There’s a quartet of trim levels for the ’24 Malibu: LS, RS, 1LT, and 2LT. All trims have a front-wheel drivetrain and a powertrain made up of a 163-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). You can expect fuel economy of 27 mpg in city driving and 35 mpg on the highway.
The base LS blends today’s features of convenience like proximity keyless entry and remote start with a good assortment of essential equipment such as automatic on/off halogen headlights, power-adjustable side mirrors, push-button start, manually adjustable front seats, cloth upholstery, and a 60/40-split folding rear seatback. The sportier RS trim stands out with black exterior accents, a rear spoiler, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The 1LT mostly takes after the LS, but it gets the power driver’s seat along with heated side mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a driver’s one-touch auto-up window, and a rear center armrest.
The 2LT spoils its passengers with perforated leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, driver’s-side position memory, a power-adjustable front passenger’s seat, wireless phone charging, LED headlights, a 120V power outlet, an 8-inch driver information display, a USB charging port, a leather wrapped shift knob, a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and ambient interior lighting.
All Malibu trims are equipped with the Chevy Safety Assist Package, which contains these advanced driver-assist technologies: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, a following distance indicator, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. All trims also get rear parking sensors.
The 2LT is eligible for the Driver Confidence and Cruise Package, which will add adaptive cruise control, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and automatic parking assist. Moreover, every trim qualifies for lane change alert with side blind-zone alert and rear cross-traffic alert. Another valuable driving aid is the Teen Driver system, which is included in every ’24 Malibu trim and is designed to assist young drivers in developing safe habits behind the wheel.
All Malibu trims have an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless smartphone integration (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay), Bluetooth hands-free audio streaming and phone use, voice recognition, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. SiriusXM satellite radio is added at the 1LT level, while the 2LT alone gets integrated navigation. The 2LT also gets a premium Bose audio system with nine speakers, while the other trims have a more basic six-speaker sound system.