The Chevrolet Malibu is the midsize family sedan that usually gets overlooked. Perhaps, there isn’t anything that makes it stand out, maybe it’s the name and most would argue it’s the amount of competition. Whatever the reason and it will clearly vary between consumers, Chevrolet is poised to improve on it and has made some key changes during a refresh for the 2014 model. 

A lot of styling changes can be noticed both inside and out of the Malibu. Let’s start with the exterior that sees a redesigned grille that uses a chrome ring that surrounds a black honeycomb design. Above the Chevy bowtie, more chrome is found that jets out towards its sharp-looking HID projector headlamps. This increase of chrome creates a more luxurious touch allowing the bowtie to pop.  

I should point out my test car for the day was the Malibu 2LT. The highlights with this package are 18-inch alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, dual-zone automatic climate control and an eight-way powered driver seat.

For the interior, lots of soft-touch leather surrounds the cockpit. It goes well with the grey leather seats that remind me of a nicely-worked in cushiony sofa. The colour was a bit bland, so I would opt for the more eye-catching coffee colour. 

Extended armrests and a larger centre console make its way to the 2014 model. It’s nice to see that you can store more, but depending on the way you sit – your elbow can bang into that centre console fairly easily. If it could just be pushed back a touch, that would solve said problem. 

On the bright side, the Malibu has been designed to allow for two mobile phone slots right beside the duo cup holders. This is a nice practical touch that will put a smile to any travellers face. Furthermore, there’s the hidden storage compartment that can be accessed behind the Chevy MyLink Entertainment console. 

Going into this test drive, one thing I was curious about was what Chevrolet did to space out the back seats. Plenty of criticism fell their way, as a midsize sedan should rightfully have enough space for a family of four – that is their clientele? 

Before driving, I headed to the back seats – to see what reactionary steps they took. I noticed an improvement in headroom and legroom, but it wasn’t significant enough. It still seemed a bit crammed back there and not comfortable for long drives. It’s just baffling sometimes that more attention wasn’t paid to this area of concern. Competition is fierce in this segment and you don’t want to be having this glaring issue for families that put back seat space on the top of their checklist. 

Under the hood of the Malibu 2LT is an improved 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with direct injection and variable valve timing that cranks out a similar, but slightly lower 196 horsepower and 186 lb.-ft. of torque from the outgoing model. This new engine is part of Chevy’s new Eco engines and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The big eco effect is an auto stop-start system that reduces fuel economy in a big way. 

The Malibu will be the only vehicle in its class to offer such a system that can save you plenty of cash throughout the years. The start-stop system begins its work when you come to a full stop while in drive. When you’re ready to roll the engine will re-start just before you press down on the accelerator. Chevrolet claims a rating of 5.3L/100 km in the city and 8.0L/100 km on the highway for a combined 6.8. During my day of testing, I couldn’t match the combined 6.8, but managed an impressive 7.6.

While driving the Malibu 2LT the most noticeable thing was the silence of the ride.  This is most evident on the highway, where the Malibu moves smoothly through the paces and quietly gets you to where you need to go in a comfortable fashion. There’s very little vibration felt as Chevrolet has revamped its suspension for more body control on the road. 

In the city, the Malibu can get a tad noisy as you accelerate after each stop sign and stop light. It has a bit of lag when you attempt to floor it, but in the end you realize it’s only offering a courteous reminder that you’re in a Malibu after all. Once you got that reality check, you will approve of the Malibu’s electric power steering that’s responsive and direct in turns without the need for correction. 

There’s nothing awe-inspiring about the ride, but also nothing really bad about it either. It gets you from a-to-b without any handling issues and responsive steering, however, without much excitement as well. Thankfully, Chevrolet improved the look and fuel economy, to give you a feel of some comfort and savings in the wallet. 

After driving the Malibu, I felt the changes were for the better, but not good enough to effect a big change in where the Malibu sits in the segment. To me, it clearly sits where it belongs as a middle-of-the-pack type vehicle. 

The Malibu has some stiff competition with the Toyota Camry and Ford Fusion as direct competitors. Throw in the likes of the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda6 and Kia Optima and you quickly see what challenges lie ahead for the Malibu. I would call it an instant headache for Chevrolet designers and engineers. The Malibu 2LT starts at a reasonable $28,495 and should at least be tested if you’re in the market for a midsize sedan.