Chevrolet Malibu 2016

The beginnings of the Malibu name are tied to that of theChevrolet Chevelle , as the former was a range-topping trim level of the latter from 1964 to 1977. 

Featuring added luxury and the same powerful V-8s as the Chevelle, the Malibu went on to become the best-selling badge in the lineup by 1978, when it received its own model line. 

Although dropped in 1983, the moniker returned in 1997 and soldiered on through 2012, when the eighth-generation model was launched on GM’s Epsilon II platform, shared with the Buick LaCrosse andRegal . 

The new Malibu became a global vehicle, receiving a host of four-cylinder and V-6 engines, as well as three different transmissions. 

Although criticized for offering less legroom than its competitors, the eighth-gen Malibu was praised for its upscale interior design and smooth and quiet ride. 

Nearly three years old as of 2015, the current Malibu is set to receive a comprehensive redesign for the 2016 model year, one which promises to bring significant improvements inside and out.

You are going to be blown away styling-wise," Mark Reuss, GM’s executive vice president of global product development, told Edmunds at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show 

without going into specifics. "I think it is more true to what Chevrolet should be. 

Think about Impala . It’s not luxury , but it is more than what you thought you would get for that price. That is what Chevrolet should be and you will see that in the (redesigned) Malibu," he added.

GM’s decision to overhaul the Malibu just a little more than three years since the current model debuted is not at all surprising. With competitors like the Toyota Camry , Honda Accord or the Ford Fusion around, the eighth-gen Malibu has been struggling sales-wise ever since it arrived into dealerships in 2012. 

Details are still being kept under wraps as of January 2015, but GM vice president of global design Ed Welburn disclosed a few details about the upcoming Malibu. Keep reading to find out more about that.