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2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco: The First Drive

When it comes to the allure of the middle-class midsize sedan segment, the first thing most people think about is… meh. Seriously. When was the last time somebody bragged about the handling prowess of their Toyota Camry? Or the awesome looks of the Nissan Altima? Oooh, or how about the amazing power of the Ford Fusion? Never. Face it, people buy these cars like they buy microwave ovens. This is a market dominated by the essentials such as pricing, fuel economy, and a solid warranty. Chevrolet looks to build on these factors by featuring a dash of style, comfort and solid handling to go with it all with the all-new 2013 Malibu Eco.

A Little Electricity

General Motors’ engineers managed to accelerate the launch of the new Malibu by six months by strategically launching the Eco model first, which features the company’s next generation mild-hybrid system appropriately named eAssist. The system can currently be found in both the Buick LaCrosse and Regal eAssist sedans, and features a 15-kilowatt-hour electric motor located in the trunk that provides an extra 15 horsepower and 79 pound-feet of electric assistance (get it?) to the 182 horse, 172 pound-foot 2.4-liter Ecotec engine under the hood during acceleration. The result is an estimated 37 MPG on the highway and 25 MPG in the city, which makes Malibu Eco the best non-diesel, non full-hybrid vehicle in its class in terms of fuel economy, but still far behind the combined mileage of the full hybrids in the segment. And with a price starting at $25,995, it’s cheaper than every hybrid in the segment but one (more on that later).

Saddle Up

The looks are standout. The designers did a solid job giving the car a sense of personality in a segment crowded with vehicles that are about as interesting to look at as beige painted walls. Its stance is wider than the outgoing model, its wheel arches are slightly swollen, and the tail end is quite muscular. In fact, this is one of those few vehicles where the rear fascia eclipses the front in the looks department, but don’t expect to fade off into the distance from the rest of the herd when driving it, as zero-to-sixty comes in around 8.7 seconds. Then again, the Malibu Eco isn’t exactly meant to be judged as a performance car, though there are some very obvious performance handling characteristics.

The steering found in the new ‘ Bu is perhaps the most precise in the segment, but this is where it’s not about sportiness, but rather about the feeling of being able to easily control the vehicle — especially on the slick Texas roads I navigated at the time. And I thought Texas was a dry state. The wet roads also pushed the threshold of the low-rolling-resistance tires, which are designed to save fuel more than anything else. However, it was easy to tell that the Malibu’s architecture could easily surpass the limits of the eco-friendly rubber, making the upcoming turbocharged model all the more promising.

Braking also felt very neutral, not surprisingly hard or mushy. Wonderfully, the car’s eAssist mild-hybrid system’s auto-stop feature operates in stop-go traffic without a hitch. The six-speed automatic transmission is also pretty buttery, and is a huge improvement on the hesitant shifting found in the old version. As for the suspension, I found it on the tighter end of neutral, going away from the slushy feel of the imported midsized sedans in the segment and offering — again — something more capable and easy to control.

Quietly Making A Statement

The interior of the car is officially touted as the quietest cabin Chevrolet has ever built, and there’s no reason to doubt it. Every outside noise is significantly muffled — tire noise, wind noise, everything. It’s almost quiet enough to hear a rat piss on cotton. Plop down on the pleasantly plush seats, and you’ll notice that the cabin itself is stylish, with the glossy Chevy MyLink infotainment system being the centerpiece. The system picked up voice recognition pretty well, as it would play whatever was asked of it through the Pioneer sound system. The system itself isn’t exactly a Bose system you would find in a Cadillac, but chances are the demographic of this car won’t be listening to anything outstandingly bass-heavy. I also can’t talk about the cabin without pointing out a few gripes.

Chevrolet, if you’re going to feature fake wood in this car, at least make the attempt to have it look the part. The stuff inside the Malibu Eco looked more like browned tiger print than anything else. Plus it clashes with the fake chromed plastic accents (see what I did there?). I also miss an extra two inches of leg room in the back, but the taller and wider dimensions of the cabin were definitely noticed. And where are the vents for the rear seat passengers? Floor vents simply are not enough. The fact that the Toyota Camry hybrid boasts much better fuel economy numbers than the Malibu Eco while undercutting the vehicle in price isn’t going to make a Chevy salesman’s job any easier. Despite these shortcomings, the Malibu Eco still manages to come off as perhaps the most well-rounded vehicle in the segment.

The GM Authority First Impression

The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco is an obvious class leader in handling characteristics, and a head turner with its athletic design. And with modern technology, great fuel economy and comfort to back up those credentials, this car deserves your full attention. Look for the Malibu Eco in dealerships starting February 2012 with a more affordable version cradling GM’s all-new 2.5L Ecotec engine later in the year, as well as a more lithe 2.0L turbocharged version.

Highlights

  • The great balance of performance, fuel economy, technology, comfort, pricing and style.

Lowlights

  • Minor interior imperfections; probably priced too high.
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Former staff.

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Comments

  1. is there a special illumination lighting in this car?

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    1. There is, but we only were allowed to drive during the day. So there wasn’t much of a way to gauge how it looked.

      Reply
  2. Manoli,

    Did you test real world fuel economy?

    Is there going to be a detailed review later?

    BTW, I think the Altima looks pretty good compared to the rest of the current mid size segment.

    Reply
    1. Barbersher, look for a more detailed review when we spend more time with the car. But real world testing averaged 31 mpg.

      Reply
  3. I’m a GM fan (actually only because I’m obsessed with Cadillac) but I’m sure the new Fusion next month at the NAIAS is going to trump this in the design department. Especially if the rear of the MKZ is any indication of the dramatics of those two vehicles in the design department. I must say that I’m also pissed that this Malibu is sharing motors with the new ATS. That sucks. Gives everyone else something to talk smack about. 🙁 *sighs* Anyhow, back to the Malibu. Where are the rest of the pics Mr. Katakis?!?!

    Reply
  4. Clark Howard says “Best auto insurance rates go to those who shop around” ofcourse the place i go is “Clearance Auto” rates

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  5. One thing is for sure and that is that the new Malibu looks better than the new Camry. It also looks better than the latest Sonata, which looks too feminine for my tastes.

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  6. Am I the only one who doesn’t like fords new design philosophy for the fiesta, focus, c-max, and upcoming fusion? I like the way the current fusion looks way more than what I expect the new fusion to look like, the way it looks ordinary, but not boring. Especially the new malibu, I like how it isn’t ugly at all and stays ordinary looking, and doesn’t try to be overly aggressive, or something like that, I excpecially don’t like the new Camry, I find the previous generation way better looking.

    Reply
  7. I actually don’t like the new Ford design theme, stealing Aston Martin’s grill, adding bizarre shaped taillights.

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  8. I do agree with some of you about Ford’s design theme because this new Fusion looks too much like Aston Martin-esqe and it can be both good/bad since Aston Martin is not part of Ford anymore(I think).

    Reply
  9. good artilcle and I agree with you on the rear seat leg room good width but needs more length. driving dynamics are good don’t you think?

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    1. Very good.

      Reply
  10. Hunter,

    I have actually heard — from those that have seen it — that the new Fusion is very attractive.

    Reply
  11. ^That’s exactly what I heard.

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  12. It does look like Fusion is going more Aston Martin looking though

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  13. I still like fords 3 bar grill design and the grill on the new explorer and Taurus more

    Reply
  14. I’ve never heard a rat piss on cotton.

    Reply
  15. I must agree about the interior. I’m not moved by it. I also think the current GM “corporate” steering wheel is played out and looks damn awful with that fake wood on it. Wood….fake or otherwise…belongs on the rim of the steering wheel….not the spokes. That makes it look VERY 70s. And that’s not a compliment at all. Exterior gets a pass, interior gets a solid fail.

    Reply
  16. Interior i would say is better than Camry and Sonata/Optima combined.

    Reply
    1. Oh it is! Considerably better.

      Reply
  17. *side eye* Considerably better??? I haven’t seen one in person (I will at the Chicago auto show) but the only thing this looks like it trumps as far as interior goes is in materials. Everything but that wood looks high quality. Design-wise, it’s no better executed than the Optima. Sonata comes in next and the Camry isn’t even worth mentioning. It’s a disaster all over…

    Reply
    1. Kia Optima has my vote as the best looking vehicle in its class, inside and out. Kia’s designers are doing something special over there.

      Reply
      1. Too bad most Kias drive like a witch’s broom. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Design is subjective, so I can’t speak to what you like.

      BUt you just need to feel it (yes, the materials) for yourself. The Malibu’s interior is second to none in its class — and that’s coming from someone who has driven the Sonata, Optima, Accord, and new Camry. Perhaps the only vehicle that would tie with the new ‘Bu is the Passat.

      And the ‘Bu continues the “new” Chevy effort of having the best steering wheel in its class.

      Reply
      1. How does the new camry drive?

        Reply
        1. Same as the last-gen, if not a teensy bit tighter. It’s the same car as the outgoing model with cosmetic updates inside and out.

          Reply
          1. does it feel lighter?

            Reply
  18. *high fives Manoli* Totally agree!

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  19. IMO i think the Optima looks kinda Plasticky on the inside. Like they should of done two tone interiors on the dash instead of just full plain black. The outside looks great but the inside it just lost my interest.

    Reply
  20. I agree with that too. I like it design/layout-wise but it could use (what looks to be in pics) Malibu’s higher quality interior materials…

    Reply
  21. I kinda figured that much about the Camry. Is the Passat good? I must say that I’m really starting to like those. I’m trying to hold off until I see the new Altima to make my final decision.

    Reply

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