Chevrolet Bids Adieu to Sedans: The End of an Era for the Iconic Malibu Model

General Motors has announced that it will stop production of the Chevrolet Malibu, the last sedan sold by its biggest brand in the US, this year. The company will reconfigure its Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas to build the new Chevrolet Bolt EV instead. With this move, GM’s mainstream Chevrolet brand in the US will only sell trucks, SUVs, and the Corvette sports car.

Ford made a similar move by discontinuing the Taurus and Fusion sedans, leaving only the Mustang as its traditional car. Chevrolet also stopped production of its Mustang competitor, the Camaro, last year. According to Cox Automotive, traditional cars account for less than 20% of US auto sales. The Malibu, introduced in 1960 as the Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu, has been in production since 1997 but is now discontinued.

The Malibu has been an iconic model in Chevrolet’s lineup and has seen various iterations over the years. Last year, GM sold over 130,000 Malibus, signaling a 13% increase in sales. The Malibu’s final generation was introduced in 2016, making it older than competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Despite its long history and popularity, the Malibu’s production has officially come to an end.