{"id":32507,"date":"2024-04-04T08:44:22","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T12:44:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=32507"},"modified":"2024-04-04T08:44:22","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T12:44:22","slug":"payne-go-used-go-chevy-malibu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2024\/04\/payne-go-used-go-chevy-malibu","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Go used, go Chevy Malibu"},"content":{"rendered":"

Naples, Florida<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 My Chevy Malibu is roomy, techy and easy on the eyes. And, most importantly, it\u2019s a used bargain at under 20 grand.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s go used car reviewing.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big fan of affordable cars whether new or used, but it\u2019s a tough hoe for consumers these days in a market buffeted by a perfect storm of electric vehicle mandates, low post-pandemic inventories, and high manufacturing costs. The average price paid for a new vehicle has ballooned from $37,577 in 2019 to $47,338 now. Worse, the number of new cars under $20,000 has shrunk as manufacturers buffeted by rising regulation, labor costs and electronic tech find it hard to make margin on entry-level cars \u2014 driving customers into the used market, where inventories have been hammered by the lack of production during the pandemic.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The 2023 Chevy Malibu 1LT isn’t sporty, but it is easy to use, park, and has high quality ratings from JD Power. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/div>\n

\u201cWe need more used cars,\u201d Roger Penske lamented to me in a recent interview as he listed the challenges to his dealer network.<\/p>\n

The average price of a used vehicle \u2014 $27,297 as of last month \u2014 is up even more than new cars (33% vs. 26%) from $20,398 in 2019. Ouch. Meanwhile, affordable new cars like the Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic and Ford Focus have left the market. Manufacturers are flooding the zone instead with EVs to both meet onerous government sales mandates and to test consumer taste for battery-power. Most of the new cars I test these days are pricey electrics like the $50K Chevy Blazer EV. To make up for big losses on EVs (Ford lost $4.7 billion in its EV division last year), brands are making higher-trim models to capture profit.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, customers want gas-powered Swiss Army knives \u2014 affordable vehicles that can do it all from road trips to urban parking to loading in a family of four.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The handsome profile of the 2023 Chevy Malibu 1LT includes optional, 18-inch wheels. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As I travel the country, I\u2019ll try to report on good finds from time to time. The Chevy Malibu is one.<\/p>\n

Sneak up behind my Malibu 1LT tester in a parking lot and you might mistake its sleek lines for a luxury chariot. Coupe-like roof, scalloped side panels, fashionably-spoked wheels. Walk \u2018round to the front and the mood is ruined by a dog\u2019s breakfast of twin grilles and competing surfaces. Give me a simple, European grille any day.<\/p>\n

I have a friend who\u2019s a big Lexus fan but recoils at their Darth Vader grilles. So she just parks the car head-first into her garage or downtown parking spot so she never has to look at it. Happily, when you\u2019re behind the wheel of the Malibu, you never have to look it in the face.<\/p>\n

Instead, you get a handsome, ergonomically-superior interior. Easy-to-read tablet screen, well-organized, bezeled climate controls, fat knobs for controlling climate and sound, intuitive automotive shifter. Alas, the steering wheel of my 2023 tester didn\u2019t have Chevy\u2019s newer roller button for volume and cruise control \u2014 but I could still find the raised control buttons with my fingers so I never had to take my eyes off the road.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
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The 2023 Chevy Malibu 1LT is easy to learn with big knobs, a bezeled climate menu and big digital screen. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Better yet, Malibu allowed me to control the radio from\u00a0the back<\/em>\u00a0of the steering wheel. Volume buttons on the wheel\u2019s right backside. Station controls on the left.<\/p>\n

I rented my \u2018bu tester in Naples, Florida \u2014 which is hardly New York City \u2014 but is still jammed with traffic in the winter months with everything from spring breakers to senior citizens to hot rodders with more horsepower than sense.<\/p>\n

Navigating this morass in the Malibu is also easy thanks to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto \u2014 a significant upgrade to the Chevy since its 2016 debut \u2014 which mirrors your phone\u2019s navi system for seamless, familiar operation. I gave voice commands without ever taking my phone out of my pocket.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, Google, navigate to Miami!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The direction dutifully followed on screen.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The rear seats of the 2023 Chevy Malibu 1LT offer good legroom for tall folks. Henry Payne, The Detroit News<\/em><\/p>\n

Add to this convenience a lack of range anxiety. I love electric vehicles, but you need to be conscious of range at all times. Recharging takes time, and could make you late for an appointment \u2014 or take you out of your way, especially in unfamiliar territory (to me) like South Florida. Gas power = peace of mind.<\/p>\n