In 2015, at the New York Auto Show, Chevrolet unveiled the 2016 Malibu.
It was based on the European platform of the Opel Insignia, but with a completely new design.

The Malibu had a long history in the GM portfolio. In 2015 the American company announced that the Malibu hit the 10 million cars sold worldwide since 1964 when the Malibu was introduced to the market. The ninth-generation had a difficult task to keep the name going on a very crowded market of mid-size sedans.

The Malibu used the same design language and similar cues with the larger Impala. Its sleek look and raked A-pillars placed the car into the sport-sedan segment. All the aerodynamic changes were made for a better fuel-efficiency, and not for high-performance. To lower the drag coefficient, the car was fitted with active shutters for the grille for the LS and TS trim levels. The upper trim level, named Premium, featured LED taillights.

Due to its long wheelbase, the 2016 Malibu offered more interior room than its predecessor. Inside the cabin, the car-maker installed new equipment including an industry-first „teen-assistant”. That could be controlled by a parent to limit or check speed or driver behavior.

The Malibu was fitted as standard with a small, 1.5-liter, turbocharged engine. It offered the same performances as a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter unit, but with a better fuel-efficiency. The top model was the Hybrid version, but that was not so well received by the market and it was cut from the production lines in 2020.