The End of an Era: General Motors to Discontinue Chevrolet Malibu Production This Year

In a major shift, General Motors announced that the production of the iconic Chevrolet Malibu will end this year. This marks the end of an era for GM’s biggest brand in the US, as the Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas will be reconfigured to build the new Chevrolet Bolt EV. With this move, GM’s mainstream Chevrolet brand will only sell trucks, SUVs and the Corvette sports car.

Ford made a similar decision by discontinuing its 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 was first introduced in 1960 as the Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu and has been in production since 1997. Last year, GM sold over 130,000 Malibus, signaling a 13% increase in sales. Despite its long history and popularity, the Malibu’s final generation was introduced in 2016 making it older than competitors like Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. However, with this announcement GM is officially retiring one of its most iconic models from its lineup.