2014 Malibu Hybrid is DOA.

[tbill]

Drive for free after dropping 40 grand, that is.

Or buy a normal car that gets 30 MPG or better, at half that price. After 10 years you're probably ahead of the game with the normal car.

exactly, that's why i couldn't do it. but as i said, awesome car, just couldn't hit the price point to be viable for me [even with the 'tax break' originally offered.

[Harry P.]

exactly, that's why i couldn't do it. but as i said, awesome car, just couldn't hit the price point to be viable for me [even with the 'tax break' originally offered.

I think that's the main reason the Volt is going nowhere: the price is so high that the average car buyer wouldn't (or couldn't) even consider it.

[Bennyg]

Hybrids will be cheaper in the future. The head of audi believes most cars will be hybrid within 20 years. Talking of fuel efficiency, I test drove the new subaru xt forester. It is 20% more fuel efficient than the model it replaces. Hs a cvt gearbox that does a pretty good impression of an 8 speed dsg. Reminded me of a vw golf gti cross tiguan. The fuel efficiency was gained through direct injection and the cvt box. Pretty cool I think, considering it drives well.

Ben

[Skydime]

If I am not badly mistaken, I heard on the radio that the Volt and a few other hybrids will be dropping in price very soon. I can't remember the others, but, I specifically remember the Volt being mentioned.

[Harry P.]

Hybrids will be cheaper in the future. The head of audi believes most cars will be hybrid within 20 years. Talking of fuel efficiency, I test drove the new subaru xt forester. It is 20% more fuel efficient than the model it replaces. Hs a cvt gearbox...

I wonder why the CVT trans isn't isn't used on more cars. Seems to me to be a big improvement over that big box of individual gears and all the related mechanicals needed to keep them from crashing into each other.

[Bennyg]

I wonder why the CVT trans isn't isn't used on more cars. Seems to me to be a big improvement over that big box of individual gears and all the related mechanicals needed to keep them from crashing into each other.

Subaru put a lot of work into the cvt so it could cope with the torque of diesels and high performance petrol powered cars. I'm a convert after driving it. Plan to test drive a subaru diesel cvt next time I'm in the city.

Ben

[tbill]

every time I drive something with a cvt in it, I think it's slipping, lol. just can't get used to the feel of them.

[Joe Handley]

Back on the topic of the Malibu, we have friends who own a house in Branson, MO and met up with them for dinner here tonight. They were telling us their adult daughter (married, teen daughter, HEAVY right foot, and the last I can confirm ) had bought a 4 cylinder Malibu for mileage and found that it didn't get the claimed mileage for her regular use around home. She also found that here in Branson, that Malibu could top out climbing the bigger hills at only 55mph. She's decided to go with the V-6 Impala for her next purchase...........

My V-6 200 on the other hand will get the claimed mileage driving in worse conditions for city and highway, will best the EPA's E85 mileage, and has no problems on the same hills (65+ mph with plenty of throttle left ) while pulling comparable weight up the hills.

Edited October 16, 2013 by Joe Handley

[1972coronet]

I wonder , how much better would fuel economy be if 90% of the airbags were deleted / eliminated ...

I have no true idea on how much their overall contribution is to the weight of a vehicle (and I mean not only the bags themselves , but all of their related circuitry) , but I can only imagine that it's quite a bit !

All things being equal ; let's take a, say , 1972 Pinto , and add the engine / 5R55 trans / 4.10 geared diff --including the engine's direct injection arrangement , computer controls and all-- from a ,say , 2008 Ranger , and see what its economy ends up being . I'm willing to bet that it'd be superior to the economy of any of these new "Nintendo on Wheels" vehicles that are available today !

I'll take me a Thomas Guide over *most* GPS / Navigation systems , thank you

[Joe Handley]

You would still end up with a rolling death trap. Modern cars are also a whole lot stiffer and contain more materials than than those and will deform in a manner that will protect the occupants while the car is being destroyed. Ditching the bags and the nannies will lighten a vehile, but so will America (myself included and in paricular), going on a diet.