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Chevy Malibu Hybrid Dead for 2020

By Drew Dowdell

· 1,995 views

  • ...Did you even remember they had one?...

Kid_Icarus_Reaper.pngChevrolet has canceled the Malibu Hybrid for the 2020 model year.  What? You forgot they even offered one?  It's not surprising. 

It's tough out there for slow selling sedans these days and the Malibu Hybrid was probably one of the slowest selling of the General's current lineup. The move leaves GM with no full hybrid vehicles at all in the lineup. This comes after the cancellation of the plug-in Chevy Volt earlier this year. The only electrified vehicle, for now, is the diminutive Chevy Bolt. GM is rumored to be working hard on an electric or electrified truck, and has plans to electrify most of the Cadillac lineup, even going so far as to promise the UAW that the Lordstown plant would reopen as a battery factory. 

The Malibu Hybrid used a 1.8 liter 4-cylinder and an electric motor combination to make 182 horsepower.  The sedan could drive on electric alone up to 55 mph, but it lacked a plug-in option.  It came only in the upper LT trim and started at $29,095 before delivery charges. 

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    Rookie

    ykX

    Members

    I honestly didn't even know they had Malibu hybrid ...

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    • Haha 2
    • Agree 2
    Grand Master

    G. David Felt

    Members

    Sad, this was again GM Fault for putting the Hybrid in a weird trim requirement with limited options. They purposely killed this by the stupid mgmt. choices on how it was available and lack of marketing.

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    Newbie

    Potluck

    Members

    What's that little blue guy?

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    • Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

    Editor-in-Chief
    5 minutes ago, Potluck said:

    What's that little blue guy?

    That's the grim reaper from the old Nintendo game Kid Icarus. 

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    • Agree 2
    Veteran

    ccap41

    New Member
    29 minutes ago, ykX said:

    I honestly didn't even know they had Malibu hybrid ...

    I didn't either. 

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    • Mentor

    smk4565

    Members

    Probably won’t be long before they cancel all Malibu’s.  I don’t think GM seems too motivated to invest in family sedans.

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    • Enthusiast

    William Maley

    Editor
    57 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

    you and everybody else.

    I remembered it... Hell, I reviewed it.

     

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    • Agree 2
    Rising Star

    riviera74

    Members

    Why does GM not simply make all hybrids Premier/LTZ trim-level cars?  I had forgotten about the Malibu hybrid; personally I wish GM made an Impala and an Equinox hybrid instead.  Both would have sold better than this forgotten Malibu.

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    • Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

    Editor-in-Chief
    45 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

    Why does GM not simply make all hybrids Premier/LTZ trim-level cars?  I had forgotten about the Malibu hybrid; personally I wish GM made an Impala and an Equinox hybrid instead.  Both would have sold better than this forgotten Malibu.

    Because Camry Hybrids are not all top trim cars.  The Camry is at least $1500 cheaper than the Malibu Hybrid

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    • Community Regular

    regfootball

    Members

    Malibu hybrid I had as a loaner once.  Pretty nice.  The big flaws were compromised trunk space and pricing / option packaging. Fusion hybrids sell for cheap prices. I’ll try to find supporting info on this but I think they are discontinuing partially due to issues they have been having. Ie glitches and fixes.  That probably has the most to do why they would cancel it. 

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    • Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

    Editor-in-Chief
    2 hours ago, regfootball said:

    Malibu hybrid I had as a loaner once.  Pretty nice.  The big flaws were compromised trunk space and pricing / option packaging. Fusion hybrids sell for cheap prices. I’ll try to find supporting info on this but I think they are discontinuing partially due to issues they have been having. Ie glitches and fixes.  That probably has the most to do why they would cancel it. 

    more like poor sales due to lack of advertising. 

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    • Community Regular

    regfootball

    Members

    For me, the trunk space issue was a big pause. 30mpg on the standard gas version vs almost 40mpg on the hybrid it’s a tough sell for the hybrid when you lose trunk space and the gas versions are so dirt cheap.  When it’s not broke down the hybrid system in it worked pretty well.  

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    • Collaborator

    daves87rs

    Members

    Saw that coming. Local dealer is stuck with one.

    too pricey.....

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    • Community Regular

    regfootball

    Members
    12 hours ago, daves87rs said:

    Saw that coming. Local dealer is stuck with one.

    too pricey.....

    GM makes versions to test the water and prices it so high almost deliberately to not sell. 

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    • Agree 2
    Enthusiast

    Anthony Fongaro

    Editor

    Definitely forgot they made a hybrid. A little disappointing since Ford is getting rid of the Fusion and FCA doesn't have a competitor to the Malibu hybrid. 

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    • Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

    Editor-in-Chief
    18 minutes ago, Anthony Fongaro said:

    Definitely forgot they made a hybrid. A little disappointing since Ford is getting rid of the Fusion and FCA doesn't have a competitor to the Malibu hybrid. 

    Nissan dropped the Altima hybrid too for this generation.  I think Accord and Camry are the only mid-size hybrids left. 

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