Teenagers are notoriously dumb drivers.Watch video
DETROIT, MI - Teenagers are notoriously dumb drivers.
Sorry teens, but there's a reason insurance companies relax rates once a driver turns 26 years of age.
And an automobile can be a great source of freedom for teenagers, but if their parents or guardians are the ones buying it and paying for coverage, they no doubt want to have a say in how teens use that car or truck.
With the 2016 Malibu, Chevrolet is giving them that say, with a relatively new feature called Teen Driver.
The Teen Driver feature, when activated, acts as a kind of report card that Chevy says is meant to be a teaching tool.
Parents can see the distance driven and maximum speed reached of the car. It also lists the number of stability control events, times the anti-lock brakes were used and the amount other safety features were activated.
A maximum volume level can also be set for the radio, and a speed warning limit can be set, giving an audible and visual alert. And active safety features are automatically turned on when the car is in Teen Driver mode.
The system is only activated when a parent or guardian activated a specific key fob using a pin number.
A spokeswoman for Chevrolet said the Teen Driver feature will be rolled out across model-year 2017 vehicles.
As to the car itself, we found the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 2LT we tested to live up to some of the accolades it's received, such as its nomination for 2016 North America Car of the Year (it lost to the Honda Civic).
It's a comfortable ride with plenty of room (15.8 cubic feet) in the interior, and a simple, easy-to-use infotainment system that can be paired with an iPhone via Apple CarPlay.
About 300 pounds lighter than its predecessor, the Malibu has tight handling and sufficient acceleration.
It has a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine under its hood, producing 250 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.
Mated with an eight-speed, automatic transmission, the drivetrain gives the Malibu a fuel economy of 26 miles per gallon combined, including 22 city and 32 highway.
The 2016 Malibu starts at $21,625. The fully-loaded version we tested is priced at $29,495.
Chevy first revealed the all-new Malibu in New York about a year ago. The model update has helped boost sales of the Malibu in a segment that has been suffering industry-wide, with deliveries through the first four months of this year up 34 percent to 79,985 units.
It will be interesting to see if it can continue to buck U.S. sales trends.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook.