[dominogold]

There is a lot of mis-information online -- can someone help clarify which models get 33mpg highway? I drive 80 miles a day and want the extra 3 mpg.

I'm not sure if I have this right...
Malibu LS 1LS is 22/30 with no option to upgrade to 33mpg
Malibu LT 1LT is 22/30 (can this be upgraded to 33mpg)?
Malibu LT 2LT is 22/33 with 4 cylinder only (not v6 engine?)
Mailbu LTZ 1LZ is 22/33 with 4 cylinder only (not v6 engine?)
Maliby Hybrid 26/34 for all options

 

[Speedster]

Any Malibu with the 6 speed auto and 4 cylinder transmission will get 33 highway.

THat being said, you will need to get a trim level which offers that combination. The LS does not offer it, so you will need the LT or LTZ trim.

 

[dominogold]

Any Malibu with the 6 speed auto and 4 cylinder transmission will get 33 highway.

THat being said, you will need to get a trim level which offers that combination. The LS does not offer it, so you will need the LT or LTZ trim.

So this is where my confusion comes in. On many dealer websites there are 1LTs listed as 22/30. I look at the specs and it has the 6 speed option... does that mean they are incorrectly listed and they should be 22/33 and they just didn't update since the 'base' 1LT is 22/30 with the 4 speed?

 

[dominogold]

Also could someone post the trims options for 2008 with the mpg as well? I am considering a used 08 version as well.

 

[rikmeister]

just look at what transmission is in the car if it is a 6 spd auto then it will get the higher mpgs

 

[Speedster]

So this is where my confusion comes in. On many dealer websites there are 1LTs listed as 22/30. I look at the specs and it has the 6 speed option... does that mean they are incorrectly listed and they should be 22/33 and they just didn't update since the 'base' 1LT is 22/30 with the 4 speed?

Yes, the dealer is making a mistake.

Assuming the Malibu has the 4 cylinder, then the 4spd auto will get EPA of 22/30 and the 6spd auto will get EPA of 22/33. You know more than most salesmen at this point.

 

[headcase650]

So this is where my confusion comes in. On many dealer websites there are 1LTs listed as 22/30. I look at the specs and it has the 6 speed option... does that mean they are incorrectly listed and they should be 22/33 and they just didn't update since the 'base' 1LT is 22/30 with the 4 speed?

According to the 09 Malibu Brochure I have in my had the 1LT is not available with the 6 speed, So your dealers may be listing the cars incorrectly. If you pick up the brochure at a dealer the trim levels with all the features are listed on the back cover.

 

[dominogold]

According to the 09 Malibu Brochure I have in my had the 1LT is not available with the 6 speed, So your dealers may be listing the cars incorrectly. If you pick up the brochure at a dealer the trim levels with all the features are listed on the back cover.

Interesting observation -- but if you build your 1LT on chevy.com, you can get the 6 speed for $695 upgrade. Maybe they started offering this option after printing the brochure?

 

[beach]

So this is where my confusion comes in. On many dealer websites there are 1LTs listed as 22/30. I look at the specs and it has the 6 speed option... does that mean they are incorrectly listed and they should be 22/33 and they just didn't update since the 'base' 1LT is 22/30 with the 4 speed?

BECAUSE on dealer sites, unless they've done something away from the GM system, the default value put in there by whoever built the website systems for GM only uses the 4-cyl/4-spd rating of 22/30, for most. Then there are other times--such as on the same kind of site at the dealer I traded my '09 V6/6-spd in at--that the system takes the vin and shows 22/33 (which it clearly isn't in this case).

This is nothing the dealers are doing, but rather a tech glitch in the website systems that makes for the mpg ratings showing on one of the boxes not jive with the vin number of the actual car. But, it's easy to tell, otherwise:

4-cyl/4-spd LS/1LT: 22/30
4-cyl/6-spd 1LT/2LT/LTZ: 22/33
6-cyl/6-spd 2LT/LTZ: 17/26

Now, again, some individual dealer sites also don't have the proper value--same issue--to show 4-spd or 6-spd or even 4-cyl or V6, BUT you can look the window stickers up for any new vehicle using a GM website and see exactly what it has there.

You want a 1LT with the optional 6-spd, or a 2LT/LTZ with it standard, both in conjunction with the 2.4L 4-cyl for the 22/33 rating.

 

[headcase650]

Interesting observation -- but if you build your 1LT on chevy.com, you can get the 6 speed for $695 upgrade. Maybe they started offering this option after printing the brochure?

The bad part is if you log on and build a Malibu the way you want it, Lake Orion is shut down.... probably pertinently and Fairfax is tooling for the new LaCross. When Fairfax does start back up they wont be building any 09 Malibus and who knows what trim levels will be available for '10. Maybe they will make the 6 speed the standard across all trim levels.

If you build one on their website the way you want it, they will do is do a dealer search and if they find one transport it to your dealer. The longer you wait the less likely you are to find the exact package you want.