Used 2011 Chevrolet Malibu 1LT for sale 

The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu is available in four trim levels. The base trim, LS, starts at a price of $21,975 and offers some handy convenience features such as keyless entry, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, and automatic headlights. The slightly higher priced 1LT variant adds only a few features over the base LS trim but the 2LT adds an array of features that are worth the increased price tag. The top-specced LTZ is priced at $27,165 and comes with some premium features such as heated ORVMs and a Bose sound system.

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We could recommend you to go for the 2LT trim. It offers a generous list of features that are great for a budget sedan from an American carmaker.

The Chevrolet Malibu is powered by a naturally aspirated straight-4 motor under the hood. The power figures are rated at 169 horsepower and 169lb-ft of torque. The power mill is quite adequate in delivering a decent amount of power and torque figures to go around the city effortlessly.

Out on the highways, the engine feels powerful enough to cruise at triple-digit speeds effortlessly while carrying four passengers. The 0-60mph run saw the Malibu doing it within 9.1 seconds which is about average for four-cylinder sedans at this price segment.

Both the Chevy Malibu and the Camry match evenly in the horsepower department while the former delivers 7lb-ft of less torque than the latter. The Honda Accord is the most powerful one on the list followed by the Mazda6.

Fuel economy is one of the primary points considered by millions of buyers before purchasing one and the Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t disappoint a bit there. The sedan delivers an excellent gas mileage of 22mpg within the city while the number rises to 33mpg out non the highways. The combined mpg rating is rated at 26. 

All the competitors are very close to each other in terms of fuel economy owing to their almost similar powertrain sizes and performance. The Mazda6 can be termed as the least fuel-efficient on the list only by a slight margin though. 

Being a budget sedan, the Malibu’s interior isn’t something special or extraordinary. It has a decent dashboard to start with a curvaceous dual-cowl design that accentuates the dual-tone interior colors. The fit and finish quality are at par while some compromises have been made to keep the price in check.

The cabin is quiet and noise-free with a decent amount of insulation and acoustically laminated glass. There is a decent amount of storage space all around the cabin and the seats do offer a decent level of comfort for long trips. The headroom and legroom are plenty for the front passengers while the rear seats do lack in these areas slightly.

The Honda Accord is the most spacious one on the list with a rival-leading headroom at the front while the Camry lacks quite a bit in this aspect.

Infotainment

The infotainment system of the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu is not basic but not high-tech either. The system comes with GM’s OnStar infotainment interface and includes some basic standard features such as Bluetooth, speed-sensitive volume, and satellite radio. Turn-by-turn navigation is also available as an option with a special subscription.

Some highlighted features of the system are:

• AM/FM Stereo
• Auxiliary Audio Input
• CD Player
• MP3 Player
• Satellite Radio
• OnStar telematics
• USB connectivity

The Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t look anything sporty or aggressive in terms of exterior styling, but it is safe to say that it is a handsome sedan. Starting from the front-end, the big two-part front grille looks ordinary but clean with a pair of clear-lens headlights flanking it.

The roofline starts with a sloping design and blends perfectly at the rear. The side profile of the sedan is rather slim and you won’t find any difficulty maneuvering it in tight spots.

Surprisingly the Chevy Malibu is the heaviest sedan on the list while the Accord is the lightest one. The Malibu has the maximum dimensions in almost all the aspects barring the height which is 0.1inches lower than the Accord.

Chevrolet has focused on the safety department quite well since this is mostly preferred by an average family guy to move around in the urban limits. The sedan includes some standard safety features such as anti-lock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags. The IIHS rated it “Good” while the NHTSA gave it a 4-star rating out of 5. The safety rating and the safety aids are adequate to keep the occupants of the sedan from harm’s way in most of the scenarios.

Some highlighted safety aids are:

• Brake Assist
• Electronic Stability Control
• Daytime Running Lights
• Child Safety Locks
• Traction Control
• Emergency Trunk Release

The Chevrolet Malibu is clearly designed as a daily driver with a decent amount of performance and comfort on offer. Its starting price puts it within the budget sedan category but it offers a generous amount of features and appeal at the price. It checks almost all the boxes when it comes to the list of features one might expect it to have. Overall, the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu is a no-nonsense sedan at a very competitive price.