Chevy finally in the market: 2016 Malibu Hybrid
 

Chevy has entered the 'regular' hybrid market, and with a very promising setup too! Claiming (not yet epa tested) 48city 45hwy 47combined! It has a 'dual stage' eCVT, so a larger gear range! Lithium battery pack, and a 1.8L I-4!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ds55kd7jcY

Bet that 1.8L engine is just a revised version of the current 1.8L engine.

At last, "GM does Prius."

Why such a large engine? Why not go with a turbo 1.2 or a N/A 1.5?

You know you're an Ecomodder if... :D

Bet you it's not. That 1.8 has been around for awhile and its performance isn't amazing.

Yeah, it's been the "base" Cruze engine since NA-introduction in 2011, and was the original VOLT power-plant.

According to Car & Driver, Autoblog, Wikipedia, and a few other sources, it looks like the 2016 Malibu will use an engine from GM's new Small Engine series, developed over the last couple of years. The new Volt uses this engine as well. The Cruze uses an iteration of the GM Series I, designed in the 1980s and revised in the early 2000s with a lighter block, higher compression, new cam design, etc. The Cruze's engine is an iron block; the new Malibu's/Volt's is aluminum. The Series I is port injection only, while the Small Engine can be direct injection, but I can't find anything on whether this is the case in the Malibu.

From your info, it would seem to be a new engine, because the "old" Cruze & Volt 1.8L engines were NOT direct injection.

The more the merrier IMO. Good to see another high mpg car out there, hybrid or not.

And it looks like the 1.8 in the Malibu is the newest version; Wikipedia only lists 1.0, 1.4, and 1.5L sizes (the new Volt uses the 1.5).