The Most Important Part of Chevy’s New Malibu? A New Turbo Engine

Back when we first started talking about the redesigned 2016 Chevy Malibu, we admitted that while it may not be the most invigorating car out there, its last major redesign in 2008 was “a huge improvement over the previous generation,” and the current generation “kept the Malibu moving in the right direction.” But while it may have improved in both interior and exterior styling updates, it continued to get trounced in both the performance and legroom departments when compared to competitors like the latest Accord, Camry, and Sonata.
Rolling onto lots across America as we speak, the 2016 Chevy Malibu will be offered in L, LS, LT and Premier trims, as well as a Hybrid model. Maybe GM has finally started paying closer attention to its target market instead of just eyeing the competition, or perhaps it knows that it needs a fresh home run courtesy of an all-out assault on every other midsize sedan out there. Either way, the Detroit-based automaker has made the 2016 Malibu a very different car in so many ways, starting with its available powertrains.


While everyone wants to flip out about the new Malibu finally having a hybrid option, with its electric side offering speeds that top 55 miles per hour and 47 miles per gallon combined, we have something a bit more invigorating in mind.
Taking notes from the success it has seen with the youthful Trax, Chevy has outfitted the new Malibu with a 1.5-liter, turbocharged four-banger that makes 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Boasting economy numbers that borderline 27 miles per gallon in the city and 37 miles per gallon on the highway, this turbocharged pipsqueak of a powerplant appears to walk the tight line between zippy and efficiency, but it isn’t the only boosted option available on the 2016 Malibu. For anyone hungering for a bit more grunt, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the previous generation remains available, making 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque while offering a slightly softer 22 miles per gallon city and 32 miles per gallon average on the highway.