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2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

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GM has just released a few new pictures of the next Malibu Eco. Which is the only version available at launch.
And I must say, it does look really good. Or maybe it’s the black color.

Much better than the new Camry, which seems to be its main competition.

The Eco will start at $25 995 when it becomes available early next year.
It is rated at 26 MPG City and 38 MPG HWY.
Which seems really good, and on par with compact sedans.

But… The all new 2012 Camry Hybrid starts at $26 660. Really not much more.
And the Toyota is rated at an amazing 43 MPG City. And 39 MPG HWY.

This is quite a difference in the city number.
I think the Malibu could be a tough sale as a Hybrid. Although the regular models are more than a match for the Camry.

Conversation 9 comments

  2. Vince I agree with you that the Malibu looks so much better than the new Camry both exterior and interior.

    In spite of the better claimed fuel economy of the Camry Hybrid, I have to pick the Malibu as my top choice over the Camry. The Malibu looks so much more refined and upscale than the "new" chum faced, white bread Camry.

    Toyota's biggest problem is that they believe its still the 1990's but they're fooling themselves if they think the competition hasn't caught up with them and consumers will just conveniently forget all the recall and quality issues that have plagued their cars.

  3. Real nice car. Chevy just kind of announced that there will also be a turbo option too. The NEW turbo 4 that will be coming out soon. Not the one that's in the Regal GS.

  4. Chevy really needs to not concede the horsepower title to Hyundai/Kia. American cars have to do all they can to not look inferior to the Asian entries. I'd like to think the D-segment hasn't become hopelessly "regular." Bad enough sixes and sticks are going away, with barely anyone offering AWD or a wagon, and the few coupes left largely unspectacular.

    All hat said, the Malibu is a beautiful evolution of the previous generation.

  5. Another Malibu Hybrid Fail. The rest of the lineup is great though, especially the upcoming SS/RS version. I really want to like this car, but Hyundai/Kia still has a few wins over it so far. Catching up is not enough. The 2013 Fusion hasn't even seen the light of day yet, so it could already be game over.

    FusioptimaSX

  6. Nice exterior design, but I'm not a fan of the instrument panel. Those binnacles are too intrusive. A dominant, central speedometer is much easier to read. Also, too many buttons on the center stack.
    I think it will be tough to compete w/ the Camry Hybrid. Based on its fuel economy/design/price it's one of the only sedans I would consider.

  7. People like FusioptimaSX have such a lame-ass agenda. Seriously, Chevy is NOT marketing this car as a HYBRID.

  8. What agenda? I'm dying to know. I'm only pointing out the facts. Are the few extra thousand dollars over the base model engine still worth it in the long run? What's real is that the reason Chevy isn't marketing this mild Hybrid as a Hybrid this time around is because they learned their lesson. Last time was a mistake because the mileage wasn't associated with what people percieve to be Hybrid numbers, as well as the fact of introducing a 6 speed transmission across the board, making it irrelevant against the normal 4 cyl.

    – FusioptimaSX

  9. But the Malibu Eco is not being advertised as a hybrid. Rather, it is being sold as a conventional gas-powered car, although it really isn't underneath. Even so, you still have a point. The Camry hybrid comes across as a bargain.

    You can read more here:

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