Miles around: Hybrid Malibu

[packardlust]

Originally Posted by windvale

My understanding is that the two-mode cannot be put into a FWD car. Does anyone else know if this is 100% true ?

It is going into the VUe next year. The Vue is a FWD/FRD vehicle

[BrickTamland]

The British guy...ought to be on the radio.

And the American guy...ought to be in silent films.

[eurohazard]

Originally Posted by BrickTamland

The British guy...ought to be on the radio.

And the American guy...ought to be in silent films.

I had said I thought they were annoying, but I like your approach better! You actually provided a solution to the problem....that's good leadership!

[ESE84]

Originally Posted by logansowner

I'd be happier with the much simpler and nearly as efficient 4cyl/6speed.

I just ordered the 4 cyl/6 speed in a 2009 LTZ. The one guy hit it on the head - Chevrolet is missing out by not offering the LTZ leather in the hybrid. When Chevrolet also could not guarantee a delivery date into Houston for the hybrid, it was easy to go 4 cyl/6 speed/LTZ, and give up the 2 mpg.

[logansowner]

Originally Posted by ESE84

I just ordered the 4 cyl/6 speed in a 2009 LTZ. The one guy hit it on the head - Chevrolet is missing out by not offering the LTZ leather in the hybrid. When Chevrolet also could not guarantee a delivery date into Houston for the hybrid, it was easy to go 4 cyl/6 speed/LTZ, and give up the 2 mpg.

Exactly. I really believe that a true hybrid system is worth the complexity/future repairs, but my understanding of this system is that it would suffer from most of the same failures/complexity to work on as a 2 mode, without the benefits.

I don't know if they have the price jacked up too high, or refuse to sell it and lose the advertising, but the GM dealership here has had a hybrid version for 3 weeks with all kinds of stickers on it, and it was still sitting there this morning. People must be seeing the light and goign with the 4/6 combo instead, because the other Malibu's never last more than 3 days.

Sure is a gorgeous car though, what color combo did you get?

[ESE84]

Originally Posted by logansowner

Sure is a gorgeous car though, what color combo did you get?

I went with the red jewel and the cashmere/cocoa leather combination. And it is gorgeous. I drove a 2008 just like it, but without sunroof. It lasted less than a week on the dealer lot.

The Houston dealers all seem to have one 2008 hybrid on the lot - and it is grey with titanium interior. Ugh.

Like you, I will wait for a better system and keep driving my Trailblazer until it shows up. Then I am probably headed for a hybrid Vue-sized cross-over.

It is killing me to give up the Camaro convertible.

[treekiller]

While GM's mild Hybrid system is good, is there a reason they could not have used a 2.2 or 2.0 ecotec to make the mileage difference greater, hybrid buyers are not expecting 8 second 0-60 it think the Prius is well over 10 seconds, and a 2.0 ecotec could achieve that.

But hey remember MOST Hybrid buyers are just concerned about the badge they want their friends at the gym (which they drove to instead of jogged to) to notice the badges and think they are saving the world. once hybrids made the switch to using shared bodies with "normal" cars. The hybrid buyer asked for bigger and more annoying hybrid badges.

[eurohazard]

Originally Posted by treekiller

While GM's mild Hybrid system is good, is there a reason they could not have used a 2.2 or 2.0 ecotec to make the mileage difference greater, hybrid buyers are not expecting 8 second 0-60 it think the Prius is well over 10 seconds, and a 2.0 ecotec could achieve that.

^ I agree with this.

Originally Posted by treekiller

But hey remember MOST Hybrid buyers are just concerned about the badge they want their friends at the gym (which they drove to instead of jogged to) to notice the badges and think they are saving the world. once hybrids made the switch to using shared bodies with "normal" cars. The hybrid buyer asked for bigger and more annoying hybrid badges.

^ This one, not so much. By your thinking, the RX Lexus Hybrids would be selling like hot cakes.....but that didn't happen. Hybrid buyers want much more than just a badge....they want the noted improvement in MPG that a "hybrid" suggests. I also doubt a typical hyubrid buyer wanted the M O N S T E R hybrid badge on the Tahoe. It's pretty universal that it is too extreme.