GM is developing a new successor to the Chevrolet Malibu sedan with more space and sleeker looks, which should arrive in 2016, likely as a 2017MY.
The mid-size sedan segment in North America is a tough nut to crack, and GM painfully found that out once again with the 8th generation Malibu that was sent back to the drawing board for a quick facelift less than 18 months after its market launch.
One of the major complaints with the Epsilon II platform-based Malibu was the rear passenger space, which GM tried to partially amend with the 2014MY’s revised front and rear seats.
While the new 2017 Malibu is believed to retain the global Epsilon II chassis, possibly revised, the prototype we spotted testing in Europe looks like it has grown in size featuring longer rear doors, which could point to a longer wheelbase for improved interior space.
The covered up prototype doesn’t disclose the next Malibu’s styling secrets, but we can clearly see the sloping roofline with the heavily slanted rear window that reaches deep inside the boot lid. Expect Chevrolet to give the new Malibu a similar front-end treatment as the latest Impala.
Under the hood, GM’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four should be joined by at least one more force-fed gasoline engine, with the firm’s 2.5-liter inline-four to soldier on as the base offering. A hybrid model is also thought to join the range.
Photos: CarScoops
Photo Gallery
