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The Chevrolet Malibu Base for 1997: Improving on 1996

As time has gone by several things can be said about the Chevrolet Malibu series: including the strong reaction most buyers have towards their car. The 4-cylinder engine is at the core of the strong emotions, it is reliable for its class and delivers a huge amount of torque.

Performance

The Malibu Base is equipped with a General Motors 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine that utilizes 16 valves. The Chevrolet engine is mated to a General Motors 4-speed Transaxle. This configuration has proven to be a successful design for Chevrolet.

For the 1997 Malibu, the fuel delivery system is a electronic SFI, using gasoline for fuel. A fuel-injected MFI configuration. The gas tank holds 15.20 gallons.

The Malibu uses power-assisted brakes, with 4-Wheel ABS support. The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are drum. Steering is handled through a power-steering rack-style configuration. The car uses coil and coil springs front and rear respectively.

Malibu Base Statistics

The dimensions of the Malibu Base are 69.40 inches wide by 190.40 inches long. It sits a comfortable 56.40 inches off the ground. It seats a standard five passengers, with 4 doors. The wheelbase of 107.00 allows for limited leg room for the backseat passengers.

The original manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $15,470 when new, with a dealer invoice cost of $14,155. This price was in line with the industry average price for a 4-door Sedan.

The standard warranty period for the Malibu is 60* months, or 50,000* miles, whichever comes first. This is standard in the sedan market.

Fuel Efficiency

The Malibu Base received a miles-per-gallon rating of twenty in-city driving and twenty nine when it came to long-distance. Being a gas-powered non-green car, this was subpar.

In Summary

The 1997 model year was unsuccessful for the Chevrolet Malibu. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the Base version) meant that buyers had several options to choose from..