As mentioned yesterday in a story dug up by our Managing Ed, spox at General Motors have confirmed the venerable Malibu isn’t long for this world. But, hey – there’s a new paint shade for 2025.
We know, we know; hold your excitement. According to the brand’s fleet order guide, the 2025 Malibu will be offered in Night Shade Metallic, though a compact spare tire will not be available with an FDR order type which is a reference to Fleet Daily Rental and not a former president of the United States.
This is clearly the type of heady information which keeps the B&B clicking on our website.
Recall the Malibu hasn’t had any meaningful updates since Adam was an oakum picker, powered solely by the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine making 163 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque funneled to the earth via a CVT. Even headed into this, its final model year, there are a quartet of trims (LS, RS, 1LT, 2LT) plus an LS for fleet customers which relegates otherwise standard features like the Driver Confidence Package to an options sheet. Guess they figure rental drivers are confident enough already (actually, it’s rear park assist and some other minor tripe which would actually be handy given the abuse some rentals endure).
Back on the shop floor, GM says production of the Malibu will end in November 2024, making way for assembly of the next-gen Chevy Bolt. The little Cadillac XT4 will also be impacted by this change, with production of that model being paused in January 2025 while the place is being prepped for the Bolt. The General is promising the plant will return to an online status later that calendar year, cranking out XT4s and Bolts as it sees fit to meet demand. The facility opened in 1987 to build the Grand Prix and now employs about 2,000 souls.
[Image: Chevrolet/GM]
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