2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Review

PROS  Fine blend of ride comfort and sporty handling, Well-deigned interior, Great fuel economy

CONS  Smallish rear seat, Awkward entry/exit

Chevrolet upset the midsize apple cart when the General Motor's brand introduced the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The new Malibu received glowing reviews from journalists and customers alike and reasserted Chevrolet's position as a key alternative for mainstream family buyers.

Still a five-passenger, four-door sedan, the 2008 Malibu featured fresh styling, a larger interior, and rode a wheelbase six inches longer than the model it replaced. It also received more powerful engines. So great were the changes for '08 that Malibu garnered North American Car of the Year honors.

Indeed, Chevrolet became a credible player in the most hotly contested market in all of autodome--midsize sedans. Long ruled by import stalwarts Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry, this segment makes up the heart of the North American car market.

For 2009 Malibu stands past with a few minor trim changes, new exterior colors, and subtly revised interiors. Four models are offered: LS, LT, LTZ, and Hybrid. All have front-wheel drive and come standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Gas-only models have 169 horsepower and come with either a four- or six-speed automatic. The Hybrid engine teams with a small electric motor to produce 164 horsepower. It comes with a four-speed automatic.  Optional on the LT and LTZ is a 3.6-liter V6 with variable valve timing and 252 horsepower. The V6 comes standard with the six-speed automatic.

Standard safety features on all models includes antilock four-wheel disc brakes, stability control, tire-pressure monitor, daytime running lights, and dual-front, front-side, and curtain-side airbags. Park assist and a rear-view monitor are not available.

The LS lists $21,605 and includes air conditioning, OnStar assistance system with one year service, tilt-telescope steering wheel, cruise control, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, power height-adjustable driver seat with lumbar adjustment, center console, split-folding rear seat, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with digital-media player connection, satellite radio, outside-temperature indicator, variable-intermittent wipers, rear defogger, automatic headlights, theft-deterrent system, and 215/55R17 tires. The $22,505 LT adds steering wheel radio controls and floormats.

The LTZ has a starting price of $26,880 and adds six-speed automatic transmission, automatic climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, heated front seats, eight-way power driver seat, six-way power passenger seat, heated power mirrors with driver-side automatic day/night, AM/FM radio with in-dash six-disc CD/MP3 changer, Bluetooth cell-phone connection, remote engine start, automatic day-night rearview mirror, compass, universal garage door opener, illuminated visor mirrors, fog lights, 225/50R18 tires, and alloy wheels.

The Hybrid model lists for $25,555 and adds automatic climate control and alloy wheels to LT. Options include power sunroof, dual-screen rear-seat DVD entertainment system, power rear sunshade, and 110-volt power outlet.

Malibu shares chassis and engines with the Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura. All three are manufactured at General Motor's Kansas City Kansas assembly plant.

Get up and Go  Malibu's hybrid system consists of a conventional gasoline engine, small electric motor that doubles as an alternator, and a batter pack. The electric motor provides a small amount of assist to the gas engine under acceleration and also allows the engine to shut off while sitting at stoplights. The batteries are charged when decelerating, so there is no need to plug in Malibu Hybrid. Unlike some other hybrid vehicles, Malibu Hybrid cannot run on electric power only.

Malibu hybrid's four-cylinder engine provides merely adequate acceleration and passing power. Though the engine isn't overwhelmed by the car's 3400-pound curb weight, it never feels sprightly. Chevrolet doesn't quote a 0-60 mph time, but it's likely about ten seconds. That's a tick or two behind four-cylinder Accord or Camry models. 

The four-speed automatic transmission is a shifts smoothly enough and mates well to the four-cylinder engine. However, its short a gear or two when compared to most competitors' automatics and that's a shame considering the hybrid model is designed to maximize fuel economy. Chevrolet should slip in the slick shifting six-speed automatic.

Malibu Hybrid is EPA rated at 26 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. Those numbers top four-cylinder competitors at Honda, Nissan, and Toyota, but falls short of the Camry Hybrid's 33 mpg city rating. Chevrolet says that the Malibu Hybrid will run fine on regular-grade gasoline.

In routine driving it's easy to average more than 30 mpg. If you follow the driving instructions in the manual to optimize fuel economy, you might see as much as 32 mpg an even mix of city and highway commuting. Straight highway driving is likely to yield close to the 34 mpg rating.

On the Road  Malibu rides as smoothly and with as much composure as any midsize car-better than most, in fact. Undue body motions are easily kept in check and the shocks do an excellent job of filtering out small road imperfections and taking the edge off larger ones.

According to Chevy, the suspension setup between all three models is identical, so differences in ride quality are due to wheel size and tires. Obviously, the LS, LT and Hybrid models with its 17-inch wheels have the softest ride. The LTZ has 18-inch wheels, so the ride is slightly firmer.

When the road grows twisty, Malibu really shines. Body lean is minimal and the tires have plenty of grip. Four-cylinder models get electric steering while V6 models have traditional hydraulic steering. The differences are subtle with the electric steering having slightly more boost and a less on-center highway feel.

Conventional models have strong brakes that offer excellent pedal modulation. Hybrid models have plenty of stopping power, but the pedal action is somewhat uneven due to the regenerative braking system.

Chevrolet engineers obviously spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel as Malibu is very quiet at highway speeds. There's a little wind rush around the A-pillars and some tire roar on concrete surfaces. On the whole, Malibu is easily as quiet as the new Accord and perhaps slightly more noisy than Camry.

Overall, the new Malibu is a match on road for competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, and that's saying a lot.

Behind the Wheel  From the moment you close the solid-sounding door, it's apparent that Malibu's interior is a cut above the midsize norm. Even base models sport two-tone dashboards and soft-touch surfaces abound. Indeed, the goal of Chevy designers was not to match interiors offered by Toyota and Honda, but exceed them. Compared to the somewhat conservative interiors in those competitors, Malibu sports a sweeping twin-cockpit design with simple, clearly marked and well illuminated controls. Topping everything off is subtle chrome trim surrounds on the gauges and radio and climate controls.

Front seats are comfortable and well padded, yet the seating position is a bit awkward--perhaps a bit laid back. Head and leg room are good and standard height-adjustable driver seat and tilt-telescope steering wheel make it easy for drivers to get comfortable. Power-adjustable pedals are also available.

Visibility is good to the front and sides and outside mirrors are generously sized. Rear visibility is hampered by large C-pillars and a tall deck. Park assist or a rear-view monitor should be available. Getting in and out of the front seats is slightly challenging because the B-pillar is pushed well forward for improved crash protection. Even after a week of driving, you don't get used to sitting down on the front of the seat and sliding backward.

Rear seat bottoms are positioned low, but there's good room for two adults. If you're more than six feet tall, you might want a touch more headroom. The driveline hump is very large and that means that three adults can't sit three across.

Malibu has a large trunk with a big opening. Trunk lid sports expensive hinges that don't intrude on cargo space. Conventional models have rear seats that fold in a snap to create a generous-size pass through. Interior storage is a cut above the norm with an additional storage space at the center of the dash top.

Bottom Line  Performance, economy, passenger room, cargo space, and even style, Malibu has got is all. Its an exceptional vehicle that's as good or better than Accord, Camry, or Altima in many ways. Adding a hybrid to the lineup makes a lot of sense, especially given it's slight price premium.

Now that Chevy has a vehicle that can truly compete with the best the imports have to offer, it's up to buyers to vote with their pocketbooks.