2018 Chevrolet Malibu: Hypnotized by the Redline?

Auto manufacturers have expended tons of energy in recent years trying to breathe new life into the category of traditional sedans, but have run up against the unassailable dominance of utility models and their derived formats. 

The mid-size sedan segment remains a bright spot for the industry in North America, but even there the most recent sales figures are pointing to the same inevitable truth: the sedan as a species is in decline. This has not been great news for Chevrolet, which is still trying, in vain, to haul its sedans up to the level of perennial leaders the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. 

For the Malibu, the 2016 model-year did show encouraging signs with the launch of the model’s new generation. The car saw its sales increase in both the U.S. and Canada. Alas, that gain was lost in 2017 as the Malibu experienced a fresh drop in North American sales.

And yet, the Malibu is not a bad car, far from it; my test drive covered a few days in the dead of winter and it came out of it with good grades…

More seductive
As mentioned, the last redesign of the Chevrolet Malibu dates to the 2016 model-year. That change introduced contours more beguiling than before, when this Chevy too often got lost in the urban jungle due to its anonymous styling. Just compare the current look of the Malibu to those of other sedans in the segment and you’ll appreciate the progress it has made. I particularly like the windows that stretch back to the rear pillar, while the edge lines that cut along the sides provide the chassis with some three-dimensional relief. 

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