Used Chevrolet Malibu, Cruze and Equinox: the four-cylinder years to watch

Chevrolet's family cars of the 2010s do not have a single catastrophic component like Ford's PowerShift or Hyundai's Theta engine. What they have is a series of moderate problems attached to specific engines and specific launch years, and a used buyer who can match the engine to the year will find good cars among them.

The 2.4-litre Ecotec, 2010 to 2017: oil

The Equinox and the GMC Terrain of 2010 to 2017 with the 2.4-litre four-cylinder consume oil. Worn piston rings let oil past, the level drops between services, and if the owner does not check it the timing chain stretches from lack of lubrication and, eventually, the engine fails. General Motors extended the warranty on the piston rings and the timing chain to ten years or 120,000 miles for 2010 to 2013 cars after a class action, and revised the rings in production. The complaint counts are steady rather than spiking — between 550 and 780 a year for the Equinox from 2011 to 2015 — and the scores are respectable, between 69 and 82, because the failure is slow and the warranty caught most of it. The 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6 versions do not have the problem. The 2016 and 2017 cars, at the end of the generation, score 86 and 91.

The Cruze, 2011 to 2015: coolant and turbo

The first-generation Cruze with the 1.4-litre turbo had a coolant system that leaked from the water pump, the thermostat housing and the reservoir, sometimes producing a coolant smell in the cabin, and a turbocharger that failed on higher-mileage cars; the PCV valve in the valve cover also failed, causing oil leaks and a rough idle. The six-speed automatic shuddered. The 2012 and 2014 cars carry the highest counts and score 54; the 2013 and 2015 cars score 72 and 80. The second-generation Cruze from 2016 has a new 1.4-litre engine and a much better record, scoring 86 to 93 for 2017 to 2019 before Chevrolet ended production.

The Malibu: 2013 and 2016 launches

The eighth-generation Malibu launched for 2013 with a 2.5-litre engine, an eAssist mild-hybrid option and a stop-start system, and its complaint counts through 2013 to 2015 are led by the stop-start failing to restart the engine, the electrical system and the 2.5's oil consumption. The 2014 and 2015 cars, after a facelift, score 72 and 82.

The ninth generation launched for 2016 with a 1.5-litre turbo, a new eight-speed automatic on the 2.0-litre turbo and a six-speed on the 1.5, and the count jumps to 1,669 with a score of 27. The complaints are the transmission's shudder and hesitation, the engine losing power, and the stop-start again. The 2017 and 2018 cars are marginally better at 35 and 31. Then the record clears: the 2019 car scores 84, the 2020 car 79, and the 2021 to 2024 cars between 88 and 89. Chevrolet ended Malibu production after 2024, so a 2019 to 2024 Malibu is a well-scoring used saloon that will only get cheaper.

The Equinox, 2018 onward

The third-generation Equinox with the 1.5-litre turbo has a moderate record — scores between 71 and 86 for 2018 to 2024 — with the ordinary launch-year infotainment complaints in 2018 and nothing that stands out. The 2025 redesign opened with 214 complaints in its first months and a score of 46, and should be given a year.

What to check

Any 2.4-litre Equinox or Terrain: the oil level, the consumption history, and whether the piston-ring or timing-chain work has been done under the extended warranty. Any 2011 to 2015 Cruze: the coolant reservoir level and any sweet smell inside the car with the heater on. Any 2016 to 2018 Malibu: the transmission from cold and the stop-start system in traffic.

Summary

Buy: Equinox 2016 to 2017 and 2018 to 2024; Cruze 2017 to 2019; Malibu 2014 to 2015 and 2019 to 2024. Avoid: Malibu 2013, 2016 to 2018; Cruze 2012 and 2014; Equinox 2025 until the record settles.