2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
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From: Fairfax Station, VA. Formally Long Island :(
2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
Not a bad price for a lot of car! What's up with the crappy city mileage relatively speaking?
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=23344
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=23344
Malibu Eco gets good fuel economy and is cheaper than other midsized hybrids
With lawmakers in Washington setting their eyes on more stringent CAFE standards, Chevrolet is rolling its new 2013 Malibu Eco. The car promises fuel economy very much like that of other hybrids in its class without the extra cost associated with hybrid vehicles.
The new Malibu Eco will carry an MSRP of $25,995 when it lands in dealerships in Q1 2012 as a 2013 model -- the MSRP includes the destination charge.
Chevy calls the Malibu Eco the most fuel-efficient Malibu ever and it is the first Chevy to get the GM eAssist battery electric/gas powertrain. This powertrain uses a 182hp gasoline engine, lithium-ion battery and an electric motor/generator unit. The car also features regenerative braking, electric assist, and uses start-stop functionality to improve fuel economy.
To help improve the efficiency the Malibu Eco uses underbody aerodynamic enhancements and shutters in the lower grill that close at higher speeds. The car also shed weight to improve efficient with an aluminum hood, aluminum rear bumper beam, and low mass carpeting and other light components. This helps the Eco come in at 130 pounds lighter than the normal Malibu.
The tech inside the car allows it to get fuel ratings estimated by GM to be 26mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway.
That efficiency level allows the Malibu Eco to offer similar highway efficiency compared to other hybrid and diesel cars. The 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid for instance gets 36 mpg (hwy) and sells for $29,395. The 2012 Camry Hybrid gets 39 mpg (hwy) with a MSRP of $26,660, and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid sells for $26,545 and gets 40 mpg (hwy).
However, the Malibu Eco gets trounced by the competition when it comes to city fuel economy. While the Malibu manages "only" 26mpg in the city, the Fusion Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, and Sonata Hybrid offer city ratings of 41mpg, 43mpg, and 35mpg respectively.
Source: GM
With lawmakers in Washington setting their eyes on more stringent CAFE standards, Chevrolet is rolling its new 2013 Malibu Eco. The car promises fuel economy very much like that of other hybrids in its class without the extra cost associated with hybrid vehicles.
The new Malibu Eco will carry an MSRP of $25,995 when it lands in dealerships in Q1 2012 as a 2013 model -- the MSRP includes the destination charge.
Chevy calls the Malibu Eco the most fuel-efficient Malibu ever and it is the first Chevy to get the GM eAssist battery electric/gas powertrain. This powertrain uses a 182hp gasoline engine, lithium-ion battery and an electric motor/generator unit. The car also features regenerative braking, electric assist, and uses start-stop functionality to improve fuel economy.
To help improve the efficiency the Malibu Eco uses underbody aerodynamic enhancements and shutters in the lower grill that close at higher speeds. The car also shed weight to improve efficient with an aluminum hood, aluminum rear bumper beam, and low mass carpeting and other light components. This helps the Eco come in at 130 pounds lighter than the normal Malibu.
The tech inside the car allows it to get fuel ratings estimated by GM to be 26mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway.
That efficiency level allows the Malibu Eco to offer similar highway efficiency compared to other hybrid and diesel cars. The 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid for instance gets 36 mpg (hwy) and sells for $29,395. The 2012 Camry Hybrid gets 39 mpg (hwy) with a MSRP of $26,660, and the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid sells for $26,545 and gets 40 mpg (hwy).
However, the Malibu Eco gets trounced by the competition when it comes to city fuel economy. While the Malibu manages "only" 26mpg in the city, the Fusion Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, and Sonata Hybrid offer city ratings of 41mpg, 43mpg, and 35mpg respectively.
Source: GM
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From: TX Med Ctr
Re: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
The eAssist system is a mild hybrid system, the next gen of their belt-alternator-starter tech that they used to have in the Malibu and Aura. The new Malibu is apparently getting the system that is in the LaCrosse. It is a way to bump mileage for relatively low cost compared to a parallel system.
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From: Albany, NY
Re: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
Since when is 26mpg city crappy? How many other $25k sedans of this size can get that kind of mileage? Don't bother looking it up, the answer is none. The best the current Malibu does is 22mpg city.
Last edited by Z28x; Nov 22, 2011 at 08:26 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Fairfax Station, VA. Formally Long Island :(
Re: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
Crappy may have been a bit extreme. Compared to the other cars mentioned in the article, it isn't too hot. It's also a $26k sedan. From reading this article alone, the Camry hybrid and Sonata hybrid are pretty close in price to the Malibu with much better city mileage.
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From: Greenville, SC
Re: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
Just looked up the camry for the hell of it. The Hybrid LE starts at $25,900 and is rated at 43/39... so yeah, doesn't look too good for the malibu...
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,650
From: Indianapolis, IN
Re: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
I think the article mentions that the Malibu is intended to have higher standard feature content, so many items that are options (or not available?) on the Camry Hybrid are available on the Malibu at that entry price. So you get good (but not crazy good) fuel economy, but you don't have to drive a stripper version to get it. I don't know how they line up feature for feature; just pointing out what they mentioned in the article.
So, if someone has a few feature "wants", perhaps those would push the price of the Camry Hybrid into the upper twenties or the $30k range vs. $26k for the Malibu.
(Also, that $25,995 included destination, according to Autoblog; the Camry would have another $760 tacked on to that $25,900).
Keep in mind, though, that the Malibu is an "Eco" branded car, but it isn't being touted as a hybrid. (I would like to see GM come out with a true two mode hybrid in their midsize line, similar to the stillborn Vue two mode.) Still, the Camry is rated at 25/35 in non-hybrid form, so I hope the new base Malibu with the 2.5L is rated at something similar. Then the lighter, aero-enhanced Eco model can be a 'tweener giving a few extra miles per gallon without going to a full hybrid system.
The Cruze Eco seems to deliver the goods in real world from what I've read; hopefully the Malibu Eco exceeds expectations as well.
So, if someone has a few feature "wants", perhaps those would push the price of the Camry Hybrid into the upper twenties or the $30k range vs. $26k for the Malibu.
(Also, that $25,995 included destination, according to Autoblog; the Camry would have another $760 tacked on to that $25,900).
Keep in mind, though, that the Malibu is an "Eco" branded car, but it isn't being touted as a hybrid. (I would like to see GM come out with a true two mode hybrid in their midsize line, similar to the stillborn Vue two mode.) Still, the Camry is rated at 25/35 in non-hybrid form, so I hope the new base Malibu with the 2.5L is rated at something similar. Then the lighter, aero-enhanced Eco model can be a 'tweener giving a few extra miles per gallon without going to a full hybrid system.
The Cruze Eco seems to deliver the goods in real world from what I've read; hopefully the Malibu Eco exceeds expectations as well.
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Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 602
From: Alpharetta, GA
Re: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Hybrid Priced from $25,995
The Mailbu isn't a true "hybrid", in that it won't run solely on battery power, like the other hybrids from Toyota and Ford. This one just boosts output from a small battery pack, so the engine doesn't have to work as hard, thus increasing gas mileage. It's the same system that's going into the Lacrosse, and the Regal.
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