The game the 2016 Chevy Malibu changes is its own game. In many respects, it’s a case of fixing everything that was wrong with the old car and making it competitive with the class. But if you’re not a fan of its Impala-like styling, then you probably were never going to like it anyway.

Chevrolet’s sedan lineup is relatively conservative, and the Malibu might be the most straight-shooting of them all. It doesn’t pretend to be aspirational, just a solid midsize sedan. And it tries to appeal to buyers who want a solid midsize sedan. In person, and especially in red, the Malibu’s mini-Impala looks work. Except for the three faces it seems to be wearing upfront, it’s an elegant shape – a little of what the previous generation Hyundai Sonata was doing. Even so, the Malibu is adventurous in the way the phrase “wholesome family fun” is adventurous.

Which is why the new Malibu Hybrid might be the most sensible Malibu this time.

People who buy hybridized midsize sedans want good fuel economy without shouting about it. They’re not fanatics like early Prius and Volt adopters. They’re not interested in your EV modes. And they’re not interested in changing their driving styles to get the estimated 47 combined MPG.

“It’s for people who drive 70 miles per hour-plus on the highway,” Lead Development Engineer of the Malibu Hybrid Daryl Wilson said as we poked around his car on the show stand. “They put it in drive and go.”

Wilson said the 2016 Volt and Malibu’s drivetrains were developed at the same time, knowing one would go in the compact Volt and the other in a midsize car. But whereas the Volt appeals to those who want to maximize electric-only propulsion, the Malibu is about driving and letting the car figure out how to save fuel. The 1.8-liter gas engine is upsized from the 1.5 in the Volt. But while the Volt has modes to let drivers get the most electric-only range out and practically make a game out of their economy, the Malibu hides this and lets its two-mode powertrain figure things out, according to Wilson. 

“A lot of things… from EV1 to the E-Assist to the Volt have lead to this,” Wilson said.

New for a GM hybrid is the exhaust gas heat recovery system. It allows the heat generated from when the gas engine is used to be captured and used when needed. The idea is, Wilson said, when it’s cold out, you won’t be losing so much efficiency. Midsize hybrid sedan buyers must not understand you need to freeze a little in winter for the sake of fuel economy. It goes back to buyers in this segment unwilling to sacrifice much.

The Malibu Hybrid manages to have a decent-sized trunk and folding seats with at least usable space for skis or other long items. Not all hybrid sedans manage this yet. And all Malibus benefit from rear legroom, which wasn’t really available before, thanks to a 4-inch bump in wheelbase. The interior is definitely from a modern Chevrolet, but in top-trim models it’s quite comfortable. But the biggest styling surprise might be that the hybrid gets good wheels and little visual differentiation from the gas-only models.

The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is the hybrid for people who don’t drive a hybrid like a hybrid. Got that?

Photos copyright Carscoops.com / Zac Estrada

Twitter: @zacestrada

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