The Chevy Malibu was a popular car in the United States for a long time. People in the United States rode in and finally drove the Bowtie model, which was made from 1964 to 1983 and again from 1997 to 2024. A quick look at Malibu’s sales numbers from last year makes it look like it was still going strong, but General Motors stopped making them in November, ending the car’s second life. That’s great because it was the third most popular midsize car. The Nissan Altima, which was also a rental fleet deal, sold 113,898 cars and moved 117,319 units, but the Malibu sold more. It did better than the Hyundai Sonata (69,343) and the Kia K5 (46,311), which were both much younger models. No one can say that the Malibu didn’t sell, even if you don’t like how simple it looks. A sale is still a sale, even if most of the people who left the plant were white and went to Hertz. Of course, it sells fewer units than the Toyota Camry, which was the market winner and sold 309,876 units. Last but not least is the Honda Accord, which sold 162,723 units even though it was a slow year because of changes at the Marysville Assembly Plant, where the car is made. It’s still important to note that the Malibu did better than the others because those two are in a different league. We told you that the Malibu was ending in May 2024. The only two models that sold more than this one were the Silverado and the Equinox. However, General Motors chose to replace the Malibu with a new Bolt EV, which wasn’t enough to save the car. We haven’t heard much about it yet, but since the Malibu hasn’t changed much in a long time, you can expect it to be more modern than the car it replaces. It’s unfortunate that cars like the Malibu are being phased out, but I’m choosing to focus on the positive side of its legacy. While crossover and SUV sales have surged over the last decade, there’s still a strong demand for them, and I believe the market will eventually return to four-door cars with a more grounded feel. Ultimately, even if I’m mistaken, the Malibu’s retirement could be paving the way for new innovations and opportunities.
