What do you think of when you see the letters ECO? Maybe ECOnomical? Or perhaps ECOlogical? For the Chevy brand, Eco is a little bit economical and a little bit ecological. And those three letters make for one impressive car.
This newest Eco incarnation is in my tester for the week — the 2013 Chevy Malibu ECO. The Malibu is a mainstay of the midsize category, and the 2013 version is the eighth-generation model, with the first Malibu dating back 35 years ago.
To keep up with the competition and to stay relevant, Chevy had to find a way to improve fuel economy. Thus, the introduction of the Eco model to the Malibu nameplate. The result is the most fuel-efficient Malibu ever produced.
The Malibu Eco is not a hybrid, but does have a 115-volt lithium-ion battery pack boost assist that works with the six-speed automatic transmission to help with efficient shifting and quicker acceleration.
Additionally, GM’s eAssist system, which has been used on several other vehicles, debuts in the Malibu. The eAssist’s stop/start technology cuts off the engine when the car has a prolonged stop. This may give people who’ve never experienced this technology before some amount of pause, but the entire process is practically invisible. And when you hit the gas, it immediately refires and you can go, including quick merges off the line. If you’re concerned it’s some kind of low-powered hybird, don’t be, as the Malibu Eco has good low-speed torque.
In fact, the Malibu Eco (short for Ecotec) produces 182 horsepower, and with the hybrid technology, it feels even a little faster than that.
The Malibu does have that “Chevy” look. You can see some Camaro styling in the width of the Malibu. In fact, the 2013 Malibu is 2.7 inches wider than the 2012 model. With the new dimensions, the Malibu increases its total passenger room by
4.1 cubic feet.
And you can tell it inside. Headroom is ample (although Chevy did shrink the height by about half an inch) in the front row. The second row is adequate, although when compared to other midsize cars, it feels a little smaller, especially with three passengers.
Touchpoints inside were exceptional. And for me, this is where Malibu puts itself ahead of the competition. A well-planned instrument panel, and two-toned interior shows that Chevy is serious about making the Malibu something special for the consumer. Soft material, 7-inch touchscreen and leather seats and telescoping steering wheel further illustrate the point.
Because of the Eco technology, the Malibu boasts an impressive 29 city and 37 highway EPA rating. In a week’s worth of mixed driving, I was able to easily maintain a 35 MPG average, with
little-to-no effort and my usual heavy-footed ways.
Pricing for the Malibu proves ECOnomical too. Starting MSRP for the Malibu Eco is $25,995. My tester had a standard price of $26,845, and the leather package and a few other options kept the final price under $30,000.
It’s amazing what three little letters can do to a car. But with the Chevy Malibu, adding the letters E-C-O bring this midsize car to the forefront of the segment and make it a major player in the market.
Jimmy Dinsmore is the Wheels editor at the Dayton Daily News and may be reached at (937) 225-2115. Follow him on Twitter @wheelseditor