Aren’t the fall colors of Colorado High Country beautiful? Oh wait, there is also what appears to be a prototype of the 2016 Chevy Malibu. Chevy’s midsize sedan was completely redesigned for the 2013 model year. Could it be that the company is already working on a replacement? This stands as a testament to how competitive and tough this segment is. Most competitors are employing more frequent refreshes and redesigns, and GM does not want to be left as a bystander.
When compared to the current car, this test mule appears bigger, longer, and much sleeker. The overall shape has similarities with the Nissan Altima and Kia Optima. However, the roofline stretches all the way back (like a four-door coupe) and the glass almost looks like it could open with the trunk as a hatch.
The rear door appears much wider, addressing the current complaints about the rear seat legroom. The more upright and Camaro-esque design of the current Malibu looks to be gone in favor of a more sleek and low-slung shape.
Expect Chevrolet to further refine the powertrain choices for the next Malibu. The turbocharged engine is likely to continue, but Chevy will continue to enhance the hybrid system to compete with the best from Honda and Toyota.
Check out this fun and informative TFLcar first drive video of the 2013 Chevy Malibu.
And here is TFLcar’s take on the features of the Malibu Turbo.
Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been writing and reporting at TFL since 2011.
