2009 Fuel Economy Numbers Show Face

[bone]

The Malibu Lt and LTZ 4 cyl., 6-speed should be a hot seller,however,does GM have the money to promote it? Toyota and Honda have loads of money to convince most potential Malibu buyers that their models are more economic.

[1487]

Originally Posted by nsap

Malibu and Cobalt manual are excellent. The Cobalt auto is ridiculous. Get a 6-speed in it NOW if you can't accomplish better with that 4-speed.

24/33 is about what the Elantra and Sentra get. Its not far off the mark at all, even with the 4 speed. The focus and elantra and corolla also have four speeds.

why did GM drop AFM on the Impala? I do not get that at all. Also, why is there now a 224hp version of this engine available?

[1487]

Originally Posted by bone

The Malibu Lt and LTZ 4 cyl., 6-speed should be a hot seller,however,does GM have the money to promote it? Toyota and Honda have loads of money to convince most potential Malibu buyers that their models are more economic.

GM does have ads on touting Chevy economy and one mentions the LTZ gets better mileage than Camry or Accord.

[Perian]

Interesting how you can use this guide to spot potential new models.

We know about the Pontiac G3, and G5-XFE - but take a look at the Volvo C30 and you find a new 2.4L version.

Really a shame GM could not do something with the gear ratios on the Astra.

[airglow]

Unless the 3.5L Malibu is now available at retail and not just for fleets, with no 3.5L Aura for 2009, the Malibu/Aura twins now officially have best in class 4 cylinder fuel economy and WORST in class V-6 economy with the horrifically fuel sucking 3.6L. One step forward two steps back. I really hope GM offers the 3.5L Malibu at retail for 09. If not, they will be selling over 90% 4 bangers in 09 in the Malibu/Aura. With gas at $4-$5/gal, 3 MPG highway is a HUGE difference between the two V-6’s!

[Bvonscott]

There are definitely some mistakes on these ratings from the EPA. For instance, all the 5.3 Silverado 1500's have the same MPG, but we know from history the 4WD versions are always lower, and the 6spd would for sure see a improvement. I hate to say it but I think they tested an auto and manual of each model and used that number for all the rest. Shoot, they have the same number for all the GMT-900's with 5.3 reg gas. And then they have the same exact model down the page with a diff number. I call B.S.

Oh and the Cadillac CTS 3.6 Auto gets better MPG than the Aura/Bu 3.6, and the CTS is RWD. Whoah

[rbarrios]

Originally Posted by 1999 White C5 Coupe

The revised / lowered EPA ratings for my 2008 Impala LTZ with the 3.9 V-6 (using regular gasoline) was rated at 18 city / 28 highway. The car has never achieved that mileage.

The 2009 EPA mpg ratings for the 2009 Impala with the 3.9 V-6 (using regular gasoline) has been revised / lowered again to 17 city / 27 highway.

Our 2007 Impala- consistantly gets 20-23 MPG combined MPG.
Highway- Yes we do get the advertised---- and have reached 30 MPG.
The 2009 3.9L no longer has AFM.... maybe thats why mileage dropped? but why get rid of AFM???????

[BerettaZ]

Originally Posted by Perian

Really a shame GM could not do something with the gear ratios on the Astra.

No doubt - if the Astra is a tough sell now, how much worse will it be with the Aura getting BETTER highway mileage??

[Perian]

Originally Posted by BerettaZ

No doubt - if the Astra is a tough sell now, how much worse will it be with the Aura getting BETTER highway mileage??

GM can always play up the price difference.

Oh, wait a minute...

[1487]

Originally Posted by airglow

Unless the 3.5L Malibu is now available at retail and not just for fleets, with no 3.5L Aura for 2009, the Malibu/Aura twins now officially have best in class 4 cylinder fuel economy and WORST in class V-6 economy with the horrifically fuel sucking 3.6L. One step forward two steps back. I really hope GM offers the 3.5L Malibu at retail for 09. If not, they will be selling over 90% 4 bangers in 09 in the Malibu/Aura. With gas at $4-$5/gal, 3 MPG highway is a HUGE difference between the two V-6’s!

the 6 gets slightly worse mileage than the Aura V6.

[1487]

Originally Posted by airglow

Unless the 3.5L Malibu is now available at retail and not just for fleets, with no 3.5L Aura for 2009, the Malibu/Aura twins now officially have best in class 4 cylinder fuel economy and WORST in class V-6 economy with the horrifically fuel sucking 3.6L. One step forward two steps back. I really hope GM offers the 3.5L Malibu at retail for 09. If not, they will be selling over 90% 4 bangers in 09 in the Malibu/Aura. With gas at $4-$5/gal, 3 MPG highway is a HUGE difference between the two V-6’s!

GM should offer the 3.5L and 6 speed auto. That would be a great alternative. I would take 219hp and 19-20mpg in the city any day.

[mjd1001]

The figures seem to confirm something else about the Cobalt and G5 that the ordering guide hints at. The G5, when equiped with whatever they are calling the 'sport' package, has a higher gear ratio and thus lower mileage (for a bit quicker acceleration). However, the Cobalt, even when you get the sporty package that has the 17 inch wheels and ground effects/spoilers...still gets the same higher economy figures as the base model (also, no 3.91 higher gear ratio is listed in the ordering guide.)

If this is true, there is at least ONE small thing they did to make the Pontiac model sportier than the Cobalt...the top of the line automatic equiped car will have a more aggressive gear ratio.

[K-1]

Originally Posted by airglow

Unless the 3.5L Malibu is now available at retail and not just for fleets, with no 3.5L Aura for 2009, the Malibu/Aura twins now officially have best in class 4 cylinder fuel economy and WORST in class V-6 economy with the horrifically fuel sucking 3.6L. One step forward two steps back. I really hope GM offers the 3.5L Malibu at retail for 09. If not, they will be selling over 90% 4 bangers in 09 in the Malibu/Aura. With gas at $4-$5/gal, 3 MPG highway is a HUGE difference between the two V-6’s!

The lowest I've gotten in my 3.6L on the highway is 28mpg - 80+mph w/ A/C. Other times, it's >30mpg. It's far from "fuel sucking".

[Silverado14]

Originally Posted by nsap

Malibu and Cobalt manual are excellent. The Cobalt auto is ridiculous. Get a 6-speed in it NOW if you can't accomplish better with that 4-speed.

I have a new 2008 Cobalt coupe with the automatic (left Indy with only 400 miles on it). Just drove 400+ miles this past weekend to North of Pittsburgh, PA and back. Got 37+ MPG going out driving 60 to 65 MPH and 33 MPG coming back doing 70-75 MPH! ...and the engine isn't even broken in yet (not sure that matters as much these days).

[gardnet1]

cobalt XFE 25/ 37