2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Giametta’s Driveway

By Chuck Giametta

2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID
Halfway hybrid

What are you driving? A marketing strategy dressed as a car. Chevy can advertise that it has a gas-electric hybrid midsize car, but left unsaid is that the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid doesn’t deliver all the advantages of a true hybrid. It doesn’t save gas by running on electric power alone. And it isn’t as “green” as a true hybrid. It is less expensive than comparable rivals, but their more-advanced technology is costlier. Be that as it may, the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid in the driveway this week is a handsome example of the redesigned-for-2008 Malibu, a rare sales bright spot for General Motors. The Hybrid is one of four versions of this roomy front-wheel-drive, five-passenger sedan. The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid mates a 2.4-liter gas engine with an electric motor for a total of 169 horsepower. Principal gas savings come from automatically shutting down the gas engine. This happens when the Malibu Hybrid is coasting or stopped and the batteries alone have enough charge to run the accessories. The electric motor restarts the engine when the driver begins to depress the accelerator. The electric motor can provide a little extra power when underway, and can propel the car a few feet by itself. But this “mild hybrid” can’t move around on electric power alone, as can midsize hybrid cars from Toyota, Nissan, Ford, and Mercury.      

How much does it cost? The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid comes in a single trim level priced at $24,695. It’s second-most-expensive Malibu model, behind the $27,000 top line LTZ, which has leather upholstery and a V-6 engine. Malibu LS and LT versions with four-cylinder engines start in the $22,000-$23,000 range. Standard equipment on the 2009 Malibu Hybrid includes head-protecting curtain side airbags; antiskid and traction-control systems; 17-inch alloy wheels; automatic climate control; power locks, windows, and mirrors; split/folding rear seatback; and a tilt/telescope steering wheel with cruise and audio buttons. The test car was optioned with a power driver’s seat ($200) and body-colored exterior moldings ($150). Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) was $25,695, including the $650 destination fee. Malibu Hybrid buyers are eligible for a $1,300 federal income tax credit, which in effect makes our test car’s MSRP $24,395.  

Is it worth it? The price is reasonable, the car is sound, and you can brag along with Chevy that you’ve got a midsize hybrid sedan. But a look at the 2009 Malibu Hybrid’s fuel economy reveals compromises this car makes in the name of the bottom line. It’s EPA-rated at 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway. By comparison, the 187-horsepower 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid carries a base price of $26,370, including destination. It shuts off at idle, too, but its electric motor can also propel it to 30 mph or more, boosting city mileage and reducing emissions. So it’s rated at 33/34 mpg, and the EPA gives it a cleaner air-pollution rating and a more-favorable “Carbon Footprint” mark than the Malibu Hybrid. The real eye-opener is the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid going on sale in spring 2009. Rated at 41/36, this midsize sedan has 191 combined horsepower and a new hybrid system capable of driving it to 47 mph on electricity alone. It’ll start around $27,300. The lesson here is that to really be green, you’ve got to shell out some green. The other message is that Malibu’s own lineup holds intriguing alternatives. The 2009 Malibu LT lists for $24,680 with an efficient six-speed automatic transmission and is rated at 22/33 -- not far off the Hybrid. It shares a nice 169-horsepower four-cylinder with the 2009 Malubu LS, which has a less-efficient four-speed automatic for a lower rating of 22/30, but also a lower starting price of just $22,275.

What’s to like? The basic Malibu package is appealing, with fine room for four adults, five in a pinch. It gets top scores in government crash tests. Exterior styling is well-tailored, cabin décor distinctive and contemporary. Interior panels and upholstery are available in two-tone combinations – the test car wore a tasteful cocoa/cashmere blend – and Chevy strategically pads some surfaces while deftly graining others to look soft. It’s a pleasant place to spend time, even if liberal use of shiny trim makes it a visually busy environment. The Hybrid is the slowest Malibu, though it seldom feels irritatingly underpowered in everyday driving. Basically, behavior is indistinguishable from that of a four-cylinder Malibu with the four-speed automatic. Even the stop-start sequence passes with little notice. The Malibu Hybrid tracks wonderfully in straight-line cruising, isolates well from wind and road ruckus, and only bitterly sharp bumps jostle it.

What does it need? Nobody’s wild about the mild-hybrid system. So Chevy should pursue a four-cylinder version of GM’s new “2 Mode” hybrid system, as used in the 2009 Vue SUV from corporate cousin Saturn. There, a V-6 engine/electric motor tandem produces a robust 255 horsepower and can run at around-town speeds without using gas. GM says fuel economy is 50 percent better than the standard V-6 Vue’s 16/24 mark, though precise numbers weren’t available in time for this report. Besides four-cylinder 2 Mode technology, the 2009 Chevy Malibu Hybrid would be a much nicer car to drive on twisty roads if it had steering that didn’t get numb and vague as soon as you begin to turn. And a reconfigured trunk opening with a lower and narrower lip would improve access to the generous cargo hold.   

What’s Chevy’s opinion? “With its patented GM Hybrid Propulsion Electric System and a surprisingly low MSRP, the Malibu Hybrid is the most affordable midsize hybrid in America. So don't just consider the cost of getting one, consider the cost of not getting one.”

What do you say? The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid represents a worthy enough goal, but doesn’t deliver what’s expected of a modern gas-electric automobile. Yes, it’ll save you some gas without charging an arm and a leg for the technology that makes it possible. And exhaust emissions are lower than those of most conventional cars. Just don’t get into any greener-than-thou arguments with owners of Camry and Fusion hybrids.        

Vital statistics

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

• Base price: $24,695

• Price of test car including options and $650 destination fee: $25,695

• Size: 191.8 inches long, 112.3-inch wheelbase, 3,549-pound base curb weight

• Engine: 162 net horsepower from a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and electric motor; front-wheel drive

• Fuel economy: 26 mpg city/ 34 highway (EPA ratings)

• Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper, 5/100,000 powertrain, 8/100,000 hybrid components

• Safety ratings: maximum five stars in government crash testing for front and side collisions.