The Chevrolet Malibu is good, really good. In fact, the Malibu finished ahead of such mid-size sedan stalwarts as the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry in a comparison test we conducted earlier this year. And things are only looking better for 2017, as Chevy’s family sedan enters the new model year with a handful of noteworthy changes.
A new Sport package adds some verve to the midline LT model, bringing a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob to the interior, as well as a rear spoiler and a set of 18-inch, 10-spoke wheels to the exterior. Unfortunately, the $875 Sport package is sporty in appearance only; the model is functionally identical to the standard LT. Unlike last year, the LT is no longer split into two sub-trims, the 1LT and the more powerful 2LT. Instead, the 2LT has effectively been killed off, leaving the LT with a single powertrain: a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 160 horsepower (three less than last year) and a six-speed automatic transmission, a combo it shares with the Malibu L and LS.
Those looking for more oomph will need to step up to the 182-hp Malibu hybrid or the Malibu Premier, with its 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo four. The 2017 Malibu Premier trades in last year’s eight-speed automatic transmission for a new nine-speed unit. The extra ratio raises the 2.0-liter engine’s highway fuel-economy rating to 33 mpg, a gain of 1 mpg. City fuel economy, at 22 mpg, remains the same. Unfortunately, Chevrolet now s...