Houston Cars

The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid was introduced just the other day, and is expected to go on sale this October.  It shares the hybrid powertrain with the Aura Green Line, which makes it a mild hybrid, unlike the full hybrids like Toyota offers.  What is a mild hybrid, you ask?  Pretty much useless when you cut to the chase.  EPA estimates on the Malibu Hybrid are a paltry 24 mpg city / 32 mpg highway.  Compare this to the 2008 Altima non-hybrid, which achieves EPA ratings of 23 mpg city / 31 mpg highway. 

The Altima is, of course, much more stylish ( subjective, I know, but a popular opinion ), and indeed even costs less than the Malibu Hybrid.  Is +1 MPG worth giving up the much better styling of the Altima, in addition to paying the extra $1500 or so?  GM is capable of making great cars - see the Corvette, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac Solstice for perfect examples.  But GM has yet to make a halfway decent hybrid, and that’s embarassing.  For such a large company to be overshadowed in this market so completely is nothing short of a failure.

2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Specs

• 164 HP 2.4 liter Ecotec 4 cylinder engine
• 4 speed automatic transmission
• EPA Says : 24 mpg city / 32 mpg highway