Automotive News: Malibu 2.4 LTZ

[SierraGS]

Originally Posted by 91 s-10baja

What did we think the reviews would be? How about reasonable, and factual.
The 3500 had more power than the HHR? Thanks Captain obvious, have you ever heard of Torque?
Not sure if you understand, but transmissions don't "add' power, they simpy make use of the power the engine has, in this case providing more gears allows the minimum power for the weight more readily available by having more cogs to keep in in the appropriate power band. you say adding more ratio's is not the same as adding HP...............?
You have lost me.

The review was more factual than many here want to admit, he did show on camera hitting the gas and nothing happening.

Now he should have mentioned that more time is required to downshift and "stabbing" the gas doesn't work on I-4's with low torque, I know I have one if you notice the PT on my list.

My reference to the transmission not adding power was directed towards the mountain of posts on this site of "wait until the 6-speed comes out" as if the Malibu was going to become a rocket by adding gears.

You are correct, adding gears keeps the engine in a desired power band longer, but when there is not much to work with you get the results shown.

Note the ratios, pretty close 3-5, so I would think it would have good power/response in the 30-50 MPH range and if it is willing to go into 4th on the highway may help get back up to speed better.

Chevrolet Car Malibu
MH8 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Transmission model AUTOMATIC 6-SPEED HYDRA-MATIC 6T40 RPO Code MH8
GEAR RATIOS
First 4.58
Second 2.96
Third 1.91
Fourth 1.45
Fifth 1.00
Sixth 0.75
Reverse 2.94
Transfer design three-axis design, output chain
TORQUE CONVERTER
Element types Variable bleed solenoids
LUBRICANT CAPACITY (pints/litre)
MAX GVW(lbs/kg) 1932/876.3552

Don't get me wrong, I think the 2.2L and 2.4L are great engines that only lack a little in NVH to the leaders in the I-4 market and that the GM I-4's deliver good power/MPG for their size.

As you bring up Torque is king in the typical daily driving situation and HP in small NA engines takes a little time to build up, my PT can hold its own in the average situation but put it on a hill and if I have to "back out of the throttle" it takes some time and a heavy foot to regain momentum.

Something not required in a 3500 powered car (not that they are "muscle cars" by any stretch) but they do get the MPG.

[USA1Fan]

It would be interesting to see what a 3500 / 6AT equipped Malibu was like, both in terms of performance and fuel economy. Say what you will, the 3500 in the 2004 Malibu (non-VVT, so not the same as the one we're talking about here), even with the 4AT, was peppy enough and still gave outstanding fuel economy. Far better, I suspect, than the four cylinders in other Malibus or the competition at the time. Maybe not quite as spry as the 3.6l / 6AT I have now (understatement, of course), but still only slightly trading power for the greatly improved economy.