[igor]

BREAKING! Chevrolet Now Makes the Most Fuel-Efficient Compact and Midsize Cars

By Igor Holas | 04.22.2008 | www.autosavant.net

General Motors has finally released official fuel economy ratings for the new Cobalt XFE and for the 2009 Malibu I-4 LTZ . As we reported previously, the General made some mid-year changes to the Cobalt with 2.2 liter engine and manual transmission and significantly upgraded its mileage to an outstanding 25/36 miles per gallon. To commemorate this change, the applicable Cobalts will sport a new XFE badge, which stands for [E]Xtra Fuel Efficient.

For the Malibu, GM replaced the four-speed automatic currently paired with the 2.4l four-cylinder engine with a six-speed unit in the top-level LTZ trim. The new power train combination delivers 22 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway.

While (of course) neither of these numbers beats the hybrids, these are class-leading for both the Malibu and the Cobalt. After a long time of “hanging out” mid-pack with their mileage, Chevrolet finally woke up and delivered class-leading fuel efficiency both core car segments in the market. In light of the just-announced extreme CAFE regulation hike, and the breach of $3.50 per gallon of gasoline barrier, these changes are perfectly timed for the consumer demands.

MUCH MORE HERE

Igor

 

[Ttple]

I've always felt that GM's midsize cars were as good on gas as a lot of smaller foreign cars. My Intrigue gets 30mpg on the highway.

 

[Hitman1970]

Great news. Wonder how long this will last before Toyota responds.

 

[DuSpinnst]

XFE really knocked me on my pants....

Nice job GM, now get the Aveo to 40 MPG.

 

[Ronald McChevy]

awesome news... i wonder what the numbers would have been under the 2007 rules? i bet the Cobalt would be either 39 or 40 mpg on the highway.

 

[E. Haskell]

I've usually been able to get a few more MPG than the old ratings....I bet I could get 42 mpg in the Cobalt.

 

[I-Love-Pontiac]

awesome news... i wonder what the numbers would have been under the 2007 rules? i bet the Cobalt would be either 39 or 40 mpg on the highway.

Seeing as the Corolla use to get 40 MPG... I wouldn't be surprised if it would have been more than that even.

 

[Ronald McChevy]

perhaps this should be merged? http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f13/cobalt-xfe-gm-us-site-mpg-malibu-2-4-6speed-auto-63537/

 

[Old Dood]

Great news. Wonder how long this will last before Toyota responds.

Hopefully SOON!
Why?
Because I want to see lower numbers and competition hopefully will do just that.

This is the good side to competition. It forces change.
Change for our betterment(is that a word?) is what I look for.

After yesterday's $.35 SPIKE in gas prices we need all the change we can get.
It is not even Memorial Day yet and gas is close to $4.00/gallon.

 

[Butz]

This is wow!
GM leads on fuel efficiency, but will the media care? will the buying public care? or will they continue to buy Corollas and Civics?

 

[paul8488]

This is great news, and not only from a pbulicity standpoint. At the end of the day GM now offers consumers the most fuel efficient small coupe and sedan and medium sized sedan in the US. That's really excellent, and for people that start their shopping list with facts and data, there's now a very good reason to at least go out and check the Cobalt and Malibu.

If only the Aveo was tops in its class... they would have a one-two-three punch.

 

[likearock00]

Awesome! Who would've thought GM could pull this off with such minor improvements?

Now I want to see some commercials on prime time flaunting it all night long!!

 

[Koasterking]

Awesome! Who would've thought GM could pull this off with such minor improvements?

Now I want to see some commercials on prime time flaunting it all night long!!

Agreed. GM really needs to advertise the heck out of this improvement. This will help sales a lot.

 

[HomeDepotChevy]

awesome news... i wonder what the numbers would have been under the 2007 rules? i bet the Cobalt would be either 39 or 40 mpg on the highway.

I wouldn't doubt that either. That would mean the Aveo would be in the range of 45-48 mpg. Heck, maybe pushing 50!
I think GM next goal when it comes to this is getting the Colbalt over 35mpg and Aveo near 45mpg.

 

[98sonoma]

Every time there was a commercial during the White Sox game last night on Comcast SportsNet Chicago I saw a new Chevy commercial advertising the XFE, Aveo, and HHR. It did show a Malibu, but didn't give specific highway fuel economy specs like it did for the others...
Hopefully they will continue to play these commercials! I was excited to see them.

Agreed. GM really needs to advertise the heck out of this improvement. This will help sales a lot.

 

[ifcar]

I think the difference here between Corolla and Cobalt or Accord and Malibu here is that gas mileage is optional on the Chevrolets. Only one version of the Cobalt gets the higher gas mileage -- with unknown consequences to acceleration -- while non-XFE models continue to be mediocre. And only top-level Malibus get the 6-speed auto.

It's good to get top-level gas mileage, but consumers are likely to be irked if they see a big advertising campaign for best-in-class gas mileage and then don't get that mileage on the model they're interested in buying.

 

[johnstarnes]

My hope is that the Beat, Volt add further to those numbers.

 

[BigAls87Z28]

Actually, all but the LS models have the 6spd at least an option. The 2.4/6 is standard for LTZ.

 

[JerryL]

Even the LS series of performance V8's get good mileage relative to their competion. It is never addressed as a postive . People just comment that OHV is lowtech engineering even with no gas guzzler tax and a 100,000 mile warranty. It would seem that a better job of getting the word out needs to be done by GM. That would definitely help save our current performance models and forthcoming ones. Every Aveo or Cobalt sold helps save a ZO6. ZR-1, or G8 GXP....and soon a Z28 or SS Camaro.

 

[Johnny P]

The 5AT Civic has already been getting 25/36mpg.