Differences Between 2018 Chevrolet Cruze & 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

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When you need a car, the 2018 Chevy Malibu and 2018 Chevy Cruze offer you a broad range of choices at affordable price points. Let’s see how the two compare side by side.

Performance

Unlike some small cars, the Cruze is powered like a champ. Its 153-horsepower turbo generates 177 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is 30 mpg/city and 40 mpg/highway for automatic sedans. If you want to earn even more at the pump, the turbo diesel is rated at 52 mpg highway. This engine generates 240 lb-ft of torque. It clearly has a serious competitive streak. For the Malibu, Chevy has chosen a 163-horsepower EcoTec engine. Like the Cruze turbos, this one generates a high rate of torque, 184 lb-ft. Earning 36 mpg highway, the Malibu definitely doesn’t waste gas. In fact, it has a stop-start system for redlights, fast-food drive-throughs, and other long urban stops. If you want to rule the road, the Malibu offers a fuel-sipping 2-liter I-4 turbo. Generating power like a V6, it is rated for 250 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission ensures the best use of that power.

Style and Spaciousness

These two cars share one thing in common. Chevy has chosen the highest quality materials for the class of car and made sure that the seats are well-padded and accommodating for long trips. Also, the Cruze has the same touchscreen and infotainment features as the Malibu. This includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto at the lowest price point for either model. In either car, you can get OnStar WiFi, reducing your dependence on your phone data plan. The Malibu is definitely the bigger car, and it shows on every row. The trunk is a generous 15.8 cu.ft. By contrast, the Cruze trunk is rated at either 13.9 or 14.8 cu.ft, depending on which sedan style you choose. The Cruze hatchback boasts 22 cu.ft. The top Cruze adds a leatherette dash surface and contrast-color stitching. Both models are offering two rows of heated seats. The Malibu also offer power-ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, a nine-speaker Bose system, a dual-zone programmable thermostat and leather upholstery.

Safety

When it comes to safety, Chevrolet doesn’t expect shoppers to compromise. Both of these vehicles have ten airbags. That’s three or four more than the average car. The two cars earned their five-star NHTSA rating. Both have a rearview camera to help with reverse maneuvers. Malibus have ECM grade braking, a system which regulates downhill travel. Crash avoidance features are available for both cars. This means you can have a side blind zone alert, a forward collision alert, a following distance indicator, a lane keeper with assist, and Intellibeams. The Malibu offers these features plus a low-speed autobrake with a pedestrian watch.

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