# Why no Malibu Diesel?



## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

With the Cruze being discontinued, I have to ask why Chevy hasn't offered the Diesel/automatic powertrain in the Malibu? It's an engine that is probably not enough for Impala buyers, but I feel it's enough that it could sell in a Malibu.


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## gacl (Jan 22, 2019)

I think its mainly due to them selling a Malibu Hybrid. Also they make a Diesel Equinox.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

They would sell 3. The market for such a car isn't there in the US; VW had a pretty niche market when it came to diesel sedans, and GM never really advertises the diesel powertrains they do have in anything but the heavy-duty trucks. Very few people know an Equinox diesel even exists.

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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

They introduced it for sale in Korea for 2019...so it exists. They just won't bother bringing it here, I'm sure, because we would totally buy one and they can't have that.

The Malibu Hybrid is excellent, but GM still screws you out of certain features because of your powertrain choice.


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

jblackburn said:


> VW had a pretty niche market when it came to diesel sedans, and GM never really advertises the diesel powertrains


This is GM's self-defeating problem.

VW will never sell another diesel vehicle in the USA for the rest of my life. GM talks (twice now, so far) about using the Diesel Cruze to take market share from VW. They did this will the 1st generation Cruze... and never advertised it, so sales weren't what they wanted. They did this with the 2nd generation Cruze... and never advertised it, so sales weren't what they wanted. It's particularly bad with the 2nd generation Cruze because VW was already out of the diesel car business, so they had the entire market to themselves if they would make the effort.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

Did you know GM makes a Diesel Equinox or Terrain?

You probably did because you're on this site - but nobody else does because I have never _once_ seen a GM advertisement for either of them.


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## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

MP81 said:


> Did you know GM makes a Diesel Equinox or Terrain?
> 
> You probably did because you're on this site - but nobody else does because I have never _once_ seen a GM advertisement for either of them.


When I was buying my Cruze the local dealership had banners advertising their diesel vehicles (Colorado pickup, Cruze car, Equinox SUV). That was the only mention I saw of them anywhere. Nothing in print advertised in car magazines.


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## BodhiBenz1987 (Jan 13, 2018)

I spend a lot of time around car people of varying types, and they are almost always shocked when I tell them my car is a diesel. No one knows about them unless they are already in the niche. The only reason I heard of it is because I'm a diesel enthusiast. There have been a few reviews of them in varying configurations, but I don't think most people would know to look for those reviews. I have actually seen two Gen 2 TDs and a Equinox TD on the road in the last month or so, though! I'd be interested to know what final production numbers were for the Cruze TDs, if such a thing is available.


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## BDCCruze (Jul 12, 2017)

Rumors now that GM is killing off the Malibu in 2024. Sounds like they are going all Truck/SUV with a few electric options.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

By 2024, the industry might flip again and be all about cars - who the hell knows, haha.

I was thinking about it. Maybe they _do_ sell a Malibu Diesel here, they just failed to inform even themselves this time of its existence.


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## Z71 (Jan 1, 2019)

Diesel cars are poor sellers in the US. GM is discontinuing the Diesel version of Equinox this year. Local dealers are having hard time selling the remaining Equinox diesel vehicles, some discount them as much as $10k off the sticker. It is very doubtful that GM will introduce small displacement diesel engines into any more cars or small SUVs.


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## MP81 (Jul 20, 2015)

It would have helped if they advertised them, you know, _at all_.

I fully believe the Equinox and Terrain diesel would have sold quite well if GM told people they actually existed.

Plenty of people buy the Equinox (and to a lesser extend, the Terrain - though I see plenty around here) - but letting them know there was an option that allowed them to get _at least_ high 30s on the freeway (more like mid-low 40s, given it is a diesel), I absolutely expect a good number would have gone for it.

Instead, they spent all the money to outfit the plant for the addition of the 1.6TD, as well as all the engineering cost to implement the engine into the vehicles, and then proceeded to ignore the vehicle in regards to marketing (much like the Volt or Malibu Hybrid...or really, anything they make - instead, focusing on those stupid, god **** "Real People" ads that do nothing of use except get marketing awards).

That said - I would have loved to see a Voltec-based setup in there, either like the Volt, or like the Malibu, or both. The new Escape is coming out with a hybrid powertrain, and the new Rav4 has one, as well - seems like a huge missed opportunity, but GM, as of late, loves that kind of thing.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The writing is on the wall, worldwide, for diesels. Combine this with GM leaving the sedan market and we won't see any diesel sedans from GM. I suspect GM will electrify their trucks first, which will eliminate diesels from the truck market as well. This of course, assumes GM continues to exist and isn't so far behind in the growing worldwide EV market that the company simple folds.


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