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"The Chevy Malibu has gained a tremendous amount of curb appeal this year with a redesign that widened its body, gave it a new Camaro-inspired rear end and a face that&amp;#039;s slightly more chiseled. While that has all been very well received, the two fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engines\u2014one a 2.4-liter with mild electric assist (182 bhp) and the other a 2.5-liter (197 bhp)\u2014aren&amp;#039;t exactly exciting, given that the Malibu weighs a stout 3500 lb.        2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo    The remedy? Power, which the Malibu now has. But rather than it coming from, say, GM&amp;#039;s excellent 3.6-liter V-6, the company has decided to stay with the 4-cylinder theme and reengineer a brand-new 2.0-liter turbocharged Ecotec. Knowing there we already multiple 2.0-liter turbo Ecotec applications throughout GM&amp;#039;s vehicle portfolio, I was prepared to refute Chevy&amp;#039;s &amp;quot;all-new engine&amp;quot; claim until the lead powertrain engineer countered with a brain-dump of information.        2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo    The plans for the new Ecotec were to tailor it to the needs of the front-drive Malibu and all-new rear-drive Cadillac ATS, meaning it would have to fit both transversely and longitudinally in an engine bay. This meant making the engine as short and narrow as possible, which was accomplished by many hardware changes, the biggest involving combining the oil pump and balance shafts into a compact cassette module in the oil pan. This has the added benefit of quieter engine operation, which along with new inverted-tooth drive chains (also known as silent chains) and acoustically insulated intake runners, make for a surprising level of refinement.        2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo    So, how does the 259-bhp engine work? In a word, well. Though it&amp;#039;s harder to perceive turbo lag with an automatic transmission\u2014and this 6-speed is the only option\u2014the single twin-scroll turbo spools up quickly to provide 260 lb.-ft. of torque from as low as 1700 rpm all the way through its power peak at 5500 rpm. These figures not only best the previous 3.6-liter V-6 (252 bhp, 251 lb.-ft.) but fuel economy is also far improved with an EPA estimated mpg of 21 city/30 highway versus the V-6&amp;#039;s 17/26. One downside: These figures are achieved with the recommended premium-grade gasoline. If you plan to fill your tank with regular, and you can do so safely, expect your peak engine power to drop by around 20 bhp and fuel economy suffer by about 1 mpg as the engine pulls timing to avoid pre-ignition.        2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo    As many car enthusiasts often wrongly presume, a power increase doesn&amp;#039;t necessarily dictate a corresponding change in handling performance. And the Malibu Turbo is no exception. Though there have been calibration changes to the Malibu Turbo&amp;#039;s electric-assist power steering and its MacPherson struts gain internal rebound springs to aid body motion control, the overall character of this car remains relaxed and comfortable, not especially sporty. This is further enhanced by the Malibu Turbo&amp;#039;s spacious dual-cockpit layout and attractive My-Link infotainment interface.        2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo    Available this fall, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo, in mid-level LT trim, starts at $27,710. The more luxurious LTZ model\u2014with leather, LED taillights, heated seats and 19-in. wheels\u2014is priced at $30,925, including destination. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a18442/2013-chevrolet-malibu-turbo/>