The new standard Malibu powertrain is roughly – but not completely – competitive with Honda’s ninth generation Accord.
Chevrolet in Detroit today unveiled a revised 2014 Malibu after potential buyers ignored the all-new but ultimately slow selling 2013 model. The hasty remake provides a slightly roomier interior and a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine for the mid-size sedan that thus far has not been competitive with Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and the Nissan Altima models that dominate the most fought after segment in the U.S. car market. (Read Family Car Wars Revived as Nissan Ships New 2013 Altima) Year-to-date only 70,000 Malibu sedans have been sold compared to 132,000 Camry, 122,000 Honda Accord, 109,000 Nissan Altima or 107,000 Ford Fusion models.
The badly outclassed Malibu raises once again the critical question whether General Motors is reformed after a $49.5 billion taxpayer funded bailout or has simply resumed its old losing ways that saw market share erode from almost 60% in 1960 to 18% today.
“The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu builds on the strengths established by the all-new 2013 Malibu to make it a stronger choice for customers,” claimed Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America.
An Ecotec 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection is now the 2014 Malibu’s standard engine. Its variable intake valve actuation enhances efficiency and helps lower emissions, while also increasing low-rpm torque, for a greater feeling of power at lower speeds. When the so-called iVLC system operates in low-lift mode, the engine sucks only the air it needs to meet the driver’s demand. The system switches to high-lift mode at higher speeds or under heavy loads, providing the full output. Rated at 196 horsepower (145 kW) and 186 lb.-ft. of torque (253 Nm), the GM powertrain is roughly – but not completely – competitive with Honda’s ninth generation Accord. (First Drive: Honda’s 2013 Accord – a Comeback Car?)
The standard Accord engine is a technological tour de force that convincingly ended the debate about whether you need a V6 engine in a mid-size car given the significant advancements in power, fuel economy and overall smoothness that the latest generation Honda four-cylinder provides. With 185 horsepower, and 181 lb. ft. of torque, the 2.4-liter direct-injected 4-cylinder engine is smooth and creates a pleasant exhaust rush at full throttle.
Unlike many Honda engines, which are high revving motorcycle mills at heart, this four-cylinder is among the best car engines. Efficiency is the highest ever for an Accord in the EPA mid-size class, with 4-cylinder models with an EPA rating of 27 mpg city, 36 mpg highway and 30 combined. Driven moderately hard on secondary roads and interstates, the trip computer showed I was getting on average 30 mpg during an extensive AutoInformed test drive. .
Also surprisingly good is Honda’s first-ever application of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) on 4-cylinder models (the unneeded V6 engine gets a 6-speed automatic finally) where firm shifts are simulated. It is crisp, and if you get into a CVT Accord and don’t look at the transmission indicator, which only has a “D,” I bet few people would realize it is a CVT.
Ford Fusion’s 231 horsepower 2-liter “EcoBoost” four cylinder is rated at 22 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, 26 mpg combined. You can get slightly more horsepower, but not better fuel economy by using premium fuel. While the Altima sedan’s base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and new ‘Xtronic” continuously variable transmission is with ratings of 27 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined.
To counter the Chevrolet Malibu add start/stop technology that shuts down the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine to save fuel when it stops, contributing to an estimated 5% increase in city fuel economy. An auxiliary battery powers electric accessories such as the climate system, power windows and radio during engine restarts. Estimated ratings according to GM, which has been optimistic in the past and is under extreme pressure here, are 23 city and 35 highway. Perhaps the most disappoint thing about the revised Malibu is its lack of a hybrid model unlike Camry Accord and Fusion. (See Ford Fusion Hybrid Sedan Said to Top EPA Fuel Economy Ratings or First Look 2014 Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid Sedan or Toyota Camry Hybrid Prices Cut $850 to $1,150 for 2012 or Ford Fusion Start-Stop System is Optional at $295)
In the ‘bold new grille” department, Malibu’s revised front-end appearance is influenced by the all-new Impala, with a more prominent lower grille, while the hood extends down and over the leading edge of a narrower upper grille. The grille openings – with black grille texture – are wider and accented with chrome.
Inside, skinnier seats contribute to more rear-seat space and what’s said to be greater comfort. The front seat backs are shaped to improve rear-seat knee room, while new cushion sculpturing and revised cushion material allow passengers to sit deeper in the rear seats – an old but sometimes uncomfortable trick. Approximately half an inch was trimmed from the front of the rear seat cushion, for greater comfort behind passengers’ legs.
