If you are looking for a highly-rated, luxury car that fits the economy lifestyle at just the right price, then it’s definitely worth your time checking out the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. This is a sleek beauty with plenty of high-tech and highly-rated safety options. Built with the adventurous, high-fashion commuter in mind, the Malibu has many key features that will make the daily commute feel more like the daily retreat. Check out the 2020 Chevy Malibu vs the 2020 Toyota Camry, and a few other top-of-the-line cars, that bring a whole new level of accessible comfort and ease to the average car owner. Let’s take a look at why the Malibu takes home the top place amongst the competition.
Why Chevy?
Chevrolet is one of the oldest names in American car manufacturing, going as far back as Ford, GM, and Dodge. Chevy has always been a top competitor in innovation, putting the average American family front and foremost in their envelope-pushing designs. Now, as a luxurious but accessible line under GM, Chevy is consistently an independently show-stopping line of top ingenuity and everyday comfort, no less so with the 2020 Malibu line.
Why the Malibu?
To start off, it looks gorgeous. The sleek exterior design and gentle body-divots around the wheel hubs, hood, and doors catch the light in ways that would make any gearhead’s eyes shimmer with appreciation. The available add-ons of the 2020 Chevy Malibu push the market in fast-paced and invigorating ways that leave little to be desired from convenience, space, and functionality in a midsize car. The Malibu lineup includes five different trims with expressive customizing options.
The models start with the L as the base and move to the LS, LT, RS, and Premier as the full lineup. With CVT (Continuous Variable Transmission), a decent 15.7 cu.ft. of storage space, and a full spectrum of classy and easy to care for exteriors, it’s easy to see why the Malibu sits at the front of the midsize car class.
The Chevy Malibu has been making consumers want a vacation from their usual commute vehicle since 1968. It is also often seen in classic cinematography and iconic American films. Getting in on the Malibu is almost like getting in on a long, established family with an elite heritage. The current style Malibu has been being made since 1997, and for a good reason. They are dependable, stylish, and built for performance.
Classic Malibus are collector’s items and often seen as vacation or touring cars, but are also closely associated with the drive-in scene. The coups were seen as prime date-night cars because of the convertible options and roomy back seat. It may not be as great for passengers today, but it was one of the roomier options of its time.
Today’s Malibu is sporty, chic, and fun to drive. The continuous variable transmission lends for a smooth ride with barely felt gear shifting and excellent fuel economy. But if all of that wasn’t enough to convince you to at least take the 2020 Malibu for a test spin, here are more of its top features that the competitors just don’t offer.
2020 Chevrolet Malibu vs Other Top Competitors
The starting MSRP of the 2020 Chevy Malibu is as striking as the vehicle’s sun-catching exterior. The L starts at an MSRP of $22,095, which is pretty amazing for a mid-size car that gets up to 29/36 miles per gallon without being a hybrid. Here is where we see the CVT really pulling its weight. But the CVT is not all that you are paying for.
The base model L is available in silver ice metallic (one of two options for the L), and all standard safety features, a back-up camera, and a little above-average entertainment system are available. Unlike many base model mid-size cars, the Malibu ends with all options added almost exactly where it starts. It’s a steal, especially for someone preparing for that new, long commute—or having to go back to the usual commute after a long break. If you’re really looking for a fuel economy that delivers along with style, and a price point that is easily accessible, the Malibu will meet your approval.
For example, here are the starting MSRP’s for the Malibu and its competition:
- 2020 Chevy Malibu $22,095
- 2020 Toyota Camry $24,425
- 2020 Honda Accord $24,020
Wait a sec, a Chevy that’s cheaper than a competing Toyota?! Apparently, it does happen every once in a while. The 2020 Chevy Malibu comes out with better starting options and a classier, smoother ride and finishes yet cheaper than the 2020 Toyota Camry.
Interior
The Malibu still holds to its heritage of not having the most storage space, nor the most spacious back seat, but focuses on providing luxury for the driver and one to two other passengers. Leather interior options are available at a pretty low price point with the RS model and come standard in the Premier. But other than leather and non-leather options, more of the interior feature differences are seen once hitting the tech and safety feature department.
With Cloth and Leather options through the RS-LS, it’s not hard to choose luxury over standard when the luxury price point is so easily accessible. The leather options are available for less than 2k, and depending on the model, under $900. Consider your locale (temperature and sun exposure) and car use carefully when picking your interior. Cloth vs leather is still one of the biggest hot-button topics among car enthusiasts today, but what it really comes down to is if you want that luxury feel and don’t mind paying a little extra, that leather is hard to pass up. There is very little that can compare to the scent and feel of a leather interior. The luxury it exudes, and the new car smell that seems to linger for months or even years longer than cloth is difficult to turn down.
Tech and Safety
Once hitting the LT option in the lineup, the driver can have all of the luxuries of leather and safety for a price-point that is still highly accessible. For less than 25k, the LT comes available with Chevy’s Driver Confidence Package levels I and II, which includes:
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- IntelliBeam
- Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning
- Forward Collision Alert
- Following Distance Indicator
- Driver Confidence Package
- Front Pedestrian Braking
- Rear Park Assist
- Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
Many parents of new drivers cheered when the rear-view camera and collision assist alerts started becoming standard safety features, but the Stabilitrak hits an all-new high point in luxurious safety. Not just for new drivers but for the experienced ones too; the lane assist options offered are exceptionally helpful on long drives and commutes after busy working hours.
Engine
With the 1.5L 4-cylinder standard engine and the 2.0L 4-cylinder (hitting 250 hp) that comes in the Premier model, the Malibu is ready to pack a punch on the highway. The smaller engine that comes standard in the L-LT models hit 160 hp, which is a bit more than standard for a mid-size car.
The CVT—standard in all engines—really pushes the highway fuel economy of the Malibu, regularly hitting over 36 MPG on the highway. The bigger engine in the Premier does experience a drop to 22/32 MPG, but if you’re looking for cost to luxury over cost to fuel economy, it is an acceptable way to go. The LS, RS, or LT, on the other hand, are the best options for price-point to luxury to fuel efficiency ratio.
To Wrap This Up
The Malibu is the vacation from your daily grind and commute. With a low starting MSRP, extensive tech-features, and a low price point for adding leather interior and more safety tech, the 2020 Chevy Malibu comes far out ahead of the competition in innovation and available luxury features.
