Scoop shots of a camouflage-free 2016 Chevrolet Malibu tester have surfaced in China, but we believe they show a facelifted version of the current car and not the upcoming all-new model for the US.

We base this on the profile and especially the window line of the prototype that looks exactly like on the 2014 Malibu offered for sale in China and which is identical to North America's pre-facelift (2013MY) Malibu.

Our own spy photos of the next Malibu also support this, as the testers we've come across feature a completely different profile with a dramatically angled rear window.

As for China's updated 2016 Malibu, it appears that it will get a new face with a much smaller front grille and crispier headlamps, very similar to the latest Impala, and possibly, a revised rear end.

It’s official: the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will debut at the New York Auto Show in April and will be larger, lighter and more fuel-efficient than the current model.

The next-generation Chevy Malibu is based on an entirely new architecture, which means the sedan’s wheelbase is nearly 4 inches (101mm) longer than the outgoing model’s, resulting in increased rear legroom and interior space.

The new model is also expected to be 300lbs (136kg) lighter than the current model, thanks to a higher-strength steel structure. As a result, it also promises to be more fuel efficient and better to drive.

As for the styling, GM’s vice president of Global Design Ed Welburn describes it as gorgeous, “the result of a masterful understanding of proportions.” The 2016 Malibu’s roofline has been stretched rearward for a sleeker profile, while the front wheels have moved forward. Welburn also says the front and rear overhangs have been reduced, helping Malibu appear more dynamic and sophisticated.

GM says it will offer more details about the 2016 Malibu each week leading up to the vehicle’s global debut. The sedan will go on sale by the end of this year in the United States.

Some may not like the idea of their car keeping a tab on driving use, but GM does, and it says that four decades worth of recorded customer data has helped it refine the upcoming 2016 Chevy Malibu.

"Data collection boxes are placed in cars in real-world driving conditions around the world," said a GM statement. "Since 1972, these devices have accurately recorded the harshness and frequency of every jounce, bump and shudder inflicted on the car on roads in the U.S., Russia, Saudi Arabia and developing markets."

The brand's engineers analyze the data to calculate the exact amount of damage caused by potholes and other road hazards over 150,000 miles (around 241,000km), before replicating these conditions at the GM Milford Proving Ground in Michigan to evaluate preproduction cars.

They also test the cars out in the open (the camouflaged prototypes you see in our scoop pages) logging more than 1.5 million miles (2.4 million km) of driving in all sorts of environments, from Yuma, Arizona's 107 Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) temperatures in July to Northern Canada's -13 Fahrenheit (-25 Celsius) in January.

More extreme tests are performed at the GM Technical Center in Warren, where the Malibu was put in several hours in the Climatic Wind Tunnel that allows temperatures to be raised to 140 degrees or lowered to 40 degrees below zero (+60 C to -40 C respectively).

The new generation of the Malibu will have its world premiere on April 1 (no kidding) at the 2015 New York Auto Show before it hits US showroom later in the year.

Debuts April 1

Chevrolet has released a new video about the 2016 Malibu, this time talking about a new system called Teen Driver.

The tool will allow parents to check out what happened while their teenager driver took the Malibu for a ride. It will be capable of showing a plethora of characteristics such as the distance driven, maximum speed traveled, over-speed warning issued and stability control events. Moreover, Teen Driver will also display any antilock brake events as well as forward collision alerts and forward collision braking events.

In addition, it will mute the radio until the front seat belts will be fastened and will give audible and visual warnings whenever the teenager is driving faster than the pre-established speed. The teenager driver won't be able to manually disable the following safety & assistance systems: stability control, front & rear park assist, side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, forward collision alert, daytime running lights / automatic light control, forward collision warning, traction control and front pedestrian braking.

In order to use Teen Driver, the parent will have to create a PIN in the Settings menu which will allow them to register their kid’s key fob. All the aforementioned settings will be automatically activated once the registered key fob is inserted.

Chevrolet has previously announced the 2016 Malibu will be unveiled on April 1 at the New York Auto Show.