Chevrolet Buyers Shunning New 2013 Malibu Eco for Incentive-Laden 2012 Malibu

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…