If you have a grueling daily commute that involves more than an hour of time in your car, you don’t want to buy a vehicle that has cramped quarters and uncomfortable seats just to save a few bucks on fuel. In the grand scheme of life, your comfort in the car will pay off far more dividends than the money you might save buying a compact, and a slightly larger sedan will also afford you better features to make your commute more bearable. The 2022 Chevy Malibu is one of few midsize sedans left on the market, and compared to most of its competitors, it has a lower starting price to keep it budget-friendly.
Fuel Efficiency and Ride Quality
Even compact cars can still be thirsty when it comes to fuel consumption, especially if you load them up with people or cargo that make the engine work harder. Fuel economy numbers don’t necessarily take into account how much stuff you take along for the ride, and then when you have to contend with folding yourself into a pretzel every time you drive to work, it really isn’t worth the frustration. If you bump up to a midsize sedan like the 2022 Malibu instead, you still get good fuel efficiency with a much more comfortable interior, especially if you commute with other passengers to save money.
The standard engine for the LS, RS, and LT trims is the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that gets 29 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. That’s fairly high fuel efficiency, especially if you consider most people are driving SUVs which are getting much less bang for their buck. Go with the uppermost Premier trim, and you can have the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that offers more power (which will be more satisfying on the highway when you need to pass slower drivers) and it gets 22 MPG in the city and 33 MPG on the highway. Both engines come with front-wheel drive.
Ride quality matters a great deal when you spend a lot of time on the road, and the Malibu has a well-sorted suspension that smooths away bumps and jarring in the cabin. Thankfully, cruise control is standard to help reduce fatigue from highway driving, and adaptive cruise control is available for the Premier trim if you really want the cruise control to make your commute time more relaxing. Other comforts like driver seat memory or an auto-dimming rearview mirror are also available in upper trims because every little convenience helps turn your commute into a more pleasant experience you can look forward to enjoying instead of dreading every day.
Commuter-Friendly Features
Before you even get into the 2022 Malibu, your commute can be easier with features like keyless proximity entry that unlocks the Malibu when it senses the fob. This feature also prevents you from locking your key in the car, which means you won’t ever have to worry about being locked out if you’re in a hurry and forget to pick up the key. Any trim can add a remote start feature to get your Malibu warmed or cooled before you get in, a huge plus if you need to look presentable when you get to work. Of course, available heated and ventilated front seats can make your drive in any weather much more pleasant as well, particularly if you have back trouble and want the heating or cooling to relax your muscles.
While you drive, if you enjoy listening to podcasts or audiobooks to pass the time, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto let you share apps from your phone to the eight-inch infotainment screen so you can listen through the sound system. Amazon Alexa compatibility is standard for all trims, too, which will keep you on schedule, help you remember errands on the way home, or just allow you to listen to whatever content you save from home. A 4G hotspot can also be activated in case you ride-share and your passengers want to use their phones while you keep your phone connected to the system.
Speaking of ride-sharing, the 2022 Malibu makes for a great commuter vehicle if you have to drive with people in the back seat. Because the rear seat legroom is almost the same as the front, your back seat passengers won’t sacrifice comfort when they ride with you. Trunk space is large enough to accommodate bags and personal items everyone needs to bring for work duty, even if you have a box full of files that needs to come along for the ride. In addition, the rear seat split-folds down so you can make space for long items in the trunk while still having space for passengers in the back.
Another benefit of the 2022 Malibu is the hands-free phone use that has voice activation backed up by steering wheel-mounted buttons so you can handle business while you drive if necessary. Whether you stick to your Alexa for assistance or use the on-board feature, you don’t have to miss a beat on your way to or from work. Connected services from Chevy allow for a number of free features to be used at any trim level, such as vehicle maintenance reminders and the Marketplace, and OnStar safety and security features can be added to any trim, so you know you’re covered in case of an accident.
Safety for the Road
Because we still live in an age where driver-assist technology is still being perfected, not all safety features are the boon they seem to be in the media. Studies certainly indicate certain tech features help prevent or mitigate accidents, but aspects of how these features function in daily life are not always perfect. For those who still prefer to drive a vehicle without active safety features, the Malibu is one of few sedans available without them. On the other hand, if you want to add them in a package, you may. This is the best of two worlds; you can have a new car with all the latest technology, and the option to have safety features is up to the buyer.
Standard features like stability and traction control, a rearview camera, daytime running lights, and even Teen Driver are all found on every trim. Because the price of the Malibu is so affordable, buyers who want the added safety features can purchase a package that can include lane keep assist with lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, or front pedestrian alert on any trim level, among several others.
Choose an upper trim level, and you can have conveniences like automatic parking assist that can not only find you a parking space but can semi-autonomously park your Malibu for you. For parents of little ones who need to be dropped at daycare in the morning, a rear-seat reminder makes sure you remember your young riders, so they don’t get left behind.
Get the Car That Makes Your Commute Better
If you’ve been considering a compact car for your daily commute, give the 2022 Malibu a test drive. It’s one of the few sedans made by an American auto manufacturer, and it has a plethora of options for personalizing it to your own needs with packages across the trims. Rather than sacrificing comfort and space to squeeze a few more dimes out of your fuel usage, you deserve to drive a car that includes conveniences you won’t find in a compact. From the adaptive cruise control to the driver’s seat memory, small features can make a big difference in how you feel every day if you allow yourself the luxury of a few creature comforts on your daily drive.
