Holden first announced that the Chevy Malibu was first coming to Australia back in 2011 and finally it’s just about here. In fact it’s so close to arriving in the showrooms that Holden have announced pricing and equipment levels.
The Holden Malibu as it will appear in Australia is a Korean-built four-door, front-wheel drive sedan powered by a 2.4 litre petrol or 2.0 litre diesel engine.
It will be available in two equipment levels … the entry level will be the Malibu CD and the top of the range will be the Malibu CDX.
Pricing will start at $28,490 for the entry level petrol Malibu CD and at the other end of the scale pricing for the Malibu CDX diesel will start at $35,990.
All prices are manufacturer’s recommended price and on-road costs and government charges are extra.
The body
The Holden Malibu is 4865mm long, 1855mm wide (excluding the mirrors) and it stands 1465mm high. The wheelbase is 2737mm with a front track of 1583mm and a rear track of 1585mm. Luggage capacity is 545 litres and fuel capacity is 73 litres.
Kerb weights for the CD are 1583kg for the petrol version and 1659kg for the diesel while the CDX weights in at 1610kg for the petrol and 1684kg for the diesel.
The engine
The Korean-built petrol engine is a 2.4 litre DOHC 16-valve, 4-cylinder unit that develops 123kW of power at 5800 rpm and 225 Nm of torque at 4600 rpm. It features an aluminium engine block and cylinder head.
Cam phasers for both intake and exhaust valves are also fitted as are digital sensors to provide greater precision in the data supplied to the onboard processor. Deep inside the engine there are oil-cooling jets to ensure optimal piston cooling and they will also give added long-term durability.
Fuel consumption figures for the petrol engine on a combined cycle are 8.0L/100km and CO2 emissions are 192g/km
The German built diesel engine is a 2.0 litre common rail turbo. It features an electronically controlled turbocharger complete with intercooler that lowers fuel consumption and emissions and a diesel particulate filter system that Holden says will be maintenance-free for the life of the vehicle.
Fuel consumption figures for the diesel engine on a combined cycle are 6.4L/100km for the CD and 6.5L/100km for the CDX. CO2 emissions for the CD are 170g/km and 172g/km for the CDX.
Transmission
Both the CD and CDX diesel and petrol versions are fitted with a 6-speed Gen 2 automatic transmission with Active Select. There is no manual version available.
Steering and Suspension
Although this version of the Malibu is built in Korea it will come with a specially tuned suspension for Australian conditions that includes a McPherson Strut with lower ‘L’ arm as well as aluminium alloy front knuckles and lower control arm.
The diesel version of the Holden Malibu comes with hydraulic power steering while the petrol version has electric power steering.
Safety
The Holden Malibu comes with all the usual safety features, ESC, ABS, EBD, traction control, brake assist, 6 airbags, energy absorbing steering column, three-point seat belts in all seating positions, and a brake pedal that breaks away in an accident.
All models are fitted with a reversing camera and rear parking sensors as standard.
The brakes on the petrol version of the Holden Malibu 16″ ventilated discs on the front and solid discs on the rear while the diesel version comes with 17″ ventilated discs front and rear.
Both Malibu models feature sensor key technology and push-button start as well as auto headlights. Rain sensing wipers are standard on the CDX models.
Interior
The Holden Malibu comes with power height adjustable seats for the driver and front passenger as standard. The front seats are heated … standard on the CDX … and offer a choice of three heating levels.
Holden’s MyLink Infotainment system is standard across the range and features a 7″ full-colour touch-screen, the usual radio/DC capability, audio streaming via Bluetooth, phone integration and phone book support as well as Pandora and Stitcher apps.
One interesting feature of the Holden Malibu is the multiple hidden storage compartments in the passenger compartment … including one behind the touch-screen. These are easily accessible for people inside the car but effectively hide items from prying eyes outside the car.
It will be interesting to watch the sales of the Holden Malibu. Will the demand be there right from the start and continue on … or will we see a repeat of the initial high demand and then drop-off that we saw in the Holden Cruze?
