The Chevy Malibu, the brand’s last sedan, will end production

Unsold 2020 Malibu sedans sit at a Chevrolet dealership late Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020, in Englewood, Colorado. — David Zalubowski/AP via CNN Newsource

By CNN Newsource

Published May 9, 2024 7:53 am

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN

(CNN) — The Chevrolet Malibu, the last sedan still sold by General Motors’ biggest selling brand, will end production this year, the company announced.

Malibu production will end in November as the factory that builds it, the Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas, is reconfigured to build a new generation of the Chevrolet Bolt EV.

With the Malibu’s demise, General Motors’ mainstream Chevrolet brand will sell only trucks, SUVs, and the Corvette, a two-seat sports car, in the United States.

Chevy’s close competitor, Ford, made a similar move years ago when it stopped selling the Taurus and Fusion sedans, leaving the two-door Mustang as the only traditional car in its line-up. Chevrolet stopped making its Mustang competitor, the Camaro, last year.

Traditional cars – vehicles that are not SUVs, trucks or vans – make up less than 20% of US auto sales, according to Cox Automotive. The last generation of the Malibu was first introduced in 2016, making it much older than competitors such as the relatively popular Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. A new version of the Camry, now available only as a hybrid, just went into production. Still, GM sold more than 130,000 Malibus last year, a 13% increase from the year before.

Last year, the Malibu was sold mostly to fleet operators, such as rental car companies, according to Cox Automotive. In any given month of 2023, more than half of Malibus were sold to fleets and, in some months, it was nearly 75%, Cox spokesman Mark Schirmer said in an email. For the Accord and Camry, while fleets still make up a significant portion of sales, close to 70% were sold to individuals last year.

“Honda and Toyota alike must be pleasantly surprised to see their competitors pack up and leave the mid-size sedan business,” Schirmer said. “The segment remains sizable – over 900,000 mid-size sedans were bought in 2023 – and Honda and Toyota have excellent offerings, and now with little competition.”

The Malibu was introduced back in the 1960s as a more luxurious version of the Chevrolet Chevelle, called the Chevelle Malibu. By the 1970s, it had become its own distinct model. The Malibu model line ended production in 1983 but was brought back again in 1997, and has been in production since then.

The Malibu, a mid-sized sedan, sells at sticker prices starting around $26,000 for basic versions and more than $30,000 for well-equipped models.

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