The mid-size sedan category is an extremely competitive battlefield of winners and losers. Many have wonderful performance, interior and safety scores. Trying to figure out which one is best suited for you depends on your own personal taste and what matches the features and style of the vehicle with what you are looking for. One option that improves with each remodel and revision is the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. 
The Chevrolet Malibu went through a transformation in 2013 and due to the lukewarm reception it made additional changes for the 2014 model year. It’s all about the “POP” and the Malibu just needed a slight push to take it to the next level. The new profile has a sleeker design with a more prominent lower grille, narrower upper grille and shinier chrome accents, as well as a roomier back seat and improved suspension.
The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu is available in the following trim levels: LS ($21,365), LT ($22,452), Eco ($24,682), and LTZ ($26,167). There are also a number of major packages including the 1LT, 2LT, 3LT and 2LZ.
The styling of the 2014 Malibu is clean, and in my opinion, sportier than the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry but falls behind the Ford Fusion. The front end is bold with its large wide-mouth grille and lower front fascia. The rear end molds the tail lights into the rear quarter panels and tailgate. It’s a good looking sedan and front to rear is well balanced, projecting a masculine stance.
The interior is well-accessorized with a contoured, flowing dash that sweeps into the door panels. Silver trim helps accent the gauges and center console. The seats in front are comfortable, however, a person in the six-foot range might find the rear seats a little tight. The gauges pop out like two square bowls dipped with silver trim; not the best look. The center console has a beautiful silver-wood-like finish; however, the best feature is the two cell phone pockets. All interior designers should incorporate a handy place for our over-used telecommunication devices!
My test car was an LT with the 2LZ tipping the $30,000 range, and yet, didn’t come with push-button start or smart door handles to unlock the car. Personally, I like these techy features and think that cars in this price range should automatically come with them. Keyless access with push-button start is available if you up the sticker price. On the other hand, the Malibu did have mobile apps, backup camera, navigation and satellite radio.
The 2014 Malibu is available with three 4-cylinder engine options: 2.5-liter, 2.0-liter Turbo and a 2.4-liter Hybrid. All are mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. My test model had the all-new 2.5-liter Ecotec engine that is rated at 25 mpg City and 36 mpg Highway and generates 196-horsepower. It had decent power and shifted quickly. For 2014, Chevrolet added a smooth operating start-stop engine feature to help conserve fuel. The turbo charged 2.0-liter adds improved performance and ups the horses to 259. Also new for 2014 is a revised suspension that feels much-improved over the previous version and delivers a smooth and comfortable ride.
Room for improvement:
• The rear seat is still a bit snug
Cool Features:
• The hands-free phone displays the picture of the person calling that you have associated with on your smart phone
• Pillow-top front seats
Safety on the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu receives NHTSA 5-Star safety rating. Coupled with technologies that can help avoid collisions altogether, include 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, traction control and the StabiliTrak® Electronic
Stability Control System. Safety doesn’t stop there. Newly available Side Blind Zone Alert uses sensors to let you know when a trailing vehicle enters your blind spot on either side. Available Rear Cross Traffic Alert, new for 2014, notifies the driver to crossing traffic from behind while the vehicle is in reverse. The available rear vision camera assures more confident backups.
In Summary – The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu just keeps improving with age. It offers good performance and styling with a comfortable and high-tech interior. Safety is plentiful with 10-airbags and many other features mentioned above. It offers ecologic engine options that help the Malibu sip gas as it cruises down the road.
Specifications
2014 Chevrolet Malibu LT 2LT 4-Dr Sedan
Base price: $25,215 as driven: $30,125 (including destination and optional features)
Engine: 2.5 liter 4-cylinder
Horsepower: 196 @ 6,300 RPM
Torque: 191 @ 4,400 RPM
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Drive: Front-wheel Drive
Seating: 5-passenger
Turning circle: 37.4 feet
Cargo space: 16.3 cubic feet
Curb weight: 3,532 pounds
Fuel capacity: 15.8 gallons
EPA mileage: City 25/Hwy 36
Wheel Base: 107.8 inches
Warranty: 5 years/100,000 miles powertrain limited
Also consider: Ford Fusion, Kia Optima, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry
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