Hybrids are hot. In our best attempt at a Homer Simpson moment, we had to state the obvious. Like your favorite salsa, they now apparently come in levels of spice: Some of them are milder, some are hot. Chevrolet ’s Malibu Hybrid fits into the former category – not as hot as a Toyota Prius, it’s still advertised to do the things that hybrids do, albeit on a rather, uh, mild level.
We like our salsa hot here at Leftlane, but we’re willing to give mild a shot. If the flavor is strong enough to overcome the lack of spice, it’ll get our recommendation. So when Chevrolet offered up a Malibu Hybrid, we couldn’t say no.
What is it?
A “mild-hybrid†stuffed into the packaging that makes up the new shape of the Chevrolet Malibu , it takes all that was good about the ‘bu, and then tries to improve on it with a dose of green (green chile?).
The Malibu doesn’t promise the phenomenal efficiency you’ll find in a Prius or even Ford’s new Fusion Hybrid, but Chevrolet hopes that buyers will be satisfied with its improved urban economy and greener footprint.
GM calls the Malibu Hybrid a “very limited availability†vehicle, which means that if you want one, you better go search for one. This seems like odd marketing to us.
What’s it up against?
Toyota ’s Camry Hybrid and Ford ’s Fusion Hybrid are the Malibu’s natural competitors despite their higher efficiency. Yet the Malibu Hybrid, which is rated at 26 mpg in city and 34 on the highway, also competes with its four-cylinder, six-speed automatic non-hybrid standard Malibu, which averages 22/33.
Any breakthroughs?
A 36-volt-powered electric motor system replaces the traditional alternator and is then capable of providing 110 lb-ft of instant-on torque for starts from a complete stop.
Power is supplied by nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries capable of sending and receiving over 10,000 watts of peak power. Stored in three cassettes of 12 volts each, they are stored in the front portion of the trunk and do not take as much space as the batteries found in the Lexus LS 600h, for example.
How does it look?
The body of the Chevrolet Malibu is a shape you’ll either like or dislike immediately. It had us at hello. Okay, not really, but we do like the shape. A stylized three-box design, it features much in the way of smoothed out shapes like sloping A and C pillars and contemporary front and rear fascias. A pair of confident looking headlights starts things off at the front along with the current “Face of the brand,†the split grille that is finding itself on all things Chevrolet. The Malibu Hybrid is set off by specific logos that are featured on the front quarter panels of the car.
Polished chrome and pewter five-spoke wheels give a jewel-like appearance to the gold mist-painted side view of the vehicle. A good-looking car overall, it has a look from the rear that is, to our eyes, as though its width is a touch narrow to the proportion of its length. Regardless, the 2008 Malibu was good looking enough to be selected as the North American Car of the Year.
And inside?
Chevrolet dug into the GM corporate parts bins to grab a steering wheel as well as a few other items. For better or worse, the Malibu shares its steering wheel with a wide range of GM products, including the Corvette. Maybe there’s some bragging rights there? Certainly not for the Corvette folks.
The interior, which is almost identical to the regular Malibu, has a binnacle over the gauges that features, from left, a tachometer with Auto-Stop indicator showing the gas engine has turned off, to a speedometer, then a fuel gauge and battery/electronics indicator that shows when fuel conservation is exceeding EPA estimates (an ECO light illuminates on the gauge). The front section of the interior is set into separate “pods†to give the driver and passenger their own personal space. Dividing the two is a large-ish center console that in addition to cupholders and cubbyholes leads up to a centerstack that houses the climate control and audio system. There is the nice addition of a dash top storage bin that is able to hold pens, sunglasses and other small items.
Outfitted like an entry-level vehicle, the Malibu Hybrid is not offered with an in-dash navigation system. Instead, it can supply directions via the OnStar turn by turn feature that is included with the “Directions and Connections†feature.
Cocoa and cashmere fabric seats set off the interior. We like the creative use of scalloping at the rear of the front seats for added legroom in the back. On the other hand we don’t like how there is an absence of hand grabs throughout the interior. There is just one trim level offered on the Malibu and GM positions the Hybrid slightly above the mid-level LT trim. The $3,050 premium gets you automatic climate control and alloy wheels in addition to the hybrid-electric powertrain.
But does it go?
The 2.4-liter Hybrid Ecotec VVT engine offers competent pull with its four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic hybrid transmission.
One hundred sixty-four horses come to the starting gate, pulling 159 lb-ft of torque that puts it on the pavement with special low-rolling-resistance 17-inch tires from Firestone. The engine is able to achieve its higher mileage by use of various cutoffs including the ability to shut off the engine while the vehicle is stopped and the brakes are applied. The gas engine restarts immediately after the brake pedal has been released.
During hard acceleration, the electric motor/generator is used to enhance the power output from the gas engine. Conversely, fuel flow is shut off when the accelerator is released, placing the engine into a regenerative braking mode that helps to recharge the 36-volt battery system. The Malibu Hybrid’s powertrain is covered by GM’s five-year, 100,000 mile warranty, while specific hybrid parts including the battery and charging systems are covered for eight-years and 100,000 miles.
Driving the Malibu Hybrid is an experience that takes a few minutes to get used to. Not as agile as its gas-powered brother, it has a rather high tip-in rate that saw us applying extra push to the go pedal just to get the ‘bu underway. Steering was slightly numb and not as responsive as the gas version we drove at launch. This could probably be chalked up to the hydraulic power steering we had in the 3.6 internal combustion engine of the regular versus the electric power steering on the hybrid version. Suspension bits include a MacPherson strut setup in the front with L-shaped control arms, while the rear featured a multilink with twin-tube gas shocks and dual-rate coil springs. Normal maneuvers showed a pronounced tire squeal while hotfooting it through turns. We think the low resistance tires would account for that.
While we wait for the Chevrolet Volt to make it to market, we somehow can’t help but wonder why Chevrolet has chosen to make a hybrid, much less this hybrid. Don’t get us wrong. We really love the new Malibu in its traditional gas-engine guises. It is a car that is worthy of all the accolades that have been bestowed upon it. But within the Chevrolet lineup, there is another contender that one can live with, without compromise: The Chevrolet Malibu 2.4-liter Ecotec LT with six-speed transmission. It’s nearly as efficient as the Hybrid and it’s much more linear and natural to drive, even though it also features GM’s electronic power steering.
Why you would buy it:
You want a Bowtie in your drive and one with a Hybrid powertrain at that.
Why you wouldn’t:
You’re waiting on the new Prius or Fusion Hybrid, cars that will actually keep you away from pumps.
Leftlane’s bottom line
While we wait for the Chevrolet Volt to make it to market, we somehow can’t help but wonder why Chevrolet has chosen to make a hybrid, much less this hybrid. Don’t get us wrong. We really love the new Malibu. It is a car that is worthy of all the accolades that have been bestowed upon it. But within the Chevrolet lineup, there is another contender that one can live with, without compromise: The Chevrolet Malibu 2.4-liter Ecotec LT with six-speed transmission. This Malibu shows up with mileage ratings of 22 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, just slightly off the pace of the hybrid’s ratings.
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid base price, $25,555. As tested, $26,425.
Power driver’s seat, $200; Destination, $670.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
