-newer models, plus 5-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance and courtesy transportation and an OnStar/Connected Services trial. Short included maintenance with better-than-average roadside puts it mid-band, matching the same GM package elsewhere in the dataset.

$26,795 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (47% retained, or about $12,594) leaves about $14,201 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,400 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $20,601 in total.

The two main predictors split. J.D. Power rates the 2023 Malibu 85/100 ("Great"), but Consumer Reports calls it only about average and does not have enough owner data to break out trouble spots. 2023 is a carry-over year in a 2016 generation last refreshed for 2019, and the 2.0T was dropped after 2022, leaving the 1.5T/CVT as the only drivetrain. The score is held in the low 70s because that drivetrain is where the complaints cluster (see 6.1.4).

Chevrolet ranks near the top of the mass-market brands in J.D. Power's dependability studies, but Consumer Reports rates the brand only average, with dependable gas models offset by weaker electrified ones. That is above mid-pack but not a consistent top-five brand.

MY2023 has two NHTSA recalls. One is a small but structural campaign: an incomplete weld on the front impact bar, affecting about 2,100 cars, with GM repurchasing any car found defective. The other covers rearview cameras that can show a distorted or blank image. Neither is a powertrain or fire recall, and recalls across the generation are light. The score stays in the mid-70s because of the structural weld recall and recurring service-bulletin patterns: 1.5T oil consumption, CVT shudder and 'Engine Power Reduced' warnings.

The only 2023 powertrain is the 1.5L LFV turbo paired with GM's CVT, which has a documented set of weak points. Low-tension piston rings can burn oil, turbo failures cluster in 2018-2021 builds, the CVT is prone to shudder, and replacing the CVT is expensive once the 60,000-mile powertrain warranty ends. It sits at the bottom of the mixed-history band rather than below it because later builds use revised PVD-coated rings and 2020+ builds have recovered to about average.

The cabin design dates to 2016. Reviewers describe mostly hard, low-grade plastics, relieved only by fabric-trimmed dash panels and some stitched trim on the 2LT, and it looks dated next to an Accord or Sonata. It is held at 45 rather than lower because it is the cheapest mid-size sedan in the class.

The Malibu is a mature design built on a long-running Fairfax line, so assembly is consistent even though the materials are cheap. Initial-quality surveys agree: the Malibu was the best mid-size car in J.D. Power's 2022 IQS, and J.D. Power gives the 2023 an 85/100 Quality & Reliability score. Rattles and misaligned panels are not a common theme in owner reviews.

With about 2,860 franchises, Chevrolet has one of the densest US dealer networks, including in rural areas. Its service satisfaction is above the mass-market average. It falls short of the 90s because brands such as Subaru lead mass-market satisfaction.

Routine repair costs are at class par and below the all-vehicle average. The 1.5T and CVT are shared with the Equinox, Trailblazer and Encore GX, so both GM and aftermarket parts are plentiful even though Malibu production has ended. It stays at 80 because a failed CVT means replacing the unit, which is costly.

Every 2023 Malibu uses the same 8-inch Chevrolet Infotainment 3 touchscreen that became standard lineup-wide for 2020; the 2LT gets the Infotainment 3 Plus software on the same size screen. Small against a 2023 mid-size field moving to 10–12 in displays.

Infotainment 3 is quick and intuitive with real knobs and buttons for volume, tuning and climate — easy to use on the move. What holds it mid-band is age: a small screen, dated graphics and little configurability. A notch above the 2025 score because in 2023 it was two years less dated against rivals.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard on every 2023 trim including the $25,795 LS — ahead of several rivals that still gated wireless projection. It matters more here because the RS volume trim has no native navigation. Held just below the top of the band for this system's reported one-phone-at-a-time pairing and occasional connection drops.

On the RS volume trim there is no built-in navigation — connected navigation and the better Infotainment 3 Plus voice recognition come only on the 2LT. RS buyers get basic command voice control for phone/radio and rely on CarPlay/Android Auto for maps. No Google built-in.

The RS volume trim has the standard six-speaker system — adequate for podcasts, thin with music. The only upgrade, a nine-speaker Bose, is 2LT-only and cannot be optioned lower.

The RS volume trim has analog speedometer and tachometer around a small Driver Information Center; only the 2LT gets an 8-inch color center display, and even that keeps analog dials either side. No full digital cluster at any price.

2019+ Malibus with Infotainment 3 can receive over-the-air infotainment updates via OnStar data or Wi-Fi, which places it in the infotainment-OTA band. It lacks GM's newer VIP electrical architecture, so updates are limited to infotainment refinements, not vehicle-wide feature additions.

The myChevrolet app is mature — lock/unlock, locate, vehicle diagnostics, tire pressure, oil life, service scheduling and hotspot management — but on a 2023 car the remote-command layer is a trial that lapses into a paid OnStar/Connected Access plan. GM's eight-year standard OnStar Basics applies only from MY2025, so the 2023 sits below the 2025's score. App remote start also needs factory remote start, which the RS lacks.

Two USB ports up front and a 12-volt socket on the RS volume trim; the rear USB and wireless charging pad are 2LT-only, and there is no AC outlet in the lineup. Back-seat passengers on most Malibus have nowhere to charge.

Proximity keyless entry and push-button start are standard on every trim, which is good for the cheapest mid-size sedan of 2023. But the RS volume trim has no remote start (1LT and up), there is no hands-free or power trunk, no phone-as-key, and app-based remote functions need a paid plan after the trial.

An HD rear camera is standard; rear park assist, rear cross-traffic alert and blind-zone alert come in the optional Driver Confidence package, and Automatic Parking Assist is a 2LT option. No surround-view camera on any trim, which hurts more given the thick rear pillars.

No head-up display was offered on any 2023 Malibu trim or package, or anywhere in the ninth generation.

Physical fit is good: 38.1 in of rear legroom takes a rear-facing seat without shoving the front passenger forward, wide square rear doors, and a 15.7 cu ft trunk with a standard 60/40 fold swallows a stroller. Held mid-band by IIHS's Marginal LATCH ease-of-use rating and a back seat with no USB port below the 2LT.

NHTSA 5 stars overall and standard Chevy Safety Assist (AEB, pedestrian braking, lane keep assist, IntelliBeam) plus Teen Driver cover the floor. Beyond that it falls short of a family shopper's bar: IIHS Poor in the updated side test, no IIHS award, weak pedestrian AEB, Marginal headlights, and blind-spot/cross-traffic alerts are an option on every trim while adaptive cruise is 2LT-only. Camry, Accord, Sonata and K5 all include BSM and ACC far lower in the range.

The chassis does the road-trip work — a comfortable ride, an unusually quiet cabin, decent rear legroom and a big trunk. The rear cabin is bare: no rear climate zone, no heated rear seats (lost with the Premier for 2023), no rear USB on the RS volume trim, and cloth seats reviewers say need more cushioning for long drives.

Low-speed manners suit a commute: smooth CVT take-off, 184 lb-ft from low revs, a soft ride over broken pavement, a quiet cabin, physical controls, keyless start and wireless CarPlay on every trim. Held back by no adaptive cruise below the 2LT, no lane centering at any price, manual single-zone climate and no remote start on the RS volume trim, and a 1.5T that gets coarse merging.

Cheap to run per mile on regular fuel — 30 MPG combined / 27 city, EPA $2,150/yr, inexpensive tires and parts, a huge dealer network. Mid-band because hybrid rivals (Camry, Accord, Sonata hybrids) return far better city mileage, and the 1.5T/CVT leave powertrain warranty at 60,000 miles.

A full mid-size footprint (194.2 in long) with a reasonable 37 ft turning circle and a standard HD rear camera. Rear park assist is only in an optional package, there's no surround-view on any trim, and the fastback's thick rear pillars limit sight lines.

A token 1,000 lb trailer rating with no factory trailering package, FWD only, a 160-hp 1.5T with a CVT, and a sealed trunk. Not a work vehicle, in line with other mid-size sedans.

Heavy fleet/rental use (a dedicated LS Fleet trim), strong initial quality, durable cloth interiors and parts shared with the Equinox/Trailblazer support it. Held just below mid-band by the 1.5L LFV's oil-consumption/turbo history and a CVT with shudder complaints, both off warranty at 60,000 miles.

No AC outlet, no factory roof rails, crossbars or hitch, no washable flooring and no upfit ecosystem. A 60/40 fold and trunk hooks are the whole list.

The Malibu's best mission: comfortable ride, quiet cabin and 35 MPG highway on a 15.8-gal tank for about 550 highway miles, with wireless CarPlay to navigate. Held back by plain cruise control on the RS volume trim (ACC 2LT-only, no lane centering), cloth seats that lack long-drive support, no ventilated seats below 2LT, and a small four that revs hard on grades.

No AWD in any trim (Camry and Altima offered it in 2023), ~6 in ground clearance, token towing, no roof rails and no AC outlet. It will get four people and gear to a paved campground, nothing more.

Above-average trunk (15.7 cu ft) and a standard 60/40 fold for long items. A trunk opening limits bulky gear, and there's no underfloor storage, roof rails or hitch to add capacity.

The comfort-tuned ninth-gen chassis is sure-footed and stable with modest body roll, and the RS volume trim's 18-inch wheels sharpen it slightly over the base LS. But the soft tune and FWD-only layout keep it short of engaging — secure but unremarkable, below the Accord and Camry.

The electric rack is quick and accurate enough to place the car confidently, but road feel is thin — the most-cited reason the Malibu never feels sporty.

Reviewers praise the brakes as strong, smooth and easy to modulate, with a linear pedal and no regen blending; the ~3,100 lb curb weight helps. Held below 80 for lack of a retrievable instrumented 70–0 figure for this configuration.

2023 is the first single-powertrain year: the 160-hp 1.5T with CVT. Low-rev torque makes tip-in feel brisk and the CVT slurs smoothly with simulated steps, but there's mild turbo lag, auto stop/start, and the engine runs out of breath at higher revs and under sustained load.

Road and wind isolation are excellent, but this item is the powertrain: at part throttle it's unobtrusive; loaded up, the small turbo four turns raspy, and it stands out in an otherwise hushed cabin.

37 ft curb-to-curb on a 111.4 in wheelbase is mid-pack for a mid-size sedan, marginally tighter than the Camry's 37.4 ft. Chassis and steering unchanged for 2023.

Controls are the high point — a conventional, driver-focused layout with physical climate and audio controls reviewers call 'undaunting'. Against that, the fastback roofline limits outward visibility and makes entry more awkward, and the RS volume trim's cloth seats are underbolstered with manual single-zone climate.

2023 removed the one fun Malibu — the 250-hp 2.0T Premier — leaving 160 hp, a CVT, numb steering and a comfort chassis. The RS is an appearance package. Pleasant, quiet and easy, but nothing invites the long way home; ~8.3 s 0–60 trails the class.

The 2023 LS includes an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 4G LTE hotspot, push-button start, rear park assist and the Chevy Safety Assist bundle (AEB, pedestrian braking, lane keep, forward collision alert, IntelliBeam). But blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are optional at every trim and adaptive cruise is 2LT-only, while a Camry, Altima and Sonata give more driver assistance or bigger screens as standard.

At $25,795 delivered the LS was the cheapest way into a roomy, comfortable mid-size sedan with 36 mpg highway. But 2023 dropped the 2.0T, leaving only the 163-hp 1.5T and CVT with no hybrid or AWD, and weak resale gives back part of the upfront saving — fair value rather than a standout.

Four trims (LS, RS, 1LT, 2LT) across a ~$6,800 spread, one engine, one transmission, FWD only. With the Premier and 2.0T gone for 2023, the lineup lost its only performance branch, leaving the least configurable mainstream mid-size sedan.

Calendar 2023 was a strong year: over 130,000 US sales, up from about 115,000 in 2022, third in the mid-size segment in Q2 and Chevrolet's third best-selling nameplate. Volume leaned heavily on fleet, and the segment itself was shrinking, so steady mid-pack rather than a leader.

Chevrolet is a huge, familiar brand with the densest dealer network, but the Malibu carries rental/fleet associations and soft resale. In the 2023 model year it was not yet an orphan — discontinuation wasn't announced until 2024 — so a touch above the 2025 run-out car.

In the tight-inventory 2023 market the Malibu still offered modest national deals — $750 cash in mid-2023, low-interest financing in spring, a national LT lease — but nothing like the $2,250-plus run-out discounts of 2024–2025.

2023 is the eighth model year of the ninth generation (2016) and fifth since the 2019 refresh; the only change was de-contenting (2.0T and Premier dropped). The platform, CVT and 8-inch infotainment are late-2010s hardware, and replacement risk was high — production ended in November 2024 with no successor.

No 2023 awards or comparison wins. Reviewers praise ride comfort, rear room and price but call it slow and dated against the Camry, Accord, Sonata and K5; Consumer Reports placed it near the bottom of the class and it earned no IIHS Top Safety Pick.