AutoGuide.com
12-15-2011, 05:12 PM
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Chevy doesn't call it a hybrid, and based on the fuel economy, we'd agree
If the all-new Chevy Malibu were to be described in just one word, it would be “quiet.” At the vehicle’s launch event in Austin, TX, company representatives explained exactly why. First they added plenty of sound deadening materials, including a laminated front windscreen and front side windows, then they worked at absorbing solutions. The result is “the quietest Chevy ever” engineers on hand informed us, and out on the road it shows.
Exterior road noise is all but eliminated and perhaps the best example we came across was when we found ourselves next to a diesel pickup truck, which was pulling a load, heading up a steep hill. After riding along in near-silence it was surprising to actually detect an outside noise. Lowering the window for a second revealed an almost unholy racket. Closing it again shut out the outside world almost completely.
In almost all other ways the new Malibu has been improved, though we’d be hard pressed to call it segment-leading.
FEELS SUBSTANTIAL, FOR BETTER AND FOR WORSE
Matching the premium-level quietness of the cabin is a comfortable ride and one that feels substantial on the road. Contributing to this is a notably wider body and track, gaining two inches in thickness. It feels less like a mid-size and more like a full size machine, an advantage on the highway but a drawback around town. A contributing factor is the raised hood (a requirement of global pedestrian safety requirements), which gives the perception that there’s a great deal of car out in front.
By comparison, a Camry and Sonata (both hybrids we should add) that Chevy brought out as a competitive test set felt well-sized and nimble in a brief test drive around downtown. The likely culprit here is that the Malibu has a slightly shorter wheelbase, while being roughly two inches longer overall.
On windier roads the Malibu hardly excites and ‘confident’ isn’t a word we’d use to describe it mid-corner. Does handling in a mid-size sedan really matter though?
It feels heftier than its 3,620 lb curb weight would suggest, that being the listed poundage for our hybrid Eco model test car – the only model available at launch. That number surprised us as, traditionally, it’s a completely acceptable weight for a car of this class, even one without a bunch of heavy hybrid components to lug around. Of note, however, many other automakers have made considerably strides to cut weight from their mid-size sedans, with the Sonata and Camry hybrids tipping the scales at 3,578 and 3,441 respectively.
Read the complete 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco Review Here (http://www.autoguide.com/manufacturer/chevrolet/2013-chevrolet-malibu-eco-review-1838.html)
Chevy doesn't call it a hybrid, and based on the fuel economy, we'd agree
If the all-new Chevy Malibu were to be described in just one word, it would be “quiet.” At the vehicle’s launch event in Austin, TX, company representatives explained exactly why. First they added plenty of sound deadening materials, including a laminated front windscreen and front side windows, then they worked at absorbing solutions. The result is “the quietest Chevy ever” engineers on hand informed us, and out on the road it shows.
Exterior road noise is all but eliminated and perhaps the best example we came across was when we found ourselves next to a diesel pickup truck, which was pulling a load, heading up a steep hill. After riding along in near-silence it was surprising to actually detect an outside noise. Lowering the window for a second revealed an almost unholy racket. Closing it again shut out the outside world almost completely.
In almost all other ways the new Malibu has been improved, though we’d be hard pressed to call it segment-leading.
FEELS SUBSTANTIAL, FOR BETTER AND FOR WORSE
Matching the premium-level quietness of the cabin is a comfortable ride and one that feels substantial on the road. Contributing to this is a notably wider body and track, gaining two inches in thickness. It feels less like a mid-size and more like a full size machine, an advantage on the highway but a drawback around town. A contributing factor is the raised hood (a requirement of global pedestrian safety requirements), which gives the perception that there’s a great deal of car out in front.
By comparison, a Camry and Sonata (both hybrids we should add) that Chevy brought out as a competitive test set felt well-sized and nimble in a brief test drive around downtown. The likely culprit here is that the Malibu has a slightly shorter wheelbase, while being roughly two inches longer overall.
On windier roads the Malibu hardly excites and ‘confident’ isn’t a word we’d use to describe it mid-corner. Does handling in a mid-size sedan really matter though?
It feels heftier than its 3,620 lb curb weight would suggest, that being the listed poundage for our hybrid Eco model test car – the only model available at launch. That number surprised us as, traditionally, it’s a completely acceptable weight for a car of this class, even one without a bunch of heavy hybrid components to lug around. Of note, however, many other automakers have made considerably strides to cut weight from their mid-size sedans, with the Sonata and Camry hybrids tipping the scales at 3,578 and 3,441 respectively.
Read the complete 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco Review Here (http://www.autoguide.com/manufacturer/chevrolet/2013-chevrolet-malibu-eco-review-1838.html)