Instrumented take a look at
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| 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid |
Buyers area unit dodging sedans to affix the lemming-like rush to crossovers, dropping the automotive share of the market from fifty % to 3 % in exactly three years. If regular gas zooms past $3.60 per gallon, because it did in 2012, several of those defectors could pine for the fuel potency of a contemporary four-door family sedan. That’s once the growing crowd of hybrids, like the Chevrolet Malibu reviewed here, can appear eminently smart. Basic maths tells all: $3.60 per gallon divided by forty six mpg (EPA combined rating) equals eight cents per mile for gas. A large, premium-fueled crossover might value 3 times that a lot of.
In automotive and Driver’s recent California-canyon confrontation, the new-for-2016 Malibu fared well against 2 of our mid-size favorites—the Honda Accord and Mazda 6—plus the reinvigorated Toyota Camry. once the votes were tallied, the vex finished a detailed second to the Mazda with high scores within the chassis, comfort, space, and styling classes.
General Motors applied its brightest minds and sharpest engineering tools to chop nearly three hundred pounds from the Malibu, that lives at the highest of the mid-size class in house for passengers and merchandise. The hybrid version sacrifices four solid feet of trunk area to deal with its cool battery pack in a very safe location, however all the propulsion gear fits showing neatness beneath the hood, thus its interior compartment is undamaged.
Top of the vary
The hybrid lives close to the highest of the Malibu hierarchy with a base worth of $28,645. that has comparatively humble diamond-pattern fabric upholstery (leather is available) and a wealth of essentials—dual-zone automatic climate management, power everything, a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and mechanical man automotive vehicle property, and 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks. Our take a look at car’s $1195 Driver Confidence package adds trendy safety alerts and assists, whereas the $895 Convenience and Technology package contributes animal skin for the shift knob and handwheel, a 1.0-inch-larger center monitor, and a couple of electrical frills like a wireless charging pad and a 110-volt AC outlet. give the $395 red paint job and also the sticker reaches a still-quite-reasonable $31,130.
Taking advantage of lessons learned, the Malibu hybrid shares key parts with the vex V. What g calls a Voltec drive unit combines 2 electrical motor/generators, 2 planetary gearsets, 2 clutches, a chain-driven differential, an influence electrical converter, and a hydraulic system in a very compact metallic element housing. in situ of the Volt’s one01-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the larger (but forty six pounds lighter) Malibu incorporates a one.8-liter four manufacturing 122 power unit at 5000 rev and a hundred thirty lb-ft of force at 4750 rev. even if its block is forged iron, trendy options like direct injection, variable valve temporal arrangement, and roller cam followers raise this engine’s potency. because of sensible management ways, its lofty eleven.5:1 compression magnitude relation is compatible with regular gas.
Not count the Toyota Prius, that systematically super fifty mpg in independent agency mileage ratings, competitory thought mid-size hybrids have scores starting from the Kia Optima (37 to thirty eight mpg combined) to the 2017 Honda Accord’s exemplary forty eight mpg. The Malibu once more comes in a very robust second with forty seven mpg within the town take a look at and forty six on the road, earning a 46-mpg combined rating.
Except for a discreet H badge on the proper corner of the decklid, there’s no efficiency-touting decoration to trim from the new Malibu’s enticing proportions and chic surface sculpting. The low cowl and slanted hood give wonderful forward visibility. one amongst our favourite style options is that the neat integration of the CHMSL into the roof and car window.
Refined Operation
More significantly, this vex could be a pleasure to drive. It steps through four hybrid modes while not the commotion and drone that creates living with a Prius thus making an attempt. we tend to had to inform ourselves that the Malibu is Chevy’s initial non-plug-in thought hybrid automotive (no a lot of of that “mild hybrid” nonsense). It’s thus well dead you'll imagine it had been a third- or fourth-generation drivetrain. With no measuring system on the dash and also the Voltec buzzing away, it’s onerous to inform whether or not the engine or one amongst the electrical motors is providing most of the propulsion force. Pure stove is restricted to but 5 miles by the one.5-kWh Hitachi battery pack, that provides solely one-twelfth the energy of the Volt’s battery. Shifting the transmission lever from L1 to L2 will increase regenerative braking, however the distinction is tough to note. a minimum of there’s no vital amendment in pedal feel throughout the transition from electrical braking to friction-based swiftness.
we tend to clocked the Malibu hybrid’s run to sixty mph in seven.4 seconds on the thanks to a fifteen.7-second, 90-mph quarter-mile. That’s faster than the hybrid versions of the Hyundai serious music, the Kia Optima, and also the Ford Fusion however slightly behind the Toyota Camry. Compared with its 2 nonhybrid brethren, this Malibu is quicker than the one63-hp 1.5-liter however slower than the a pair of50-hp 2.0-liter (both area unit turbo fours), evidently with 182 system power unit on faucet.
There’s a assured, competent chassis underpinning this pursue potency, therefore the Malibu doesn’t stumble once confronted with S-bends, sharp grade changes, and back roads unencumbered by traffic. The handwheel feels substantial in your hands, the ride is supple, and body motions area unit nicely damped and restrained once the tires area unit pushed to their cornering limit. we tend to measured a modest zero.84 g price of cornering stick and lots of understeer once the 17-inch Goodyear Assurance all-season tires gave means, however a minimum of this Malibu strives to support your most fuel-squandering uses of the proper pedal. change to the left pedal can halt you from seventy mph in 181 feet, that is average for this category. On our fourth onerous stop, braking distance had adult by twelve feet as fade crept in.
Mileage is that the Mission
Inside, front bucket seats mix nicely contoured bottom cushions with poorly formed backrests. whereas there’s ample area for 3 grown-ups in back, the middle occupant’s comfort is diminished by the fold-down center armrest’s construction. the whole support drops to accommodate long objects, however the battery pack will get within the means of transportation home a full load of jack of all trades materials.
Given that the Malibu hybrid’s main mission is fuel potency, the thirty five mpg we tend to determined could initially appear unsatisfying. whereas this is often higher than ten mpg in need of independent agency forecasts, it still super each mid-size hybrid we’ve ever tested except the 2014 Honda Accord and Toyota’s Prius. a lot of considerably, this Malibu goes on the far side fuel potency to surpass in driving, comfort, utility, and look classes. once the crossover crowd flocks back as a result of regular is heading for $4 per gallon, we tend to predict several are going to be happy subsidence into a Malibu hybrid.
