2021 Chevrolet Malibu

Some people may be drawn to the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu's suave but low-key profile, apt and refined drive dynamics, and thrifty fuel economy returns, but the thing is, these are very typical qualities of the midsize sedan segment. If there's one area where the Malibu does outshine some of its competitors, it's in its modern and user-friendly infotainment system, but then again, it's not the only vehicle to boast a first-rate system. There are still many cars that offer a whole lot more and for less money. This alone is enough to turn most shoppers away, but the NHTSA and IIHS's subpar crashworthiness review of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu is another black mark against it. At the end of the day, Chevrolet would need to improve the Malibu significantly for it to be a truly viable choice over its very many competitors. Its construction through to its standard consignment of features, particularly driver-assists and safety systems, could all do with a good hard look.

The Premier, with its 2.0-liter turbo-four motor offers far better performance than its 1.5-liter turbo-four-equipped brethren. The problem is, you don't want to spend $33,500 on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu sedan when, at that price, you can drive something like the Honda Civic or even the Accord, both of which are far more entertaining to drive and far richer in value. If you're set on the Malibu sedan, we'd recommend the most affordable model, the LS, with the Driver Confidence Package optioned in for the added driver assists. These include a following distance indicator, automatic braking in emergencies, forward collision alert, lane change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot alert.