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Starting at
Starting at
| 1964 | First Manufactured | 1982 |
| 2 | Available Gas Engines | 2 |
| Standard | Teen Driver Safety System | Not Available |
Since 1964, the Chevy Malibu has been a leader in the auto industry, breaking new ground and boldly moving forward with innovation and a sharp design. Although there are fewer midsize sedans out there than there might have been a couple of decades ago, the Malibu has remained a powerful and impressive icon. When trying to choose the right vehicle to meet all of your needs, it can be tricky to look through all of your options and find the perfect one. Looking at the 2020 Chevy Malibu vs 2020 Toyota Camry, for example, all of your potential choices can quickly become overwhelming.
To keep things simple, let us consider what each of these two vehicles has to offer. Although the Malibu lacks the hybrid engine available on the Camry, it otherwise has two standard engines for you to choose from, just like the Camry. This lets you pick the perfect engine for the Chevy Malibu, whether you want to focus on impressive performance or more robust fuel economy. There are numerous trims available for both of these vehicles, and while that can be a good thing, there is such a thing as too many options. With more than ten trims available on the Toyota Camry, you can easily get lost looking for what is best for you; while the Malibu’s five trims give you plenty of flexibility without overloading you.
It is also worth mentioning that the 2020 Chevy Malibu starts at a lower price than the Toyota Camry, which frees you up to pick more options and packages, or simply keep more in your wallet. On top of that, the Malibu has a larger fuel tank, is a bit longer overall, and gives you more overall passenger room inside for yourself and your friends and family. While the Camry is a fine sedan in its own right, the Chevy Malibu has just as much or more to offer, without overwhelming you with too many options. Come visit us at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet of Buford today to see the Malibu and the rest of the Chevy lineup for yourself.
As the heart of your vehicle, the engine you have is always important. Not only do you want to choose a car that has a great engine to start with, but it is a great idea to pick one that gives you at least a couple options so you can get the amount of power and the kind of performance that you really want.
First things first, the 2020 Toyota Camry does have one more engine available than the Chevy Malibu. That being said, it is a hybrid version of its standard engine, which features an electric motor attached to it. If this is important to you, then that is worthwhile; but if you do not care about a hybrid engine, then it really does not mean much.
Both the 2020 Chevy Malibu and the Toyota Camry have two standard engines available, giving you a starting engine and a second, more powerful, option to choose from. The standard engine in the Malibu is a 1.5L Turbo 4-cylinder engine that gives you solid performance and fuel economy for driving around town or going on long road trips. By comparison, the Camry starts off with a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine, which is good, but not a Turbo like the one in the Malibu.
From there, each of these two cars then has a more powerful engine that you can choose if you want greater horsepower and torque. With the 2020 Chevy Malibu, that is a 2.0L Turbo engine that gives you better performance and a 9-speed automatic transmission for smooth shifting and a really rewarding overall driving experience. The optional engine in the Camry is certainly impressive, with solid overall power output, but it is worth noting that it comes with the same 8-speed automatic transmission as the standard Camry engine. This is a bit of a letdown when looking at these engines, and you will certainly enjoy the quick responsiveness of the Malibu’s available 9-speed transmission.
Even when you are looking at specific vehicles like the 2020 Chevy Malibu and the 2020 Toyota Camry, it can be worthwhile to look at where they have come from. This gives you a sense of the priorities of the manufacturers behind each of them, and the kind of legacy that your car will be a part of. While the Camry has certainly been around for a while, the history and prestige of the Chevy Malibu cannot be denied.
First introduced in 1964, the Malibu was originally a trim level for the Chevy Chevelle, until 1978 when it became its own standard model. In its earliest incarnations, the Malibu was available as a four-door sedan or a two-door sport coupe, with convertible options available. As a trim level for the Chevelle, it was quite luxurious and offered improved interior details, lavish carpeting, and numerous upgrades throughout its interior. Starting in 1978, the Chevy Malibu replaced the Chevelle in Chevrolet’s lineup, becoming its own model while still being available in numerous body styles.
Production of the Chevy Malibu ended, for a time, in 1983, but it was brought back as a four-door, midsize sedan in 1997. Since then, it has proven itself time and again as a dominant and impressive offering within this market. The most recent generation for the Malibu kicked off with model year 2016 and has been quite successful, with gorgeous interior and exterior styling to go along with its powerful engines and great overall features.
The pedigree of the Toyota Camry does not go back quite so far. First introduced in 1982, the Camry was originally a compact car, before it was redesigned as a midsize model starting in 1991. During the early 1980s, it was well known for its boxy design that was not immediately well-liked by a lot of people, as it lacked the smooth lines and impressive styling of something like the Chevy Malibu.
Starting in the model year 2018, the latest generation of the Camry has certainly come a long way since those early days of harsh lines and angles. Although the modern Camry has a lot to offer, it is hard to see it as standing on the same level as a legend like the Chevy Malibu. It is a fine sedan in its own right, but when placed beside a car with the history of something like the Malibu, it seems almost unfair to compare them.
In general, here at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet of Buford, we see more options as a good thing. We love Chevy vehicles because they always have a number of great trims to choose from, with multiple engine options and different features and packages. This lets you get a vehicle that is perfect for you with everything you need. Sometimes, however, you can have too much of a good thing, and too many options can be a problem.
Looking at the 2020 Chevy Malibu, we see the perfect number of choices available to you. There are five trim levels for you to choose from, starting with a standard L model, then building on that with an LS, RS, and LT trim. Finally, the Premier trim level gives you the best overall selection of features, with an upgraded engine and transmission, so you can choose it for unparalleled performance and a great driving experience.
The 2020 Toyota Camry, on the other hand, simply has too many options. That might not seem possible, but consider this: there are 11 different standard trims for the Camry, 12 if you include the SE Nightshade Edition. To us, that many choices can quickly become overwhelming and makes it very difficult to figure out the differences between some of them and try to narrow down what each has to offer.
For example, the Camry starts with an L trim, just like the Malibu, but from there Toyota offers LE, XLE, and XLE V6 trim levels. That seems pretty straightforward, but then there are also SE, XSE, and XSE V6 trim levels available, each with numerous differences when you compare them to the LE models. Then you have multiple hybrid trims, as well as a TRD trim, and the aforementioned SE Nightshade Edition. Trying to keep track of all of those specs and features is nearly impossible, and the entire lineup is simply exhausting.
While the 2020 Toyota Camry certainly has a lot to offer, it is ultimately too much and makes trying to sort through the available options overwhelming. The more refined and concise nature of the Chevy Malibu lineup provides you with plenty of choices, without going overboard. Combine this with similar options in many ways, the renowned reputation and history of the Malibu, and a lower starting price – the choice becomes quite clear.
Here at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet of Buford, we are proud of the strong history and impressive tradition of the Chevy Malibu. Whether you know exactly what you want, or you still have a lot of questions, we are here to help and make sure you find just what you need. Call or come visit us at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet in Buford, GA, today to drive away in the perfect car.
*Images, fuel economy, and other stats, may reflect higher trim levels, options, or features that may result in a higher cost from the starting MSRP.
MSRP excludes tax, license, registration, additional options, and possible destination charges. Dealers set own prices.