The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu has two great trim levels to choose from, and two that are, frankly, underwhelming. But, as long as you’re packing a V6, there’s a lot of fun to be had in this car.
Key Points
- The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu‘s entry-level LS trim is hard to recommend in 2021, saving you less than five hundred bucks over the next trim level up.
- LT models are split between the disappointing 1LT, and the stylish, comfy 2LT, which adds a V6 engine option and remote start.
- The LTZ’s upgrades are modest, including fog lamps and LED exterior lights, but averaging in the same price range as the 2LT, it’s an easy pick for best overall value.
Basic but Adequate LS is a Fair Deal
The entry-level LS starts in the $6,500 range in the Kelley Blue Book. This one comes packed with a 169 horsepower 2.4L Ecotec DOHC inline-four with variable-valve timing, matched with front-wheel drive and six-speed automatic transmission, and that’s conventional automatic, not CVT. Electric power steering, manual air conditioning, and mounted cruise control come standard.
It’s all pretty standard. Chevy didn’t go above and beyond on this trim level, but they didn’t skimp out, either. It’s everything you expect of an entry-level trim for a 2011 mid-size sedan, as long as you don’t expect any pleasant surprises.
The entertainment setup is pretty bare bones. There’s an auxiliary input jack, six speakers, AM/FM, and CD/MP3 player, but no USB port. In a newer vehicle, that’s almost unheard of, even for an entry-level trim. But this is a 2011 we’re talking about here. Not exactly an antique, but Obama was president when this thing rolled off the factory floor.
Overall, the LS is an adequate entry-level trim, but hard to recommend in 2021. Ten years ago, this trim would have saved you a few thousand bucks over the next trim level up. Today, you’re probably not even saving a full five hundred dollars between trim levels, so there’s not much reason to not skip ahead to the LT.
LT Offers Skimpy Upgrades in the 1LT Package, but Goes above and Beyond With Heated Seats, Engine Upgrade, and Chrome Styling in the 2LT
The LT is offered in 1LT and 2LT. The 1LT is a fairly modest upgrade over the LS. You get some styling upgrades like ultra-bright aluminum wheels and body-color rocker moldings, but the biggest differences between the trims are the steering wheel-mounted audio controls and power-adjustable mirrors. Oh, and you have the option of adding a USB port, but it doesn’t come standard.
Mechanically, it’s the same car. Nothing new under the hood, and the LS, LT, and LTZ all have the exact same setup for safety features.
The question is whether the upgrades are a good deal for the money, and you can usually find the 1LT in about the same price range as the LS, starting around $6,500, so the answer here is: sure, why not. If you can find both cars at the same price, you might as well get the 1LT.
But the real upgrades start with the 2LT.
With the 2LT, you have the option of upgrading the engine to a 252 horsepower 3.6L DOHC V6, a worthwhile upgrade over the underpowered 2.4L. You get a leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted cruise and audio controls, heated six-way power seat for the driver, and remote vehicle start. You even get some nice style bonuses throughout, like a chrome exhaust tip and Chrome-Tech aluminum wheels.
All of this does come at a substantial price bump, averaging around $9,500, three thousand bucks more than typical starting prices for the LS and 1LT.
What you’re really paying for here is the V6 engine. The UltraLux seats are nice and all, but leather upholstery and shinier wheels aren’t really worth that extra three grand all on their own, so if you’re not going to bother with the V6, there’s not much reason to upgrade.
With Two Extra Speakers and Two-tone Leather Seats, LTZ Upgrades are Modest, but Priced about the Same as the 2LT
Automatic climate control, heated, power-adjustable mirrors, two extra speakers for the audio system, and leather-appointed two-tone heated front seats are the big upgrades here. You can spot an LTZ at a glance by its LED tail lamps, front fog lamps, and chrome door handles.
Under the hood, the options are mostly the same as the 2LT. The 2.4L comes standard, the 3.6L V6 is optional, and you have the same front-wheel drive, six-speed automatic, and safety features as every other trim.
The upgrades here are pretty modest, but you can usually find the LTZ for the same price as a 2LT, running from around $8,500 to $11,000, so there’s no reason not to go with the LTZ if you can get a good deal on one.
The LTZ Offers the Best Overall Value, but Only with a V6
Ten years since their debut, none of these cars come close to meeting the modern driver’s expectations for interior features and creature comforts, so, for the most part, the upgrades from trim level to trim level have kinda leveled out.
In other words, there’s nothing in an LTZ that makes it worth ten thousand bucks. Unless you’re going with the V6.
The way it all shakes, you can basically combine the LS and 1LT into one option, starting at around $6,500, and the 2LT and the LTZ into another option, which, with the V6 under the hood, would start somewhere in the area of $9,500.
And we wouldn’t recommend the first option.
If you want an efficient daily driver, you could do a lot better for $6,500 than a ten-year-old inline-four Malibu, like a 2011 Civic, for instance.
There’s not much point in buying a Malibu if you’re not buying a V6, so our advice is to start with the 2LT, and go with whatever you can find a good deal on.
Photos: Chevrolet
