2013 Chevrolet Malibu User Reviews

Pros

Good Fuel economy, Smooth Ride, Roomy

Cons

None

Purchased As New

I went to trade my 2010 Chrysler 300s getting me 23mpg to and from work my work trip is about 45 miles one way. Needless to say I am glad I did. I am getting about 31mpg mixed the ride is quiet and I loves the hands free sync. I got the LS because I just wanted to get soemthing to get me to and from work and I didn't need the Flash of the 300s with poor gas mileage. I still feel I have something that turns heads because of the new design has a look at me now feeling. Great job GM....read morehide

Pros

Great on gas, roomy, quiet ride

Cons

None

Purchased As New

This is one of my favorite cars to drive. It's quiet, there's no lag on the turbo, handles well on the road. I'm 6'1" and there's plenty of leg room for those long drives on the highway. I like Chevys My Link system now I'm able to drive and never have to worry about pushing button on the radio. I test drove the other mid size cars and found this one to be the most comfortable ride for me. Great job for the bow ties boys on this one....read morehide

Pros

Style, gas mileage, comfort

Cons

Pricey Navigation

Purchased As New

I was in a pinch for a car and needed to drive one off the lot so I ended up with far more options than I would have orderd, but I LOVE THIS CAR. My only 'must have's' were navigation and remote start, in order to get them, I had to move into the 2LT arena. I wouldn't have considered a Chevy except that I rented the 2012 Malibu while on business and really loved the drive. The height of the car put me above my current ride (a buick leSabre) and for my commute that was a huge plus. The vehicle (in the optional Red color I bought which just happens to match my nail color. . . ) has a great tight turn radius and the interior design reminds me of a retro look with a thin blue line of 'neon' shining off the chrome around the dash board at night.

Navigation is something I'm still getting used to after 3 weeks, its not as responsive as my dash mounted magellen unit is, but perhaps I need to get used to it for a bit longer before calling foul on it.

Note on navigation -- the sales rep said it has turn by turn navigation but that is thru the onstar system -- you call onstar, tell them your destination and they download the directions. not optimal for me, I prefer more control, so I opted for the optional navigation system with the touch screen that I program myself. with that comes the backup camera which makes this sooooooo easy to park! the rear of the car angles up so you can't see the bumper to park it, making it difficult to judge where to stop. the camera which is mounted just above the licence plate, under the bumper gives a great view.

the optional 'safe driver' type addons, which are lane monitoring and front end sonar crash sensor are great! the technology is fascinating -- how does it know???? LOL its actually a form of missle guidance believe it or not.

as for style -- I mentioned the dashboard. This model has leather interior, along with a sunroof which I've never had in a vehicle, but quickly love. new england is darkk thru winter, just that extra light into the car is amazing.

the pioneer sound system is a bit basey, but then again I'm 52 years old. . . . maybe i'm not hip enough to appreciate it. there is an equalizer which takes care of that quickly.

I've yet to find one thing I'd 'rather have' or 'would change' on this car. the trunk is huge and the 60/40 back seat split is awesome for hauling longer items. the trunk is an easy height to lift groceries out of too, not too deep to strain my back!

overall, I love this car. Highly recommend it, even in the lower models, they purr so nicely too!...read morehide

Cons

I DONT LIKE THE COLOR!-(WHITE)

Purchased As Used

I GOT A GREAT DEAL ON THE PURCHASE PRICE($..3200).I DONT KNOW WHY HE SOLD IT SO CHEAP,BUT I'M GLAD I WENT AGAINST THE OLD SAYING OF "IF IT SEEMS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE-THEN IT PROBABLY IS".I HAVE NOT HAD 1 SINGLE PROBLEM WITH IT AND I'VE HAD IT JUST OVER A YEAR NOW! I'M HAPPY

Pros

Great gas mileage. Impressive interior

Cons

Could have more wood trim

Purchased As New

I have owned Cadillacs for the past 12 years and wanted a smaller, sportier, more fuel efficient vehicle. While researching cars I saw the Red tint Malibu and decided to test drive it. The Malibu has the style and feel of a more expensive car at a much lower price point. Great ride, great interior and more importantly, it's a great looking car. The interior has everything that the more expensive brands have; XM radio, heated seats, leather interior and a great Pioneer sound system. The Malibu is sporty and surprisingly nimble. I agree with most that the gas mileage is closer to 22-25 miles a gallon in the city and not 18. The 1LTZ looks beefy and manlier than the beloved Camry and the Accord. I hope the Malibu can match their reliability; only time will tell. GM is catching up with the European and Japanese automakers with such a stylish car. In the interim GM has taken the Malibu into uncharted waters and has delivered a top notch car....read morehide

Pros

Looks good, fuel efficient,

Cons

fit and finish

Purchased As Not Purchased

I got a chance to drive this vehicle as a rental and so far, I'm quite impressed although I can definitely tell the difference between a car that car an American badge on it and a Japanese badge on it. Regardless of where it is made.
The fit and finish of this Malibu is terrible.
I own a very similar car within the same class and I can tell that the fit and finish isn't up to Japanese auto-making standards. Or at least standards outside of GM. (I have a 2011 Honda Accord LX, and the differences is apparent)
Interior:
There is lots of plastic, albeit good soft touch finishes where it counts like the dash, but the doors are covered with hard grainy plastic. The seams of the weather tape doesn't look like it was fitted well, it has gaps and crevices. The plastic has terrible finishing where you can see the excess plastic.
The pillars aren't very good, so visibility isn't as great as an Accord.

On the bright side, it does have good standard features.
-iPod USB interface, something the Accord never offered until their 2012 models
-digital readout in the instrument cluster that gives you instantaneous MPG, average MPG, and average speed. Also tells you other cool stuff like specific tire pressure-- IN PSI!!, However this readout is the old school displays from the 1980s. I would like to see an LCD readout but I guess to keep production costs low, at least you have all those features.
-The instrument cluster pops, very well done

Exterior:
-Although the style of the Malibu is very similar to those of the Chevy lineup, it is actually quite attractive. Especially when you are tired of seeing Accords and Camrys on the road. Very attractive, and elegant at the same time.
-the wheels are chrome 17 inchers, and it just screams too much. Not a big fan of chrome wheels.
-Trunk is lined and have those hydraulic lifting. The hinges look cheap though but the liner helps keep cabin noise down. which is great.

Performance:
Well, it doesn't have a manual transmission. However, I will give GM some credit for having a 6 speed instead of the nasty CVT. It does however change its mind sometimes and isn't always in the right gear. Which is why I prefer the manual.
The electronic shifting buttons are useless, but I guess they aren't terrible. It still isn't a substitute for a manual.
The 2.5L engine is actually pretty good but the noise it delivers isn't music.
The handling is, well, American. I think the main problem with the steering is, the steering feel. Its got electronic powered steering instead of the hydraulics. Feedback at higher velocity isn't good. Instead, it feels quite numb.
The gas pedal isn't very forgiving as well.

If I had the choice to lease it, rent it, or buy it...I would lease it or rent it. But I wouldn't buy it. The market is way to competitive....read morehide

Pros

Smooth and quiet ride, performance

Cons

Look cheap inside a lot of plastic

Purchased As Not Purchased

The auto shop lend me this car for a week. I drive it to work every day; it was much better than I thought. This car has enough power to drive without feeling under power. More than that It provide a smooth, soft, and quiet ride, and I feel more solid and heavier than I expected. But inside does not look beautiful compared to its counterparts: Altima, Accord, and Fusion...Over all, this car is fun to drive at a reasonable price....read morehide

Pros

spacious, the v6 engine in the LTZ, the 2 tone look

Cons

rear blind spots.

Purchased As Used

I've owned 3 of these vehicles from teenage years and now into motherhood. I will never switch because of the pure reliability these vehicles have. Parts are cheap which is a plus because we like to do our own maintenance. But i do stress the reliability, i put my first one through a beating as a teen and it took it very well. Now, i trust both (my old and new one) with my kids and my life. Very very good car....read morehide

Pros

Good fuel economy, nice looks inside and out, smooth ride, nice tranny

Cons

A bit pricey. 4 cylinder engine could be a little more powerful.

Purchased As New

Very comfortable inside, almost like the new Camaros. I like the controls. Steering is smooth and responsive. Great turning radius for such size car. Solid brakes. BIG trunk can fit a nice size cooler for road trips. I feel it's priced a little high but I did manage to get an excellent deal thanks to my trade in and being a member of a certain big box store. Atlantis Blue is a very under rated color. I'll have to get back with you in a year or so on the reliability....read morehide

Purchased As Used

We have an 07 and we just love it, the mileage is great we get 28 average but if we take a long trip it goes up to about 32. Roomy and comfortable. The only downside is the console in the middle, hate the position, very difficult to get in and out of. I like this model year but the new ones are awful, smaller and very uncomfortable. I would never recommend to anyone to buy a new one they are such a disappointment. I don't know why companies do this, they make a car perfect and then change it in the name of progress and ruin it....read morehide