Used 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Sedan Consumer Reviews
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Stop/Start Feature Sucks
KJK, 02/25/2019
updated 08/26/2019
2018 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
9 of 15 people found this review helpful
The car is mostly OK. The feature that gets my blood boiling is the stop/start technology. Chevy did not provide a disable switch! I was a life long Chevy owner, but no longer, and that is strictly based on that stop/start feature. I was dumber then hell in not knowing about it, when purchasing the car new. The dealer did not point out the technology, and I did not discover it on the test drive. When I found out about it later, through driving, I was livid. I will never buy another car with this feature, and in fact I'm selling the damn car ASAP, taking the loss, and buying another model from another car company. After driving the car for about a year, my impressions above noted continue. Nice enough car, but the damn stop/start technology continues to suck. Even the devices to disable the feature are not being invented for this car, over the internet. Never again will I buy a new or used car with this unsafe feature. Yes it is unsafe, during left hand turns at intersections in traffic, during stops when parallel parking, at stop signs going uphill, etc. I've written the NHTSA about the safety aspects, but I guess that agency is in the back pocket of GM. I'm paying the price of not knowing about stop/start when I bought the damn car.
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Defects: High Risk For Tragedy
Jodie W., 05/03/2022
updated 05/16/2023
2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
You will regret purchasing this car. It blows my mind that this car hasn't been recalled. I have read countless reviews about the acceleration and power reduced problem. All stating the problem nearly got them killed. Out of nowhere without any warning the car WILL NOT ACCELERATE or (for my car its) POWER REDUCTION 15mph as you're merging into traffic or making a lane change. WTF!! You can't convince me that everyone has escaped death. What went wrong is silenced.. My car came is a full package deal. That's FULL PACKAGE OF ISSUES deal. No acceleration incidents (1st time couldn't get out of the way of 55 MPH on coming traffic. Traffic had to brake to avoid t-boning passenger side where my 9 yr old son was sitting. 1 car behind them I saw swerve off road and almost lost control when they hit the dirt. I have never experienced fear before like i did that moment.The people were furious at me, holding down their horns, one screaming out their window. The people that hit the dirt I drove over to check on them and to apologize over and over. Thankfully they were okay but shaken up. About 5 months later I was stopped at an incline, light turned green i pressed on gas car didn't go then stalled & I have no brakes. Car starts to roll backwards threw it in to park right away. Then car wouldn't start. Again getting honked at after a minute it finally starts. What the heck was that about?? It happened a 3rd time but there wasn't other cars nearby. Power reduction before happened about 6 months apart. Now power reduction warning comes on pretty much everyday but car doesn't slow down. Sometimes the transmission doesn't want to shift gears. I have to pull over turn off the car and restart it. It may take 2 or 3 times restarting it to fix the problem. Other weird random issues like android auto gets out of wack, interior car lights won't come on when car door opens this comes and goes, car randomly double honks when I open car door (car is off), shift to park issue car is in park but its says its not so car won't turn off, now my radio won't shut down with everything else after car has been off, and 3 times now the car has locked me out 2 hours later it unlocks itself, its crazy. Another problem filling my car with gas it takes a long time. You have to fill it real slow if a slow. The dealership is a joke. Problem doesn't get fixed. The whole computer system is flawed & all they do is replaced sensors with the same flawed sensors. Same case with the modules. This part has a defect that part has a defect. Poor view visibility too. GM's quality control another joke!!! Oh, the interior looks nice at first but it doesn't last. The chrome looking lining is like foil so very soon it starts peeling off. Underneath is a dingy yellow plastic. Too many 2018 Malibu's are having the same issues. You'll be better off without this car.
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2018 Malibu
Happy Chevy, 05/09/2021
2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Bought this car used two months ago and love it. I think it has plenty of power for its size and full economy. Very quiet and comfortable. Incredible gas milage for its size, gets 23 in hard Philly city driving and one a months trip to Cape Cod we averaged 32 for the month total. got 39 on the high way loaded with cargo. We like it better than our Camry.
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Mid sized sleeper
Bobby, 07/13/2022
2018 Chevrolet Malibu Premier 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 9A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The cool thing about this car is that it does not call a lot of attention to itself, is not positioned as a performance car, and breaks away with a snap as the tires bite into the road. It is agile, comfortable, and has a classy appearance.
Do Not Buy
JB, 09/15/2021
2018 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Bought this car in 2018, it’s now 2021 1st it was a shifter in the gear shift in 2019 here we are in 2021 same problem paid out of pocket cost here it is 2 weeks later and now my dash is display steering assist decrease drive with care and steering wheel locking, I would never purchase this car again
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Don’t buy this car!!!!
Disappointed , 08/26/2020
2018 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
I am currently leasing this vehicle. It has been towed to the dealer 5 times!!! Key fobs aren’t detected, fuel injector, fuel injector harness is cracked....most recently pulling out into traffic the POS car gave out and wouldn’t accelerate (fuel injector) check engine light came on. Was able to get to a safe place get it towed again to the dealer and shocker nothing wrong with it yet again. The dealership makes you feel like a crazy person because they say nothing is wrong with your car. But at the same time tell you it’s unsafe and they wouldn’t put their family in the vehicle!!! So long story short DO NOT BUY THIS CAR AND CHEVY DOES NOT HELP THEIR CONSUMERS. Also depaula Chevrolet in Albany Ny has the WORST customer service skills I’ve ever encountered... zero ratings across the board
Car won’t start
LeeAnna Warren, 11/26/2018
2018 Chevrolet Malibu L 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
4 of 7 people found this review helpful
The sensors will not work properly. It does not recognize that the key is in the car and won’t start. The tire sensor warning comes on stating it is not working. I hope we make it home.
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Slowest car ever
Rod McLane, 04/08/2019
2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
8 of 16 people found this review helpful
Had a 2018 Malibu LT as a rental and I have to say it was probably the worst rental I’ve had. The 1.5l motor is poor match for this car. Absolutely no power( could not accelerate above 70 going up a grade) and returns very poor mileage ( averaged 20.5 mpg on a 450 mile highway trip. Poor job Chevrolet.
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Definitely rent this car before you buy one!
Car Enthusiast, 09/13/2019
2018 Chevrolet Malibu L 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
If you are considering purchasing the base model of this vehicle, do yourself a favor by renting this car before you buy one! We aren't in the market to buy a car but just needed a rental. I felt there is one thing about it that deserves a review. I will start with the good points, this vehicle was very comfortable on a 10 hour road trip, and all the features offered on this rental worked nicely and the vehicle handles and brakes very well. Now for what I came here for. I hope nobody got paid anything to decide what motor and trans option this vehicle would get. If they did, they should go flip burgers somewhere! This vehicle is a prime example of the reason we cannot compete with the imports. The engine is so weak that you have to have your foot on the floor just to get on the freeway. Its was a little scary a few times and made us drive the shoulder once until we could get up to speed. There are a few sections of freeway we had to be on that has a 70mph speed limit. Trying to maintain 70-75mph when even the slightest incline required mashing the gas pedal to the floor and caused the transmission to perform a series of abrupt and disturbing downshifts and sent the RPM's singing to 6,000 RPMs. Just to maintain 70mph! The fuel mileage readout mostly stayed below 19mpg throughout the 10 hour trip. Even after a mpg counter reset and driving at about 45 on winding slightly hilly country roads to take the car back, it was almost impossible to achieve anything above 23mpg. I even tried manually shifting, which helped smooth the trans out, but did nothing for the fuel mileage. I will not rent one of these ever again unless they put a real engine and transmission in it. Give me a Toyota, Mazda or Nissan any day.
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Rented this horrible car and am let down
Madi, 03/15/2019
2018 Chevrolet Malibu L 4dr Sedan (1.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
5 of 11 people found this review helpful
You'd think by now car manufacturers would have the kinks worked out but I guess not. This vehicle, while saying it would get 27mpg city and 36mpg highway only got about 22mpg city on average. The acceleration is so poor it's like driving a broken go cart. I will never buy a Chevy. EVER. So glad I dont own this car.
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