*brand New* 2015 Chevy Malibu *lt* Edition on 2040-cars

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Driving the Toyota Supra, Honda Passport and BMW 3 Series | Autoblog Podcast #582

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder and West Coast Editor James Riswick. First, they talk about the cars they've been driving, including the Honda Passport, BMW 330i and Audi RS5. They follow up with notes about driving the Toyota Supra and 86, and whether Toyota's new sports car strategy makes sense. Then they discuss the news, including the Ferrari SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid, a possible Renault-FCA merger, death rumors for the Jaguar XJ and thoughts on the upcoming Chevy Trailblazer. Autoblog Podcast #582 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving: 2019 Honda Passport 2019 BMW 330i 2019 Audi RS5 Sportback Toyota Supra, 86 and the company's sports car strategy In the news: Ferrari SF90 Stradale FCA and Renault Jaguar XJ going away? Chevy Trailblazer Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video:

Chevy Malibu will become 45-mpg strong hybrid with next update

Come next year there'll be no more mild hybrid pretensions for the Chevrolet Malibu - the next-generation sedan will borrow technology from the 2016 Volt and get a proper hybrid powertrain. A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine gets help from a two-motor drive unit adapted from the Volt for 182 system horsepower, the motor drive powered by an 80-cell, 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery. Chevrolet says that when combined with features like grille shutters and a lower ride height, it expects the Malibu Hybrid will post a combined fuel economy rating of more than 45 miles per gallon, which would best the hybrid trims of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata. Electric power alone can power the car up to 55 miles per hour, and The Bowtie's first use of exhaust gas heat recovery will help maintain high hybrid performance in cold weather and be used to heat the engine and cabin. The Malibu Hybrid should go on sale in the Spring of next year, for now there's a press release below. Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Derives Technology from Volt GM estimates combined fuel economy ratings to exceed 45 mpg DETROIT, 2015-03-25 – Chevrolet's recent production announcement of its all-electric vehicle based on the Bolt EV concept, as well as the introduction of the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, will be joined by a strong hybrid version of the next-generation Malibu. Using technology from the 2016 Chevrolet Volt propulsion system, Malibu Hybrid will offer an estimated combined fuel economy rating exceeding 45 mpg, higher than the combined mileage ratings of the Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata hybrid variants. "The 2016 Malibu Hybrid will offer impressive fuel economy, exceptional driving characteristics and gorgeous styling," said Jesse Ortega, Chevrolet Malibu chief engineer. "Besides leveraging innovation from the Chevrolet Volt, the Malibu Hybrid also has unique features that help improve aerodynamics, like upper and lower grille air shutters to improve airflow and a reduced ride height, all of which help reduce fuel consumption," Ortega said. An all-new direct-injection 1.8L 4-cylinder engine mated to a two-motor drive unit slightly modified from the 2016 Chevrolet Volt drive unit powers the Malibu Hybrid. The drive unit provides additional power to assist the engine during acceleration, for 182 horsepower (136 kW) of total system power.

2016 Chevy Volt rated at 106 MPGe, 53 miles of pure EV range

Following a string of rumors, Chevrolet and the Environmental Protection Agency have released official fuel economy numbers for the second-generation Volt. As was reported earlier today, the new and improved hybrid will cover 53 miles on pure electric power. As Chevy tells it, first-gen Volt owners cover about 80 percent of their mileage on EV power alone, so the 40-percent increase from the second-gen should lead to an even bigger reduction in gas-powered Volt mileage. Chevy expects some 90 percent of mileage to come from a plug with its new 2016 model. This newfound EV range comes thanks to the 2016 Volt's 18.4-kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery. Rated at 106 MPGe by the feds – exactly what was promised by a June leak – the 2016 Volt improves nicely on the current model's 17.1-kWh, 98-MPGe battery back. There's also a marked improvement when relying on the gas-powered on-board generator. The 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine will happily run on regular fuel and return a still-impressive 42 miles per gallon combined rating once the battery's state of charge is depleted. Expect the freeway to cruise to be even better, although Chevy isn't ready to say by how much. Fully charged and with a full tank, drivers should expect to cover 420 miles, a 40-mile improvement over the current model. Scroll down for the official press release from Chevrolet Related Video: The Results Are In: More Range for the 2016 Volt EPA-estimated pure electric range is 53 miles DETROIT – The 2016 Volt is engineered to offer customers more of what they want: range, range and more range. The Volt's all-new second-generation Voltec extended range electric propulsion system delivers 53 miles of pure EV range, based on EPA testing. That is nearly a 40-percent improvement over the first generation Volt. Chevrolet expects many next-generation Volt owners will use power solely from their battery for more than 90 percent of trips. Today, Volt owners use battery power on 80 percent of their trips. This means that the average Volt owner may expect to travel well over 1,000 miles between gas fill ups, if they charge regularly. For the first 53 miles, the Volt can drive gas and tailpipe-emissions free using a full charge of electricity stored in its new 18.4-kWh lithium-ion battery, which is rated at a combined 106 MPGe, or gasoline equivalent. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas-powered generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range for a total of 420 miles on a full tank.