2017 Chevrolet Malibu LT

About this Malibu

The 2016 redesign is when the Malibu got genuinely good-looking. Longer, lower, with a roofline that actually flows into the trunk instead of stopping abruptly. In Silver Ice it's the kind of car that looks appropriate pulling into a client's parking lot or a family dinner, which is exactly the point of a midsize sedan.

The 1.5-liter turbo is the quiet story here. It returns 27 city and 36 highway - hybrid numbers a few years earlier - while still having enough torque down low that you never feel like you're driving something small. If you put real highway miles on a car every week, that difference adds up fast.

Inside, the LT is the trim most people should buy. Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so your phone just works, backup camera, Bluetooth, keyless entry, and a back seat that grew noticeably in this generation. The trunk is large and the rear seats fold for longer items.

Everything works, it drives well, and the paint and body are in good shape. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mean your maps and music come straight off your phone onto the screen - no fighting a dated built-in system. Add the backup camera, Bluetooth, keyless entry, LED running lights, alloy wheels, and folding rear seats, and it's a lot of car for the money. Come drive it.

Features & equipment