At first glance, the 2019 Chevy Malibu and the 2019 Chevy Impala have a number of similarities. Here’s a look at what sets these two sedans apart.
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Powertrains and efficiency
The Chevy Malibu offers three engines — a standard 1.5-liter Turbo four-cylinder engine, an available 2.0-liter Turbo four-cylinder engine, and an available 1.8-liter Hybrid four-cylinder engine. The standard mill earns 160 horsepower, 184 lb-ft of torque, and 29 mpg city, 36 highway, and 32 combined. Its 2.0-liter engine packs a lot more punch, with 250 horsepower, 260 lb-ft of torque, and earns an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city, 32 highway, and 26 combined. If you go for the hybrid model, you’ll get a powertrain that delivers 49 mpg city, 43 mpg highway, and 46 mpg combined.
The Impala has fewer options, but more pep in its step. Its standard 2.5-liter ECOTEC four-cylinder engine pumps out 197 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, all while earning 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. The beefier available 3.6-liter V6 engine offers 305 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque, while earning 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.
Interior amenities
Overall, the Malibu offers a refined, luxurious interior than the Impala. For instance, ventilated front seats come standard on the range-topping Malibu Premier. They’re simply available as an option on the top-trim Impala. Malibu offers a universal tablet holder that mounts onto the front-seat headrests, effectively giving your backseat passengers a rear-seat entertainment system. There’s no equivalent feature on the Impala. Befitting of its Californian moniker, the Malibu offers the Sun and Wheel package, which includes a dual-pane power sunroof and 19-inch aluminum wheels with all-season tires. Additionally, there are a few other features that the Malibu offers, which the Impala lacks, including a stylish sport pedal kit, a trunk organizer, rear side-window manual sunshades, and a range of leather interior color options.
In terms of trunk space, the Impala offers a bit more room, with 18.8 cubic feet of cargo space compared to the Malibu’s 15.7.
Safety
Both the Malibu and Impala are smart, safe sedans with plenty of driver-assist technology. However, the Malibu offers a wider variety of available technologies. Choose the Malibu if you’re interested in driving with Automatic Parking Assist, a Following Distance Indicator, Forward Automatic Braking, IntelliBeam auto high-beam headlamps, and Front Pedestrian Braking.
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Price
Despite its impressive list of available features, the Malibu starts at $22,090, while a base-trim Impala clocks in at $28,020.
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