2011 Chevrolet Malibu Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 Chevrolet Malibu overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 Malibu, and includes Chevy Malibu safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

Chevrolet finally drops its relatively antiquated four-speed automatic transmission for 2011, making the six-speed automatic standard across the lineup. The transmission brings with it Chevy’s TapShift feature, which puts manual-shift control at the driver’s fingertips on the steering wheel. In addition to the powertrain change, the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu is being offered with six months of OnStar’s turn-by-turn navigation for free, as well as new wheel designs.

The Malibu’s model hierarchy carries over for 2011, with the LS continuing to start things off. Among the more noteworthy standard features is an OnStar telematics system with six free months of Turn-By-Turn Navigation. There’s also satellite radio, an auxiliary audio input jack and – if you were born before 1980 – a CD player. Air conditioning, power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows, power outside mirrors, and a power driver’s seat height adjuster are also included, along with a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, cruise control, and stability control. Bluetooth is optional, along with just a handful of other features.

The mid-level Malibu LT adds alloy wheels, floor mats, steering wheel audio controls, and some nicer trim inside and out. That’s not much, but the LT model grants access to a long list of additional features. A sampling includes heated front seats and side mirrors, UltraLux seat upholstery (similar to suede), remote engine starting, a power sunroof, a Bose audio system, and iPod connectivity via a USB port.

To own the nicest Malibu on your block, select the LTZ model. It comes with special 18-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, LED taillights, heated two-tone leather seats, an eight-way power driver’s seat, a six-way power front passenger’s seat, heated side mirrors, automatic climate control, remote engine starting, a Bose audio system with USB port, and premium carpeted floor mats. A power sunroof is one of the few options available on the Malibu LTZ.

Regardless of which Malibu model you choose, the standard powertrain will be a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine connected to a six-speed automatic transmission driving the front wheels. With 169 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque, the four-cylinder engine will return up to 22 mpg around town and 33 mpg on the highway.

Buyers who want a more powerful 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, and are willing to sacrifice a good bit of fuel efficiency in the process, should direct their attention to the 3.6-liter V6 that’s available with the LT and LTZ. Fuel economy estimates are 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, but compensating for that rate of consumption are an impressive 252 horsepower and 251 lb-ft of torque. As with the four-cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic is charged with directing the V6’s output to the front wheels.

With regard to reliability predictions, the Malibu notches an average rating from Consumer Reports and a better-than-average rating from J.D. Power and Associates.

From a safety standpoint, Chevy equips the Malibu with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, six airbags, stability and traction control, and an OnStar telematics system with crash and emergency response services. It comes as little surprise, then, to learn that Chevy’s popular midsize sedan earns a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for its Good performance in the offset frontal, side impact, roof crush strength, and rear injury protection evaluations. For 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has adopted more stringent standards for its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), and ratings for the Malibu have dropped from 5 Stars to 4 Stars across the board, including resistance to rollover.

Commuters and drivers intent on simply traveling from point A to B will enjoy the 2011 Malibu’s quiet and comfortable cabin, impressive crash-test scores, favorable reliability predictions, and decent fuel economy. The Malibu’s optional V6 delivers admirable punch, but its fuel economy doesn’t measure up to the competition. Still, the stylish Malibu remains a solid choice, if not the leading choice, for midsize sedan shoppers.

By Thom Blackett