The Malaysian D-segment sedan market is set to welcome a newcomer in the form of the Chevrolet Malibu. The Malibu is listed as ‘coming soon’ in a flyer by an official Chevrolet dealer based in Butterworth, shared by reader Bindy.
The flyer doesn’t say how much, or when the Malibu is coming, so you’ll have to make do with some background info. Previously a US nameplate, the latest Malibu, like the Cruze, was designed to be a global car intended for nearly 100 markets in six continents.
If you’re familiar with Singapore, you might have noticed the car the Malibu will replace in our part of the world – the dreary Epica (epic fail) is used as a taxi in the city state.
The new Malibu will take on D-segment (or midsize in North America) stalwarts like the Toyota Camry/Honda Accord, as well as Koreans Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima. It looks pretty handsome, and there’s a hint of muscle in the rear ‘inspired by Camaro’ design.
Underpinned by GM’s Epsilon II platform, the Malibu comes with a range of engines, depending on market. There’s a 2.4 litre Ecotec (165 hp/225 Nm), a 2.5 litre with 197 hp/259 Nm, a 3.0 V6 with 260 hp/290 Nm, or even a 2.0 turbo with 260 hp and 353 Nm. A 160 hp/350 Nm 2.0 VCDI diesel engine is also in the range.
The flyer shows the latest Malibu in its original form, first seen at Shanghai 2011. Just one and a half years after the eighth-gen rolled off the assembly line in October 2011, GM introduced a facelifted Malibu for the US market. The model year 2014 Malibu carries minor aesthetic, powertrain and interior changes.
We got close to the Malibu at the 2013 Seoul Motor Show, and you can see more of the car here.
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Ah, the go to car the Americans use when they want to test the crash worthiness of pretty much anything.
It’s actually quite handsome inside it seems, price could be good as well, and it is safe (at least US specs…). I just don’t like the interior.
I wonder how well it will do in Malaysia.
Well, there will be more Proton Accordana than this Malubu.
Many of the users of the Proton Accordana will be chauffered driven. They do not have to sweat walking from the parking place to the function venue.
there will no more than 3k new p1 accordana..less yes…3k is not that much…as long malibu price is right it can sell more than 3k
I thought the Accordana can be accessed by the citizens by 2015?
OMG….”Alein” coming to Malaysia…
I sat in this car last week in the US, nothing like the picture at all! Its all very hard, light and plastic-y (probably made from recycled shampoo bottles).
However, adding this car to our market will enhance the variety of cars in Malaysia and there are worse cars on our roads now to be honest.
Hahaha, damn it. Well, I suppose then it will be rather affordable…?
I second that. Rode in it couple months ago in US, boss got it as our rental car. From the outside it looks very muscular but inside is cheap plastics and the software on the screen looks like its design for kids. Rear legroom is very poor for the segment. Being american car fuel consumption is typically bad.
To be fair, you most likely got the base model for rental. USDM cars tend to have really cheap interiors for their base models, and that also goes to Honda and Toyota.
I had the pre-facelift LTZ 3.6 V6 and the interior is quite decent. I preferred the pre-facelift dash design though and the LTZ had an all black interior.
Ya!Malaysia car market and tax make the price higher than other country but they probably don’t give us a good spec compare with other…pay much but get lowest spec,cheap interior…
wooooooow. Epic fail again. In Johor Bahru ,the chance of seeing a chevy driving is same as the chance of seeing a lambo driving ,
meanwhile, in Penang, chances of seeing Lambo/Ferrari/Porsche is same as chances of seeing Camry…
YOU SURE BRO????
The interior looks like the older Cerato.
look good to me…maybe im a low class people..
after this car, maybe impala next….
at best mediocre cars. the impala has been criticized heavily by the americans themselves. the malibu perhaps best stay in malibu.
What is the Epics dreary?
My dear friend…Epics (actually Epica) Dreary is not the name of a car…it (dreary) means dull and boring and looks kinda sad which defines the previous Epica which Malibu will replace…that’s our class for today guys…signing off, Mr Brown…
Very handsome indeed!
The US based car site I go to do not have a very positive comments regarding the Malibu. In fact, the USDM Camry gets better responds than the Malibu.
Regardless, I’m curious towards the Malaysian market responds. Personally as far as looks go it’s not bad, but with the likes of the Mazda 6, Kia optima and Honda Accord(yes I still think it looks handsome) it our midst, it could prove very tough for it to stand out. Of course spec-ing it well could sweeten the deal but looking at Chevys reputation in Malaysia, I dont see how a buyer will overlook the Koreans and VW for this.
showtime, sam…
Chevrolet cars never have RV.Buy Camry or Accord and you will be consider as a smart person.
Looks good on paper …. wait till it arrives and the pricing, so far Chevy is not doing well in terms of sales and resale value is really bad plus after sales service is equally bad from what I heard …. correct me if I am wrong.
I agree your statement…Chevrolet after sale service is not as good as other brand.
does anyone saw Chevy Sonic hatchback/sedan on the road before since launched?!
Chevy reputation is much worse than proton.. I still remember they went bankrupt last time.. Aveo & the rest of the models (forgot the names dy) become biawak hidup.. Im sorry for the owners.. If you were happy with your Chevy.. It’s my bad…
At least they don’t have power window problem!
just look at the Cruze, perhaps the Sonic. how often you see them on the road?
its not even the facelifted model..
standard kit have to be really2222 generous to take on established rival
The problem is this.
1. Chevy cars in Malaysia has rather nasty quality. Go and sit in the Sonic or the Cruze and then sit in the competition like the 208 and the Cerato, and you can feel the difference. Not to mention, the power train we get on our Chevys are not that good.
2. Naza Chevy is not as good as Naza Peugeot or Naza Kia. Went to the Chevy showroom, and not a single person there was interested to serve, even though I was the only customer and they saw us coming in. Just like VW. Bad first impression, compared to Kia/Peugeot.
When I went to the Kia showroom, the salesman straight away go and greet me and my family with a warm smile. Same experience with Toyota.
There are NO Naza Chevy.
Good car, bad dealership
Engine better be small, if it’s the V6, sure gonna kena high tax.
My prediction; it won’t steal many sales from the non-mainstream D-segment market (Optima, Mondeo, Sonata, Passat etc.)
Before NAZA brings in new model, they should improve their Chevy service and spare parts availability. Spare parts take months reach service centre.
Malibu? Come on guys, if u have lived in the US you will know. Malibu is long gone story. American auto industry is suffering due to their laziness, overpriced cheap quality products and virtually no one in America WANTS to buy a Malibu.
You will see tons of Malibu at rental company;s parking yards but no where else.
Sorry, but I am not buying it.
I think Opel would have been Better badge to bring in for generally more German badge worshipping Malaysian, what say you, new lady GM boss and new GM Headquarter people @Singapore?
I agree. In China the Insignia is quite popular, though they badge it as a Buick there.
This should be priced below even the Koreans (well, isn’t it, sort of Korean?), then maybe I can see a point.
Opel closed their Bochum plant in Germany (where the Astra and Zafira was built) and moved production to Poland… ;)
Nice looking car but sadly Chevy cars are not very popular in Malaysia. Only see few Chevy cars on the road.
please don’t come here. msia is not your playground! go china india & you’ll be pampered!
this looks like the car from Breaking Bad
Heisenberg dribes Camaro
not Hilux
I’ve driven a few mid-size D-segment cars in US: Altima, Passat, Mazda6, Malibu, Camry.
Based on 2013 models, Malibu still good, comfort and luxury is the key. It has a sunroof and best audio system in its class.
If u want me to rank in terms of driving feel (engine response, gear shift response, suspension setup, aerodynamic and braking)
1. Altima
2. Passat
3. Mazda6
4. Malibu
5. Camry
The worst part is the suspension. Too soft and easily hit the maximum suspension travel. That’s why it feels hard on very bumpy road and floaty on highway, as if u r taking a flight.
And in US, mid-size car, as its name indicates, is not a luxury car. These cars are cheap, around 20k USD only. Don’t set high expectation on them. It’s wayyy overvalued in Malaysia.
Totally agree.The American can paid off these mid-size car just one year,even shorter than that.But at Malaysia,you may take loan for several year if you are not rich people.It is ridiculous,man.
Rite. I drove mazada6, camry, altima in US. My favourite still go to Altima. Good handling and good pickup
I have also had one rental for a week, having driven it from Vancouver to Seattle.
But my conclusions are oddly favourable to the ones posted here.
Perhaps partly due to the reason the one I rented, had a 3.6L Cadillac engine (in the CTS) and it drove and handled just fine. I believe it may have also had some sport tuned suspension along with upsized 18″ wheels.
Cadillac is luxury national car brand in US.
Yes, it is very easy to rent US model car from rental company. Even Americans don’t buy US brand.
the looks got some hint of mustang, don’t u guys think?
Blasphemy! You will have all the minions of the God of Chevrolet on you and pulling out your hairs one at a time!
Think “Camaro” or “Corvette” but not Found On Road Dead (FORD) “Mustang”…
Just seen a grey colour Malibu yesterday morning in Kota Kinabalu bearing Selangor plate (Bxx)…how come how come?
Its a test drive car
So bro Pai, you have seen it too?
Fully agree with a couple of commenters above. I have been wondering why ithis isn’t the case for years!! IfGm brought Opel models into Malaysia and marketed them the way VW Is doing it they stand a good chance of doing really well. The desire to own an ‘affordable’German car is at sky high levels at present? They have some really good cars at present such as the insignia ..the VXR models etc. An Opel Astra VXR priced around 180-200 .. or a ckd insignia for 10-20 k less then passat….wow….it’s an opinion and wishful thinking but it would be an easy sell and GM has the resources and infrastructure in the region to do so as it is still a Goliath . That’s how the vauxhalls(UK arm of GM and Opel in all but badge) are positioned here where I live ..About rm 10-20 k less then VW. Ford pricing in Malaysia with ‘German’ quality marketing as USP. Ka Ching ! Is all I can say.
Unfortunately, if GM brought in Opels, it would be priced far to close to the Germans. Badge snobs will shun it despite the fact that a car like the Insignia would hold well against the more traditional Germans. Most people’s only association with Opels are the old Kadetts used as taxis.
Asian GMs are from GM Daewoo. Which in essence is Korean.
Dont talk rubbish. Banyakkan membaca!
Judging from the pictures, the interior design/ambience is classier than Camry, Sonata or even Passat,and not to mention the handsome exterior design. The Malibu definitely is a winner in the visual department. The reliability side however is still a question mark.
wonder when u the ford fusion coming… its been way too long. why are we still stuck with the previous generation
The Ford Fusion and Ford Mondeo are basically in the same class. The new gen Ford Fusion will replace both the Fusion and older Mondeo both in the US market and other International markets.
i think this car maybe import from GM Korea