more about this model
Pros Impressive ride/handling balance; good fuel economy; quiet cabin; refined sheet metal.
Cons Rivals offer wider rear seats; navigation system not offered; trunk opening is narrow.
The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu gives sedan shoppers most of what they're looking for. As we walk up to the car, the first thing we're struck by is its sheet metal. With its polished good looks, this sedan offers an unusually elegant take on the family four-door. When you walk up to a Malibu, there's no sense of embarrassment.
We get inside. With intuitive controls and supportive seats, the Chevy's interior also scores high marks. As we start the engine and pull out of the driveway to merge with traffic, we find the car's ride and handling to be every bit as refined as its exterior. The 'Bu is communicative on the road, without thumbing its nose at comfort.
Still, our time with the Malibu reveals a couple of chinks in its armor — issues that prevent this strong contender from claiming victory as a top pick in the family-sedan wars. With a width of just 70.3 inches, the Malibu is one of the narrowest choices in its segment. This translates into rear seats that are fine for two, but a tight squeeze for three. Those who want genuine five-passenger capacity would be better served by the relatively palatial Honda Accord.
For reasons that have to do with omission, the 2010 Chevy Malibu also doesn't quite measure up to its great-looking image, since a navigation system isn't on the options list, leaving you with OnStar and a glovebox of maps as your only recourse. And while the Malibu's trunk has a decent size, its utility is compromised by its narrow opening.
Shoppers in this segment will want to test-drive the stellar Ford Fusion; relative to the Malibu, it offers a wider range of features and goes down the road with a more visceral personality. The much-lauded Hyundai Sonata is also worth a look, on the strength of its pleasant driving dynamics and superior fuel economy. Still, the Malibu's impressive sales figures are testimony to the fact that this car definitely has an audience — likely those who appreciate quality fronted by a handsome face.
Performance Our 2010 Chevrolet Malibu test car is motivated by a 2.4-liter inline-4 good for 169 horsepower and 160 pound-feet of torque (note that a more muscular 252-hp V6 is also available with more expensive trims). The Ecotec engine is one of the least powerful four-bangers in the segment; you'll get more juice from rivals like the Sonata (198 hp), the Accord (177 hp) and the Fusion (175 hp). Still, you're not likely to feel short-changed behind the wheel, since this sedan offers ample power for urban maneuvers, effortlessly weaving through traffic on city streets and easily getting up to speed on the freeway.
Track testing yields a 9.1-second time to 60 mph from a standstill, a time that ties with the comparable Honda Accord but places it behind the Hyundai Sonata (7.7 seconds). In brake testing, a stop from 60 mph requires 133 feet, placing the car fractionally behind the Sonata (131 feet) but fractionally ahead of the Accord (137 feet). The car's brake pedal felt a bit soft, but the brakes delivered consistent performance.
Slalom cones were navigated at a speed of 64.4 mph. As such, the 'Bu was quicker around the cones than the Sonata (62.5 mph) and the Accord (62.1). Still, its overall performance in this area is tarnished somewhat by its lifeless steering, a trait that did little to inspire confidence in the driver as the car's limits were approached.
With an EPA rating of 22 city/33 highway mpg and 26 mpg combined, the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu is one of the more fuel-efficient choices in its segment of sedans. It's more frugal than the Accord (21 city/31 highway) and the Fusion (22 city/29 highway), but less so than the segment leader, the Hyundai Sonata (24 city/35 highway).
Comfort For the most part, jolts and bumps are kept at arm's length by the Malibu's forgiving suspension. The front seats are comfortable and pleasantly supportive, though wider passengers may find the seat bolsters somewhat intrusive. The seats offer a multitude of adjustments, making it easy to optimize the seating position.
Its backseat is one of the Malibu's primary weaknesses. It's one of the narrowest in the segment; unlike the Accord, for example, it doesn't fit three passengers comfortably in back. This Chevy also comes up short on rear headroom relative to the competition.
Those seeking a family sedan with a truly quiet cabin will want to check out the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The double-paned glass of the windows helps banish road and wind noise. With the doors shut and the windows rolled up, the car's interior is as still and peaceful as it gets in this segment, and this holds true both on highways and on surface streets. If you've ever struggled to have a conversation above wind and road noise in much noisier sedans like the Accord, you'll appreciate the Malibu.
Function Most people will have no problem deciphering the Malibu's controls. Climate controls are governed by two knobs managing fan intensity and mode, and buttons that allow you to adjust temperature. Unfortunately, dual-zone climate control isn't available. The layout of the audio controls is similarly familiar. Large knobs allow you to manage volume and tuning, while large, flat buttons allow you to toggle between presets and bands. Overall, the car's controls are a lot less confusing than those seen in rivals like the Accord.
What you won't find are controls for the navigation system. An in-dash navigation system isn't available, though the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu offers OnStar's Turn-by-Turn navigation. Turn-by-Turn is actually more user-friendly than we'd imagined. To get directions, you simply press a button that allows you to contact an OnStar representative. The rep then provides you with automated voice-guided directions; street names and upcoming turns are also downloaded to your radio or Driver Information Center.
Still, Turn-by-Turn comes with a few drawbacks that you won't find in most in-dash nav systems. First of all, it's a bit of a bother to call a live representative every time you need directions, especially if you have to repeat the call later in the trip. This happened to us when we pulled over for a break. Once we killed the ignition, OnStar logged the trip as being completed, which necessitated another call to the rep once we were ready to continue the journey.
Finally, though Turn-by-Turn offers a display that guides you from one landmark street to the next, it doesn't offer a map display. Having access to a map showing your highlighted route makes the navigation process a lot easier; without it, the journey can be pretty confusing. For all these reasons, we think that Turn-by-Turn is a step down from an in-dash nav system.
A rear-facing child seat is easily accommodated in the rear seat. What's more, the Malibu has no fewer than three pairs of LATCH anchors (most family sedans offer only two pairs on the outer seats), and this means that you can use LATCH to place a child safety seat in the middle seat — a location deemed by experts to be the safest place to position a child.
With 15.1 cubic feet of room, the Malibu's trunk is larger than that of an Accord (14 cubic feet) but smaller than that of a Sonata (16.4 cubic feet) and a Fusion (16.5 cubic feet). The Chevy's trunk accommodated a golf bag and a standard suitcase, but its narrow opening made it challenging to load larger items.
Design/Fit and Finish From its graceful nose to its crisply angled back end, the Malibu is one of the more attractive members of the family sedan tribe. Its sheet metal manages to look distinctive without being showy. We were especially fond of its stylish, bifurcated honeycomb grille. Fit and finish within the cabin was a mixed bag. It was mostly decent, but we noticed some exposed seams in the area above the dash.
Who should consider this vehicle The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu is a good choice for those seeking a stylish, comfortable family sedan that comfortably seats up to four passengers. It's a family sedan with more style than you usually expect from this market segment. But those seeking more passenger capacity and a wider range of technology features will want to investigate rivals such as the Ford Fusion and Hyundai Sonata.
Others To Consider
Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2010 Chevrolet Malibus for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 972 used and CPO 2010 Malibus listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 3,355 and mileage as low as 30,239. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 198 on a used or CPO 2010 Malibu available from one of 2,633 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu ?
Save up to $198 on one of 39 used 2010 Chevrolet Malibus for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $4950 as of Apr 20, 2018, based on data from 18 dealers and 57 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu trim styles:
The used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu Fleet is priced around $7974 with average odometer reading of 89552 miles.
The used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ is priced around $12244 with average odometer reading of 54177 miles.
The used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu LT1 is priced around $6422 with average odometer reading of 116037 miles.
The used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu LT2 is priced around $7745 with average odometer reading of 75790 miles.
The used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu LS is priced around $8574 with average odometer reading of 76958 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu?
Available Chevrolet Malibu 2010 Submodel Types: Hybrid, Sedan
Available Chevrolet Malibu 2010 Trims: LT, Premier, LT w/1LT, LS Fleet, Hybrid, Base, Eco, LT1, LS, LT2, LTZ, Fleet, SS, L
Exterior Colors: Mosaic Black Metallic, Nightfall Gray Metallic, Blue Velvet Metallic, Cajun Red Tintcoat, Champagne Silver Metallic, Iridescent Pearl Tricoat, Ashen Gray Metallic, Atlantis Blue Metallic, Butte Red Metalllic, Arctic Blue Metallic, Pepperdust Metallic, Sandy Ridge Metallic, Gold Mist Metallic, Sable Metallic, Crystal Red Tintcoat , Black, Light Driftwood Metallic, Silver Ice Metallic, White, Black Granite Metallic, Imperial Blue Metallic, Crystal Red Tintcoat, Mocha Steel Metallic, Golden Pewter Metallic, Silver Moss Metallic, Summit White, Amber Bronze Metallic, Dark Gray Metallic, Navy Blue Metallic, Sandstone Metallic, Silver Topaz Metallic, Silverstone Metallic, Blue Topaz Metallic, Dark Blue Metallic, Dark Tropic Teal Metallic, Galaxy Silver Metallic, Monterey Maroon Metallic, Red Jewel Tintcoat, Silver Green Metallic, Taupe Gray Metallic, White Diamond Tricoat, Autumn Bronze Metallic, Bright White, Dark Green Metallic, Dark Jade Green Metallic, Medium Gray Metallic, Redfire Metallic, Sandrift Metallic, Sport Red Metallic
Interior Colors: Jet Black premium cloth, Jet Black leather, Dark Atmosphere/Medium Ash Gray premium cloth, Jet Black leatherette, Jet Black/ Titanium premium cloth, Cocoa/ Light Neutral leatherette, Dark Atmosphere/Medium Ash Gray leather, Dark Atmosphere/Loft Brown leather, Jet Black/ Titanium leatherette, Jet Black/ Titanium (Fleet) premium cloth, Gray, Neutral, Titanium cloth, Cocoa/ Light Neutral premium leather, Cocoa/Light Neutral leather, Cocoa/ Light Neutral premium cloth, Ebony cloth, Ebony suede, Ebony/Brick leather, Jet Black/ Titanium leather, Cocoa/Cashmere cloth, Ebony leather, Jet Black/Brownstone leather, Ebony leather/cloth, Titanium premium cloth, Titanium suede, Cashmere premium cloth, Cocoa/Cashmere leather, Cocoa/Cashmere suede, Ebony premium cloth
Popular Features: Back-up camera, Keyless Entry/Start, Mobile Internet, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Automatic Emergency Braking, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Navigation, Parking sensors, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Pre-collision safety system, Cooled Seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Post-collision safety system, Power Driver Seat, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, Bluetooth, Remote Start, Heated seats, Upgraded Headlights, Sunroof/Moonroof, USB Inputs, Upgraded Engine, Auto Climate Control, Leather Seats, Upgraded Stereo
Engine/Mechanics: 4, 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC, DIRECT_DRIVE
Fuel Types: premium unleaded (recommended), regular unleaded, flex-fuel (unleaded/E85)
Drivetrains: front wheel drive
Used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu Overview
The used 2010 Chevrolet Malibu is offered in the following submodels: Sedan. Available styles include LTZ 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A), LS 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 4A), and LT2 4dr Sedan (2.4L 4cyl 6A). Pre-owned Malibu models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2010 Malibu comes with front wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed shiftable automatic, 4-speed automatic.
