2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
The 2009 Malbu Hybrid is the only non-truck/SUV hybrid model that will be in GM’s stable once the company cuts loose the Saturn brand at the end of the year. The company has announced that it will introduce a new plug-in hybrid based on what was supposed to be the upcoming Saturn Vue Plug-In, but a release date and model configuration has yet to be released. So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at the Malibu Hybrid and see if it stacks up against the competition.
First, the mileage. The 2009 Malibu Hybrid gets 26 mpg city and 34 highway. These ratings are both 4 mpg higher than the ratings of the standard Malibu. These numbers are decent, but they are not as good as those of the Ford Fusion Hybrid or the Toyota Camry Hybrid, both of which are in the same segment and price range, and will be the Malibu Hybrid’s top competitors. The Malibu Hybrid is a bit cheaper, however, starting at $24,695 compared to the Fusion’s $27,270 and the Camry’s $26,150. With prices that close, though, buyers will probably opt for either the Ford or the Toyota, if not because of the better mileage, then because of the financial trouble the GM brand is in at the moment.
The Malibu Hybrid’s drivetrain is made up of a 2.4-liter four-cylinder EcoTec engine with a four-speed transmission alongside the electric motor. Combined power ratings are 164 horsepower and 159 lb-ft of torque. Also, the transmission is specifically geared with economy in mind. Low-ratio gears that help the most cars accelerate have been tweaked in the Malibu hybrid so that acceleration is slower in order to use less fuel.
That relatively small amount of power and the gearing of the transmission may seem fine on paper, but when you’re driving, it gets to be a problem. The Malibu Hybrid is a five-seater sedan, but if you have five adults in the car, that weight will slow it down incredibly. While this is understandable for the power, it is not acceptable in the face of the competition. The Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Toyota Camry Hybrid also get bogged down a bit when there’s a lot of weight in the car, but nowhere near the point that the Malibu Hybrid does.
Long story short is that the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is too late. If the car had been released five years ago, it would have been considered a marvelous feat of eco-friendly engineering. However, in the face of the Fusion Hybrid and the Camry Hybrid, it simply cannot compete. The mileage is worse, the power is worse, and the $1-2k lower price tag does not make up for these failings in the least.
