2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo First Drive Review

[wendellebio]

well its no longer a secret hole anymore :)

[TFLcar]

The car is crazy quiet but we have to mount the camera top the window when we drive the car. What you are hearing is wind noise but it would be like having your right ear up against the window. When you sit in the car you don't hear this.

[benigo]

Yea right no one will ever find that your phone in that hidden cubby hole, except for the 100, 000+ people who watch this video lol

[TFLcar]

Thanks for the comment. Just an FYI...the Porsche is revving because of the car's automatic launch control. We think it sounds great as the engine strains to overcome the car's electronics.

[TFLcar]

There were 5 new 2013 cars at the Chevy San Francisco press intro so we decided to tag team the cars...otherwise we would not have been able to video and review all of the cars in one day.

[TFLcar]

The Malibu turbo has a 6-speed automatic transmission standard.

[evanganske]

GM should ditch its N/A Ecotec's (e.g. 2.5L) for smaller displacement, turbocharged engines.  All having VVT, SIDI, IVVL, and VTM.

The Malibu should get:

1.5t eAssist I4 with 180HP and 190-205LB-FT
1.8t I4 with 250HP and 265-280LB-FT
2.5tdi I4 with 225HP and 310-325LB-FT
9-Speed Automatic
Active Grille Shutters
Stop-Start

Fuel Economy:

1.5t FWD- 35 City and 49 Highway (42mpg Combined)
1.8t FWD- 29 City and 42 Highway (36mpg Combined)
2.5tdi FWD- 30 City and 47 Highway (39mpg Combined)

[LegereBen]

1:08  Holly crap!!!  You can hardly hear the guy and he is bragging about decreased road noise?  WTF?

[pontiacGXPfan]

It's obvious that with govt. interference GM has settled for just being "barely good enough" with their latest crop of sedans. This new Mal leaves a lot to be desired: lack of a V6, a poorly designed manumatic, and an overly soft suspension. I want to like this car but there are just too many things i dislike about it, even for a midsize sedan. I would love to see a whole new GM without GMC and leaders who realize that being good enough just isn't gonna cut it anymore.

[neoconsnightmare]

first, there will likely be good discounts on the car; second the sonata is only marginally 'faster' and everyday drivers that don't drag race family sedans won't notice the difference.

next, 'looking better' is subjective; i happen to think they both look equally good.

the one measurably objective point you had was the longer warranty...but hell, kia (which TO ME looks better than the sonata) and the sonata beat EVERYBODY in that department. LOL

this chevy, like the buick regal, will sell.

[pontiacGXPfan]

Oh. I just finished reading it. This car did finish last, which means to me that the inline-4 is NOT the new V6. Despite Chevy's best efforts it keeps getting undermined by its own company's habit of always trying to cut corners. Even so, the Camry wasn't much better, which is a small comfort given that i did have some hope for the Malibu. It's a lovely looking object that doesn't really have anything to offer other that huge sales numbers. People who buy these cars deserve more.

[SirtubalotTX]

Intriguing car but I find the price to be extremely annoying. Of course, inflation is the name of the game but it's equally annoying when manufacturers carrot these 4 cylinder turbos as 'premium' engines. I have a soft spot for these small boosted engines but they are certainly NOT "premium" engines and should not command a price tag as such. Now maybe if this thing was making 300hp or more, that opinion might change but not at them moment. Right now? this might make a good used car buy.

[yelp]

Double check Motor Trends site ... the comparison test is up. And it's one of the most harshly worded articles I've ever seen in any car magazine since Frank Markus's review of the early 2000's Saturn Ion ... a classic that caused saturn to stop talking to C and D - they left the Ion at C D headquartes so C and D put a drivers log in it and used it as a long term test car! My guess is that MT is going to get some angry letters - from car company CEO's instead of car fans.

[pontiacGXPfan]

It needs a V6. Especially if it costs this much. That disgrace of an engine just shows that Chevy still has to live within an incestuous, profit-hungry, shortsighted, corporate structure that doesn't value individualism. At least it is quiet cause GM has never built a great-sounding engine this side of a Supercharged 3800 V6. About the car, it is a handsome looker in need of a real engine. This Saab-esque I4T is not it.

[bigcrowfly]

Over $33k for a Chevy whose reputation for resale is no where near that of its competion and whose back seat has less space than a $11k Nissan Versa. Too tight to be a car for a salesman to bring around clients since back seat is too small. How much do you want to bet that these will either be dumped in Avis, be given cheap lease rates, or have big rebates. Or maybe they will do like the Volt and make government agencies or GE buy them.

[ghe]

Typically front wheel drive cars have less power, but not in this case, as the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo. But for going up hills, the torque number is the one you want to look at. Power is lost through the drivetrain, and for a front wheel drive car with high torque, it's the most economical combination you could look for.

[yelp]

In Motor Trends comparison test released today they ranked the Malibu dead last in an undeservedly harshly worded article. They had some real choice words for the Camry as well. Ironically they ranked the low mpgs, cheap interiored, crappy seats Passat in first place ahead of the new Accord and the new Fusion which came in 2nd and 3rd. Geez MT how much does VW pay you?

[pontiacGXPfan]

I'll bet you any kind of money it's preferable to the current design, which places it RIGHT on the top of the shifter where it can only be activated with your thumb. Ford is guilty of this too although in their defense they only offered a manumatic on the "Sport" edition of the Fusion.

[ghe]

Front wheels make the car work less actually, by pulling instead of pushing... It's a long and boring explanation in dynamics and physics, but even though rear wheel drive is much more fun and handles better, front wheel drive is more economical.

[DJR]

i test drove the previous gen malibu with the 3.6 and it had paddle shifters, i know because to make a log story short i was accidentally downshifting instead of up shifting with them because of the not so awesome design