MotorWeek Road Test: 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid vs. 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

[marybuggy1]

2 of almost the same car because toyota is chevys close cousin and i can almost bet most of the hybrid stuff in the malibu have toyota products in there plus why do chevy have to make a mild hybrid and they get a full hybrid hmmm.

[Thecarguy1254]

@marybuggy1 Actually, Ford's Fusion Hybrid uses alot of Toyota's technology.

[blacuraRL]

Government cut the subsidy on the Camry, and left it in full effect on the Malibu? CONSPIRACY!! GM BAILOUT is probably the reason for that.

[walkthrough1234]

CAMRY ROOOOOOOOOOOCKS ! (Y)

[columbuscrewfan20]

How do u measure carbon footprint?

[imzjustplayin]

Another issue with these crash tests is that there are so many variables that a different sized passenger may fair better or worse in the very same vehicle. I know that with my height, in a side impact, despite the Camry's excellent marks, it would be fatal because my head is so high up that it would hit the handle bar mounted to the roof line, my head completely missing the side airbag. Also side impact tests are based on pelvis acceleration, not head acceleration which I think is very stupid.

[Fussinated]

Actually, both are good cars. It would be good to have either.

[C0LL1N]

haha John Davis still does this?!?!

[Sal30]

The Prius and Ford Fusion have much worse crash test ratings than the Malibu and Camry Hybrids and that takes them out of the equation for me.

[imzjustplayin]

@Sal30 I don't know what you've read, but this is simply not true.. The latest fusion and Prius all get perfect marks on their crash testing while the older ones get slightly worse marks, but still very good nonetheless. The older Fusion only does poorly on the right foot for the IIHS test and the Prius only does poorly on the side impact for non side-airbag equipped vehicles. Otherwise the Prius and Fusion (Fusion hybrid included) get perfect or near perfect marks on the crash tests.

[Sal30]

@imzjustplayin That's simply not true. The 2011 Prius only got average marks for head injury measurements in the IIHS front offset crashtest(the whole crash test was rated good, but you have to look at the specifics too).

In the NHTSA front crash test, the 2011 Prius got only 4 out of 5 stars for the driver and passenger.

In the side impact crash test, the Prius only scored 4 out of 5 starts for the passenger.

In conclusion, the Malibu and Camry are FAR FAR safer cars than Prius/Fusion

[Sal30]

@imzjustplayin You're wrong. go to safercar dot gov and got to iihs dot org. I think you just don't know how to read the ratings. I've been looking at these ratings for well over a decade. BTW when you click on the front test ratings at iihs for the Fusion, it only got average for the head/neck and left foot measurements.

On NHTSA ratings at safercar the 2010 Fusion did a little better, but still got only 4 stars out of 5 for side impact passenger ratings.

[imzjustplayin]

@Sal30 Alright, so they're not PERFECT scores, I must have misunderstood what you were getting at. While these vehicles OVERALL rating by these agencies is 5 stars (NHTSA) /Good (IIHS), their sub ratings in certain categories may only be 4 stars. I can see you're extremely safety conscious, however what you might not be aware is that a 5 star rating means 10% or less chance of SERIOUS injury and a 4 star rating means 10-20% chance of SERIOUS injury. I don't know, I think you're splitting hairs.

[counkev]

Why is everyone so stupid if you want a hybrid just get a Toyota Prius it is only 22,000 and it gets 51 MPG city the most fuel efficient and affordable hybrid out there. And I don't like foreign cars better than domestic cars but this just makes sense!

[macktenful]

American is the best

[chaosad09]

you get what you pay for. you pay more for the camry because it is made better.

[pastorgas30]

Ford is the one american car company on the right track

[ipbalkenende]

GM has been making some decent cars as well the last few years. But I gotta say the Ford pipeline looks more promising (unless the Volt becomes a hit somehow).

[YUBU8]

the malibu cost less

[amgl550]

@YUBU8 ever think why camry costs more?

[pastorgas30]

so malibu is slower and less efficient. why cant detroit do anything right.

[cheezgrated]

The Malibu "hybrid" system seems to be a beefy auto start-stop motor. That helps make Malibu cheaper to buy.

I guess you could manually shut off a gas engine every time you reach a stop in a regular car, but you would be putting wear and tear on a starter not designed for heavy use.

[branden1979]

They have done something right. The Ford Fusion hybrid is better than both of these cars. 191hp and gets better gas milage than both.

[stephfitness]

The running joke is the camry will make it to 250k and then some, while it will take 2 Malibus. We have a 2005 camry and had a 2005 malibu.. and the key word to that is HAD.. .We still have the 2005 camry and it has 110k on it.. The malibu started to have major issues.. It failed state inspections 2 times and had to put $3k to get the car to pass. We gave up on the Malibu last month and got a 2010 Camry. Malibu may have nicer interior but that interior wont last, 1 year it falls apart.

[gpgab971]

Our malibu (2005ls) has 216,711 as of today and i don't remember any major service breakdowns. Just got the new 2009 ltz and love it. The camry just doesn't catch me as a "nice" car. Looks cheap and has mom styling all over it.

[michael9196]

american cars suck . buy a nissan .

[RYwiccan]

Who buys Nissan?? I never see them on the road.

[VIRAJ818]

Thats becuz you're blind.....

[RYwiccan]

No Im not. I have never ever seen a Nissan Dealership. plus when I am driving I look at all the car I pass to see which brand are on the road. I see more Chevy, Ford, and pontiacs, then anything elese.

[jdan007]

nissan is actually consistently worse in quality

[flatblackstrat]

the interior is so much nicer in the malibu. I really dont like toyotas interiors.

[SonySasuke]

what is e-mode

[GILBERTORACE]

i don't like hybrids when it comes to services of even mechanics :S theres where your federal tax money goes to

[praetorian2150]

anyone think this guys voice is to epic for this comparison lol

[ricardosandoval69]

Just to let you know, Ford Fusion is 100% made in Mexico, is this an american car or mexican made? Buy American made in another country? BS

[ilovenissan]

there not that great i co signed on an 09 fusion with a 4 banger for my grandmother its pretty shitty and the mpg isnt any better than my suv

[FordNissanChevy]

your suv gets over 31 mpg?

[ilovenissan]

no drove the fusion 350 miles the best i got was 23 mpg big disappointment if i run 91 in the truck i can get 22, my little matrix is great on fuel i can get 38mpg in 6th at 80.

[FordNissanChevy]

you weren't trying then

[ilovenissan]

no its just a shitty product 2.3 litters and only 156 bhp thats crap, and the fuel economy sucks for should just stick to trucks.

[FordNissanChevy]

2.5l, 175HP up to 35 mpg EPA estimate.

[ilovenissan]

its an 09 not 2010

[FordNissanChevy]

34mph highway, we got an 07 2.3l and we get great mileage. cant tell you exact mileage but we were getting better than any other vehicle we had.

[steve9509]

wow, i wonder what kind of suv you have then?

[steve9509]

im still wondering ilovenissan, what SUV do you drive?

[joshy1515]

yeah you have to love those american/mexican cars. i have had four toyotas and all beat gm and chrysler out of the water. gm and chrysler really need to get there act together.

[highlanderhybrid]

I like my Camry Hybrid, I can get to 60 before christmas

[AluminumHaste]

Dude, this is produced in Georgetown, Kentucky by American workers who have a Union and get paid well.

[tven99]

CAMRY!!!!!!....i love toyota........

[voram2568]

Malibu 2.4

14 secounds aceration 0-63 mph  110 mph top speed in 65 secounds

economy 26 lites /100 km in city 17.58 lites / 100 km on higjhway

cobineds 16.5 lites / 100 km

[voram2568]

Camey and malibu Hybrid

Max speed motor 40 mph for 40 mlies

[autofusion333]

After watching this video, I went to check out the prices for the Camry and the Malibu to compare them. At Vallejo Toyota, they have Camry Hybrids priced around $28K with a $2000 factory rebate, plus when you consider the new federal tax incentives, that makes it around $24,000, which is right around the price for a regular Camry. The Malibu Hybrid comes in a bit cheaper, starting around $25K at Quality Chevy in Escondido/San Diego and getting down to around $21,500 after rebates and incentives.

[tenday2]

It is far too obvious this commercial is funded, either directly or indirectly, by GM. At the beginning, the guy is leaning against the American car, the car is parked closer to the camera, with the Toyota parked further away. I going to buy the Malibu, I am just pointing out the conflict of interest here.

[damionlldn]

yea buy an american branded car that was made in mexico...smaaart

[quixizous]

I'll take that under advisement. In the long run, this economy might be good for the American auto companies. If they make vehicles people want, they'll make money. Besides, I might buy a Malibu, not because it's American but because it's a great car, based on everything I've read. As far as I'm concerned, best product wins. Make something I want, I'll buy it. That's why I own an American Apple portable media player (made in China) and not a Samsung or a Sony. :)

[FireOFK]

that meat head (meadowhockey) above you doesn't understand the toyotas or "foreign" cars he talks about are built by your American friends and neighbor not some Japanese dude, they make junk thats why they fail its not American people fault. these stupid companies have to bankrupt to get it next time.

pure and simple Japaneese cars are built better. while the American companies build junk. they should have fixed themselves long time ago

[quixizous]

If the vehicle is good and happens to be America, sure.

[88462]

ok the camry is more expensive but when the malibu is 3 or 4 years old will be more cheap than the camry because the malibu depreciate allot. so is true that the malibu interior is alot better than the boring interior of the camry.

[skimaniac05]

motorweek has seemed to lose what they used to have. They seem to pander to everyone, where as before they used to have actual verdicts as to what is best. I miss that old motorweek, and why wouldn't they just admit which one was superior. Probably afraid of pissing off GM or something.

[Ukrainatrain]

i dont think they really care about pissing anyone off, and they did say that camry gets better gas mileage. So in that regard its superior, but if you take into account styling and price, its a tough call. Why do you assume that the verdict would necessarily have to go in favor of the camry, because "GM sucks" is just the thing to say now?

[skimaniac05]

i don't think gm sucks, far from it. i actually really like the new malibu, i just think as a hybrid the camry works better. If i had to get a conventional family car though id prob go for the malibu

[Ukrainatrain]

yes, they have established that the camry gets better gas mileage, but is more expensive. So how do you expect them to make a call which car is better when the price up front does not justify the gas savings especially now?

[skimaniac05]

i agree its not worth it extra price. I'm in total agreement with you on that. I'm just saying if your into hybrids, the toyota system works better. I just don't think with gas below $2/gal its worth it

[FunkyShaf]

Malibu looks better inside and out, and is cheaper. Malibu all the way.

[omairtheman1]

camry hands down...

[yogibear698]

Did he say 250k miles to break even @ $4gallon. Camry might have a better/efficient engine but it's interior looks so boring compared to the malibu.

[DerAdventurer]

Toyota Camry Hybrid is the highlight of the scene.

[szlevi]

OK, it's enough from this illiterate, idiotic Nazi shit for me...

[szlevi]

You're out of your mind if you really believe this crap - without competition from foreign cars you get nothing but declining quality and lack of inventions.

[szlevi]

BTW, bailout: bail them out, sure, give them a last chance - they more worthy than Wall St anyway, of course - and then THAT'S IT. No more bailout, PERIOD.

And absolutely no 'let's buy American" unless they are on-pair with foreign counterparts.

[szlevi]

Sorry but

1. buying their crappy quality, fugly cars thus financing a broken company doesn't make any positive difference, sorry, it only postpones the necessary changes

2. lot of "foreign" makers have US plants - what's up with their workers?

I'm all for supporting *local* production but this argument of 'buy US even if it's crappy' makes zero sense - this flies against basic logic, let alone at the end we'll stuck driving a crappy car and Wagoner et all laugh at us on the way to the bank.

[Ukrainatrain]

i agree with you that you that protectionism is counter productive. You need competition. But don't be fooled by the transplants building plants here. Manufacturing jobs are low paying, small part of total investment in production of a car. The profit still goes back overseas. Likewise, the outrage over American companies building plants in Mexico to avoid unions is stupid. You have to look at where the profits flow.

[szlevi]

Why are you asking why?

One has to be really narrow-minded and clueless not to consider ANY brand, let alone close out every foreign one...

[BklynJayL]

The 2010 Ford Fusion is going to be waaaay better! ;-)

[Ukrainatrain]

yea, the fusion was rated better than the camry in fuel economy. I wonder about the price though. Even at $4 a gallon it tough to say whether its worth to pay extra for the camry over the malibu, let alone now that its below $2.

[BklynJayL]

Yeah. That's true. Besides..., the T. Camry's interior quality isn't all that good! It's cheap looking compared to the new Ford Fusion and, Chevy Malibu...but, the exterior of the T. Camry is nice. ;-)

[coandcaiv]

LOL...big 3 = dogshit

[szlevi]

Two words: clearly clueless.

[igotwhips]

the camry can make up value in resale

[ACER7296]

I think a better comparison would be between the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid ,and the 2010 Ford Fushion Hybrid since they both have a similar setup on their hybrid systems.