General Motors wanted to get ahead of the competition in the mid-size segment by
launching the all-new 2013 Malibu in Eco trim with a 37mpg highway 2.4-liter
eAssist engine in March, six months before the arrival of the regular 2.5-liter
base engine and the 2.0-liter turbo flagship.
However, GM's dealers had plenty of 2012 Malibu sedans sitting on their lots
and as surprising as it may sound to some, up until now, the older model is
heavily outselling its successor.
According to data obtained by Autonews, from the March launch through June,
GM sold about 7,000 examples of the 2013MY Malibu Eco, compared with around
100,000 units of the 2012MY Malibu.
Nevertheless, there's a completely reasonable explanation for this disparity
in sales: the 2012 model comes with special incentives that can drop its price
to about $6,000 less than the 2013 Malibu Eco, which starts at $22,390
(excluding a $760 destination and handling fee), to around $16,400 (€13,350).
And as is the case with most mainstream buyers looking for a new ride, money
talks…
Gallery-
2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU
2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO
