The 2021 Chevrolet Malibu is coming and bringing with it something extra special. Not much has changed over last year’s model, but fans of the popular sedan are looking forward to its reliable menu of comfort, performance, and affordability characteristics. The Malibu is the largest sedan in the Chevy family of cars and has often been a popular choice for commuters and families.

The 2021 model may deserve your attention, considering it has a new addition that’s impressing critics. If you are considering a new car for your garage, the latest high-tech extra, now offered as a standard feature across all Malibu models, may prove to be the game-changing tech to convince you.

What you can expect from the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu

If you’re already familiar with the Malibu, you can continue to expect comfort, convenience, safety, and fuel-efficiency. The aspects you enjoy with a Malibu experience is predicted to be much of the same for this new model year. All versions are front-wheel-drive, and all but the Premier trim are powered by the dependable turbocharged 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine. You can expect to earn 29 mpg in the city and 36 mpg with highway driving with this engine.

New for 2021, the Malibu introduces a new Sport appearance package and a new Cherry Red Tintcoat exterior. The Buckle to Drive technology is now standard across all models, requiring seatbelts to be fastened before shifting into drive.

The new high-tech standard feature you didn’t know you needed

The most exciting new addition to the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu is the Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto tech, which is standard across all versions of the sedan. Without the use of a physical connection or adaptors, mobile devices will automatically display on the Malibu’s eight-inch screen, making it increasingly convenient to access music and apps, according to KBB. This new standard tech is topping most of the critics’ list of pros for the popular bowtie sedan.

Why this addition is unique

Most vehicles being introduced for 2021 are stepping up their games with tech and convenience features. And almost every car these days is offering a connectivity platform for both Apple and Android devices. But this addition of the wireless smartphone connectivity is being hailed as unique for the Chevy Malibu.

Usually, more advanced tech like this is reserved for higher trims only and generally shows up as luxury segment-level features. Considering a non-luxury model is introducing such an extra, it’s getting quite a bit of attention in the reviews.

What the critics say the 2021 Chevy Malibu lacks

Most of the critics, while they love the new wireless tech and predictable experience with the Malibu, do point out a few shared critiques and setbacks. Some consider the availability of the 2.0-liter engine at only the top-level trim as a downfall. Others point out that the 2021 Malibu doesn’t offer a hybrid variation nor an AWD powertrain option, much like others in this segment do offer.

In some circles, the opinion is that advanced driver features that are more common as standards among others in the class, are only available at higher trim levels for the Malibu. In the end, the sentiments point to a mediocre or lackluster level of enthusiasm, outside of that new wireless tech addition.

If you think it’s time to trade-in your old sedan, the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu is definitely worth your time to consider. It’s a predictable selection, meaning you’ll have comfort, convenience, and fuel-efficiency at reasonable price points. But you’ll also have some pretty cool wireless connectivity tech, that is a little unconventional outside the luxury realm. And that may be just enough to seal the deal for you.