With 164 horsepower on tap, the Malibu Hybrid's straight-line performance is not the car's top priority, of course. But we managed a respectable 0-100 km/h time of 10.6 seconds, while the quarter-mile mark is reached in 17.4 seconds at 132 km/h.

With 164 horsepower on tap, the Malibu Hybrid's straight-line performance is not the car's top priority.

Quiet and spacious cabin
One of every Malibu's strong points is how quietly the car performs its duties. At 100 km/h, the Hybrid's engine is spinning at just 2,000 rpm, and while driving, all you hear is a little suspension noise. You can talk to fellow passengers, or to yourself if you're lonely, with the same tone of voice as you would in your living room.

Cockpit ergonomics are great, as all controls and readouts are within the driver's reach or sight. Five full-grown adults can sit comfortably in the Malibu, and the front seatbacks are carved out to allow for more rear-seat legroom.

There are a couple of things that bug me, though. Although GM is slowly but surely improving the look and feel of its vehicle interiors, there's still room for improvement. The one-piece, moulded plastic door pockets look cheap, and the trim around the shift lever was loose in our test car. The A-pillars are too large, as they create blind spots.

Also, the car's interior color combination isn't really attractive, but that's a question of taste more than a shortcoming; the brown two-tone scheme (it's called cocoa and cashmere) makes me feel like I'm sitting in a giant Reese peanut butter cup.

Competition
The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid starts out at $26,995, which makes it the second-cheapest Hybrid vehicle currently on the market, just behind the $26,350 Honda Civic. Our test car also included a $380 extra charge for the Jewel Red Tintcoat paint job. The only available options are a power driver's seat, power-adjustable pedals and a sunroof.

Cockpit ergonomics are great, as all controls and readouts are within the driver's reach or sight.