DETROIT -- The Chevrolet Malibu, an also-ran in the midsize car segment, is getting a quick makeover as General Motors tries to address criticism of bland styling and so-so performance.
The 2014 version of the car, which goes on sale this fall, gets a new engine in the base model that boosts gas mileage, more back-seat legroom, a restyled front end, an updated interior, and suspension changes that will improve the car's handling, GM said Friday.
The rapid revamp comes just a year after the current version of the Malibu reached U.S. showrooms. But in midsize cars, the largest piece of the U.S. auto market, the Malibu looks old when compared with new versions of the Ford Fusion and Honda Accord. The gas mileage of the base model, an important selling point, now lags behind the top performers in the segment.
Malibu sales are down 12 percent through April, while Fusion sales are up 25 percent and Accord sales have risen more than 26 percent, according to Autodata Corp.