The Malibu name only exists because Chevrolet retired the Chevelle in 1978 and renamed the downsized replacement after it.
Median 89 hp across 234 similar cars
Lead trim: 4.3 L V6 Diesel (85 hp) · up to 170 hp
Chevrolet MalibuA-body/G-body · 1978–1983
- 0spots by members
- Unclaimednobody has spotted one yet
- 1set it completes
Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Chevrolet Malibu yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Malibu name only exists because Chevrolet retired the Chevelle in 1978 and renamed the downsized replacement after it.
For 1978 the Malibu name replaced Chevelle and the car was downsized on a new rear-wheel-drive mid-size platform, the A-body to 1981 and the G-body for 1982–1983. It was offered as a coupe, sedan and station wagon in two trim levels, Malibu and Malibu Classic, with a 3.3-litre V6 as the base engine and 305 and 350 V8s above it, and two Oldsmobile diesels for 1982 and 1983. It was replaced by the Celebrity, and the Malibu name returned in 1997.
Collectors Spotted in the Chevrolet Malibu Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Chevrolet Malibu yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
13 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 V6 (95 hp) | 1978–1979 | 3.3 L V6 | 95 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 229 V6 (110 hp) | 1980–1983 | 3.8 L V6 | 110 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 231 V6 (105 hp) | 1978–1978 | 3.8 L V6 | 105 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 231 V6 (110 hp) | 1980–1983 | 3.8 L V6 | 110 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 231 V6 (115 hp) | 1979–1979 | 3.8 L V6 | 115 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 267 V8 (115 hp) | 1980–1981 | V8 | 115 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 267 V8 (125 hp) | 1979–1979 | V8 | 125 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 305 V8 | 1982–1983 | 5.0 L V8 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 305 V8 (140 hp) | 1978–1981 | 5.0 L V8 | 140 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 350 V8 (165 hp) | 1978–1979 | 5.7 L V8 | 165 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 350 V8 (170 hp) | 1980–1981 | 5.7 L V8 | 170 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 350 V8 Diesel (105 hp) | 1982–1983 | 5.7 L V8 | 105 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 4.3 L V6 Diesel (85 hp) | 1982–1983 | 4.3 L V6 | 85 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
An estimate, for the 200 V6 (95 hp) trim: fuel on its EPA figure and a dated national price, upkeep on a per-mile average for the kind of car it is.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
When Chevrolet stopped building this Malibu, it wasn't just one more discontinued sedan: it was the last sedan of any kind the brand sold in America.
The 2013 Malibu was the first one built for the whole planet at once — it replaced not just the old North American Malibu but GM Korea's entire lineup of cars sold worldwide under other names.
The redesigned 2008 Malibu won North American Car of the Year and then backed it up in the showroom — GM's mid-size market share jumped from 5.7% to 8.4% in a single year, even as rental-fleet sales actually fell.
The Malibu Maxx wagon stacked two glass roof panels — a fixed one over the back seats and an optional sunroof up front — on a car nobody expected to go this fancy.
This Malibu won Motor Trend's Car of the Year for 1997 — a verdict Car and Driver savaged in 2009, calling it undeserving next to its rivals.
The Malibu name only exists because Chevrolet retired the Chevelle in 1978 and renamed the downsized replacement after it.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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