The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu is one of the highest overall ranking affordable midsize cars. The 2010 Chevrolet vehicle has four trim levels, two engine options, and three transmission options. The 2010 automobile comes standard with a 2.4 liter, four cylinder engine which can produce 169 horsepower. The 2010 automobiles 2.4 liter engine allows the Malibu to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just under 10 seconds.
While the vehicle comes standard with a four cylinder engine, those who purchase Malibu with the LT or LTZ trim can upgrade to a six cylinder engine. The car's 3.6 liter V6 engine can produce 252 horsepower and drastically improve the Malibu's 0 to 60 time.
All four vehicles come standard with a manual transmission, but all four can be upgraded to include a six-speed automatic transmission. One of the benefits of selecting the Malibu over other affordable midsize cars is the fuel efficiency. The most efficient combination of engine and transmission comes with the four cylinder engine and automatic transmission, which get an EPA estimated 22 miles per gallon in the city and 32 miles per gallon on the highway. For those who want to upgrade to a six cylinder engine, the fuel efficiency drops to 17 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles per gallon on the highway when coupled with an automatic transmission.
The automobile, which is in the car's seventh generation, uses the same engine as it did in the 2008 and 2009 Car. Chevrolet introduced a hybrid option of the Malibu in a 2009 model, but dropped the hybrid technology for the 2010 Malibu. Chevrolet introduced the next generation vehicle to the media in August 2009. The next generation production is set to begin in 2012.