Chevrolet Malibu LT 2015

Ah, Malibu. We know it well. Sandy beaches, palatial estates, celebrities galore and winding canyon roads. All of which begs the question: What on earth does the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu have to do with its namesake? Well, like many Malibu residents, Chevy's family sedan received some front-end enhancements last year. Otherwise, though, there's not a whole lot of overlap. The Malibu gets the job done, but it tends to get lost in the shuffle versus its higher-profile rivals. That's a shame, because when you get right down to it, the Malibu is a pretty nice car with few apparent weaknesses. One used to be the underwhelming Eco model's "mild hybrid" powertrain -- too mild, frankly, to justify the compromises in performance and trunk space -- but Chevy has done away with the Eco for 2015, leaving just the satisfying base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or the strong turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder as your choices. Another shortcoming, literally, is the Malibu's limited rear legroom, an unavoidable consequence of the car's unusually compact wheelbase. But other than that, the Malibu has much to recommend it, including excellent crash-test scores, an upscale interior and a quiet, supple ride. Despite these and other merits, however, the Malibu is simply outdone by other midsize family sedans. The 2015 Nissan Altima, for example, is notable for delivering better fuel economy with both its base and optional engines. Same goes for the Honda Accord, which also offers a particularly spacious backseat. On the home front, the 2015 Ford Fusion impresses with its sharp handling, head-turning style and rich feature set. The overhauled 2015 Hyundai Sonata also merits close consideration, and there are others we could mention as well. So where does that leave the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu? Even if it isn't a class leader nor as glamorous as its name suggests, it's still a competitive family sedan that's worth taking for a spin.

All 2015 Chevrolet Malibus employ a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. The base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that generates 196 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 29 mpg combined (25 city/36 highway), aided by a barely perceptible stop-start system that automatically turns off the engine when the car comes to a halt. The optional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is only offered on the 3LT and 2LZ trims. It pumps out 259 hp and a robust 295 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy checks in at 24 mpg combined (21 city/30 highway). As with the base engine, this is respectable but not class-leading efficiency.