2016 Malibu Hybrid First Drive Review

I was impressed with the standard new Malibu I saw at the Chevy dealer. The hybrid should be a real winner.

 

Thanks for posting, I didn't know that GM was working a non-plug-in version of the Voltec system.

 

Maybe the most interesting aspect to me, is that it sounds like it didn't take too much adaptation to create a Volt Hybrid System non-plug in vehicle. And it sounds like it's superior to their own previous generation non-plug in Hybrid, so the question is...what took so long?

 

probably took some time to get costs down.

 

Well of course I don't know many details here, or any details.
But it sounds like all it really took was a smaller Lithium Ion Battery.
Nearly everything else is existing "new" Malibu platform or Volt Platform.

But I'm willing to accept that it just took time for GM to put together this recipe. From stuff they already had in their kitchen.

 

So the new Prius trans may be using clutches now?

 

Not the gen4, but it isn't inconceivable that the next plug in model would use them to decouple the ICE from the drive train while in EV mode.

 

How can they tell that the Cruze is a hybrid from those photos? It might simply be the Eco trim or diesel, which the old one had most of the Eco's aero tweaks.

Great if there is a hybrid version coming, but this isn't much to get your hopes up for.

 

If the hybrid happens, I hope it and the diesel will also be available as the hatchback.

 

Good point, that new hatchback looks great. Having the high mpg options on that would be really nice.

 

Another interesting thing is the battery assembly:

• An air-cooled assembly in contrast to the liquid cooled Volt . . . progress?
• There sure are a lot of 'assemblies' in that controller.
• That empty space under the controller, weird.

It looks like GM is finally headed the right direction in their hybrids and this is serious competition for the Camry hybrid. But the Camry hybrid has needed a technical upgrade for a while. We see it in the softening sales numbers.

The curb weight, 3457 lbs, it needs a weight-loss program but otherwise looks to be a grown-up, Gen-1. Compared to the IONIQ 'press release' car, this one looks like a serious contender (hummm, now for some fun.) Personally, I am more interested in the Pacifica hybrid minivan but this is the nicest hybrid I've seen from GM. It is also serious competition to the Ford MKZ hybrid on the low-end.

Bob Wilson

 

I figure hybrids skip on the liquid thermal conditioning because of the battery's smaller size when they can; the Ford Escape hybrid with the cylinderical cells had a cooling system that was branched off the car's A/C. It'll add to the cost and weight, but going without may not save space. You need empty space for airflow to carry the heat away.

 

Finally, a non-crippled Voltec in a midsize

This just need $2,500 incentive and they would fly out of dealerships.

Selling 3 of these cars would save more gas (and zero electricity) than one compact Volt, per incentive dollar.

 

FYI, I think the Malibu has more MPG hidden in their control laws . . . or they did something really bad in the transmission. There may be some clues in the April, SAE papers.

Bob Wilson