This edition of the New York Auto Show got us thoroughly excited from the get-go. After Lincoln presented the Continental Concept, the 2016 Cadillac CT6 flagship sedan followed. After that, the golden bowtie went all out with the ninth-generation 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
You already know what the 1.5-liter turbo mill and 2-liter turbo four-banger are capable of from a previous story. It’s an interesting choice of power plants, but the focal point of the 2016 Malibu model lineup is, of course, the hybrid.
With much pomp and circumstance, Chevrolet informs that the eco-friendly Malibu’s combined mpg figure is “higher than the combined mileage ratings of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata hybrid variants.” So is the Malibu Hybrid as eco-friendly and economical as Chevy says?
To be blunt, it is but not by a lot. The Fusion is capable of 42 mpg (5.6 liters/100 km) combined while the Camry and Sonata are far behind that figure. By comparison, the 2016 Malibu Hybrid manages 47 mpg (5 liters/100 km) combined.
As expected from an all-new vehicle, this rating is accompanied by the “GM-estimated” label, which means that the production-ready model’s EPA rating may differ in a worst-case scenario.
Thanks to a direct-injected 1.8-liter four-pot, a 2016 Chevrolet Volt-derived dual-motor drive unit and a 1.5 kWh li-ion battery, the all-new for 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid is promising on paper. On the other hand, the real-world test could be a surprise depending on what you expect from a hybrid mid-size sedan.
Truth be told, who can argue with a total system output of 182 horsepower (136 kW) and an all-electric top speed of 55 miles per hour (88 km/h)?
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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