Charlotte: Three years honesty best policy essay With a starting price of $22,965, the base Malibu costs $3,705 than what the hybrid was set to go on sale for. Along with the identical fuel economy, the conventional engine is also more powerful than the hybrid’s eAssist drivetrain, which combines a 2.4-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, electric motor and large lithium-ion battery pack that reduces trunk space.