To celebrate the launch of their smallest car yet, the 2013 Spark sub-compact, they put together some facts, with the obvious aim of improving the Spark’s image.

Based on dimensional averages based on published data for popularly priced 1973 American sedan models sold by the three leading American manufacturers of the time, here are four facts comparing today’s subcompacts and the 1973 sedans:

• Exterior – The mini-car is 50 percent smaller than the typical ’73 American full-size sedan.
• Height – New subcompacts like the Chevy Spark are actually 6 inches taller than the 1973 sedan.
• Wheels – The wheels on the new 2013 mini cars and the 1973 full-size cars are equal – both maintain their poise on standard 15-inch rims.
• Interior – The 2013 subcompacts have front and rear headroom and front legroom that match the average 1973 American full-sized sedan.

Dig into the gas pedal with any authority and the needle swings to the right, an obvious attempt to remind you of your gas-guzzling ways. Coast to a stop and the needle stays buried in the forest of green, a visual pat on the back for being efficient. We’re not sure what it takes to make the needle swing to the left, but since there’s no green there it’s probably not good.

Is the gauge helpful? Well, if the idea that pushing on the gas pedal will use more gas is a difficult concept for you to grasp, then yes, it might seem useful. For the rest of us, that little green gauge is merely a reminder. A reminder that this Malibu isn’t going to deliver big-time fuel mileage numbers unless its driver helps out.

That’s because unlike full hybrid sedans, the Malibu Eco doesn’t have a complex combination of electric motors hooked to its gas engine. Instead, this Malibu uses a simpler, less costly belt-alternator-starter motor that’s capable of contributing an extra 15 horsepower for short bursts of acceleration. In some ways, it’s the anti-hybrid, a simple and affordable sedan that’s so normal you would hardly know there’s anything “eco” about it.

An All-New Malibu
Put aside the whole green angle for a moment and instead consider the fact that this is a fully redesigned car for 2013. The Chevy Malibu now rides on the same underpinnings as the Buick Regal. That means it’s still front-wheel drive, but it’s slightly shorter in overall length and rides on a considerably shorter wheelbase.

Those changes aren’t very noticeable from behind the wheel, mostly because this Malibu is about 2 inches wider between the wheels than before, a change which makes the whole interior feel more spacious. Even the rear seats, which lost out the most when the wheelbase got cut, are still comparable to any sedan in the class in terms of leg- and headroom.

This is one of those increasingly rare cars you can jump into and drive without feeling the need to figure anything out, a good sign given its healthy features list. The updated interior design is neither tacky nor overly sophisticated. The gauge cluster is straight out of the Camaro while the large, well-spaced out center stack arranges the radio and climate controls in a logical order. There are actual knobs for tuning the radio and adjusting the volume; same goes for the standard dual-zone climate control system.

Most importantly, interior materials are of good quality and the basic build quality is solid.

Nothing Eco About Its Performance
There’s less to pick apart once the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco is out on the road. The 2.4-liter, 182-hp engine feels smooth and strong for a four-cylinder. Its 8.2-second sprint from zero to 60 (7.9 seconds with 1 foot of rollout, as on a drag strip) affirms that fact, as most sedans in this class are half a second slower.

The ride and handling of this Malibu have also been stepped up a notch. Much like Toyota’s Camry SE, this Malibu combines tight, precise chassis tuning with a ride quality that’s perfectly compliant in day-to-day driving. It doesn’t try to be a sport sedan by any means, but it doesn’t feel needlessly soft and under-sprung either.

Even the relatively tame Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires deliver decent grip and road feel. Our test drivers noted a surprising amount of grip during the Malibu’s 0.83g skid pad run and predictable handling through the slalom cones, which yielded a best run of 62.8 mph. Both figures are about average for the class, so this Malibu’s drive for fuel efficiency doesn’t translate into stiff and lifeless handling.

The electric steering, another fuel-saving measure, works well, too, as it’s largely unnoticeable. Even the brakes feel normal, which is rarely the case for full hybrids. They stop the Malibu from 60 mph in 119 feet, which is average for the segment.

As with most hybrids, packaging is a compromise. The battery pack in the Malibu eats up some of its trunk space. Chevrolet likes to point out that it’s only about a cubic foot of space, but it’s a cubic foot that preludes folding down the rear seats for extra room. That’s a deal-breaker for a family sedan.

Practical, Usable
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu’s relatively strong performance at the track translates into a pleasant, comfortable and largely unremarkable sedan in day-to-day driving. And that’s a good thing.

Instead of feeling the compromises it makes in the name of mileage, this Malibu largely masks them. Sure, you notice that it shuts the engine off when you come to a stop, but it starts again so seamlessly that it’s never very noticeable. The standard six-speed automatic transmission snaps quickly from gear to gear and resists the urge to constantly drop into 6th for better mileage.

Chevrolet also took some additional weight out of this Malibu through the use of an aluminum hood, thinner carpet and a smaller dash pad, among other things. Such “mass reductions” often result in a car that feels tinny and fragile on the road. You get none of that in the Malibu, though, as it feels substantial and quiet at highway speeds. Its thick steering wheel and minimal road noise help out in this regard.

Long-range seat comfort is lacking despite a wide range of adjustment and a good seating position. It’s much the same story in the back, as there’s decent room, just not very decent seats.

Convenience features work well — cupholders are well placed, the center console is big enough and the remote steering wheel controls are intuitive. Chevrolet’s new MyLink system that combines various apps together on the 7-inch touchscreen is useful, at least when it comes to accessing music.

Stuck in a Hard Place
With so many good things going for it, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco sounds like a slam dunk. From an engineering standpoint it is, but in the world of midsize family sedans it’s a much harder sell.

One big drawback is the Malibu Eco’s price. It starts at $25,995 for what is a well-equipped base model. There’s only one option, a $965 convenience package that doesn’t include navigation. For that, you have to step up to the upgraded model that starts at $27,605 and then add the $1,020 navigation package. Our test car also had a leather package that boosted the bottom line to $29,230.

Forget all the extras for a minute and consider the base price of $26K. It’s not bad given the Malibu’s extensive features list, but for only $600 more you could get either a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid or a Toyota Camry Hybrid, which offer EPA mileage ratings of 35 city/40 highway and 43 city/39 highway, respectively.

Rated at 25 city/37 highway, the Malibu Eco offers fuel efficiency on par with its competition, according to the EPA. Still, over 801 miles of mixed driving our test car produced 24.7 mpg — a far cry from its 29 mpg combined EPA rating.

Maybe you don’t care about hybrids at all. In that case you could just save yourself a few thousand dollars up front and opt for a standard four-cylinder version of either the Sonata or the Camry. Well-equipped versions of those start around $23,000 and still boast mileage ratings of 22/35 and 25/35, respectively.

Fundamentally Good
Chevrolet got all the basics right with this Malibu. The ride quality is perfectly suited to the segment. The steering is precise and the engine is smooth, silent and sufficiently powerful.

Despite its slightly smaller footprint, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco is still plenty comfortable inside. The design might not be the most sophisticated we’ve ever seen, but the controls are easy to use and all the right convenience features are there.

Later this year, Chevrolet will introduce the standard Malibu with an updated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It will offer 190 hp, 180 pound-feet of torque and a price that will likely mimic its foreign competitors. It will have a proper trunk, too. That’s the Malibu worth considering.

Along the way, GM’s Chevy brand styled its car to resemble an swoop-backed Audi. Let’s just say it makes a good first impression.

“Our design team was challenged to create a new classic, but that didn’t mean relying on nostalgia,” says John Cafaro, director of North America passenger car exterior design.

The Impala hasn’t had much of a rep since its heyday in the 1960s and 1970s, when it was a powerful, stylish big Detroit sedan that provided a lot of satisfaction to folks unwilling or unable to spring for premium models. Back then, it was distinguished from the lesser big Chevy, the Bel Air, by sporting six taillights to Bel Air’s four.

The car will be an infotainment-rich environment, which is the price of entry nowadays. Likewise, electronic safety features abound, as do the vision aids that are meant to keep you from bumping, smashing or crunching things around you that aren’t necessarily apparent.

GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck, Mich., and Oshawa, Ontario factories will build the car. Chevy will announce prices later.

Here’s one huge difference between the 2014 Impala, on sale next year and starring at the Chevy display at the New York International Auto Show, and the fleet-footed machines of yore: No V-8 engine is listed for the ’14. Two fours and a six.

Sign o’ the times, alas. Taurus has no V-8, either, but does offer a honey of a twin-turbo V-6 that makes a V-8 superfluous.

The engines:

• 2.4-liter four with eAssist, as on some Buick models. A very, very mild hybrid, it’s main mpg feature is that it’ll shut off the gas engine at long lights and get you rolling again with the electric motor, giving the engine an instant to restart and rejoin. Rated 182 hp, 172 lbs.-ft. of torque.
• 2.5-liter four, 197 hp/187 lbs.-ft.
• 3.6-liter V-6, 303 hp/264 lbs.-ft.

All are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions. Chevy provides no mpg forecasts.

The new ad agency and the naming earlier this year of Carat as General Motors Co’s agency for its media planning and buying operations is part of the U.S. automaker’s effort to cut costs by $2 billion over five years and more effectively build Chevy into a global brand.

Commonwealth, based in Detroit, will handle development of creative campaigns globally.

GM is staying with Goodby and McCann, its two largest ad agencies, which handled 60% to 70% of the markets Chevy is in, a spokesman said.

“These agency consolidations are expected to create about $2 billion in savings over the next five years, with a portion used to take advantage of key global marketing opportunities and strengthen the focus on our global Chevrolet brand, and a portion hitting the bottom line,” GM global marketing chief Joel Ewanick said in a statement.

GM’s advertising expenses last year totaled almost $4.5 billion, according to the company’s annual report. WPP WPP.Lowned ad-tracking firm Kantar Media estimates GM spent $1.83 billion on U.S. ads last year with almost 60% of that used on Chevy, which makes up about 70% of GM’s U.S. sales.

Commonwealth will be led by an eight-person board with assignments handled through global hubs in Detroit, Milan, Mumbai and Sao Paulo, GM said. Up to now, Goodby has led the Chevrolet creative account in the United States, the brand’s largest market, while McCann has been Chevrolet’s agency of record in several global markets, including Mexico, Canada, Brazil, India, Japan, China and Latin America.

Photo: General Motors

This iteration will be the 10th generation of the Impala, with a history dating back to 1958 that makes it one of Chevy’s most enduring nameplates. “The new Impala further strengthens Chevrolet’s passenger car lineup by giving consumers a full-size sedan that balances the desire for distinction with engaging driving dynamics,” said Chris Perry, vice-president of global Chevrolet marketing.

For 2013, Traverse offers the industry’s first front centre airbag, designed to protect driver and front passengers in far-side impacts, by deploying in between them for added protection for both.

Photo: General Motors

Chevy will also show in New York the Malibu eco, Spark minicar, Tru 140S and Code 130R concepts, and Corvette 427 Convertible with 60th anniversary package.

The national TV campaign will run for four weeks and feature the 2013 Malibu Eco, which has a 2.4-liter Ecotec non-turbo engine with GM’s eAssist technology; it is Chevy’s most fuel-efficient Malibu ever. The TV campaign will be followed by advertising in top 12 city markets, said Kevin Mayer, director of Chevrolet advertising and sales promotions.

“As we launch a new Malibu, we’re going to do this globally,” said Russ Clark, Chevrolet marketing director of midsize and performance cars. “It’s actually sold in (nearly) 100 countries.”

The 2013 Malibu Eco starts at $25,995 and is estimated to get 37 mpg highway with the eAssist technology.

The eAssist technology captures lost energy from braking and feeds it back to a small lithium-ion battery to assist in accelerating the vehicle. The technology also works to shut off the engine when the car comes to a stop, saving fuel.

The 2013 Malibu is Chevy’s first global midsize sedan and has sold 4,000 units in its first three months in South Korea, Clark said. It’s also available now in China and production began in the U.S. in January.

Most of what’s been selling this year is the 2012 version of the Malibu. GM sold about 350 Malibu Ecos in February, out of 19,987 total sales in the U.S., said Jim Cain, a GM spokesman. Sales for the month were up 4.7 percent from the same month a year earlier; year-to-date, sales are up 4.4 percent over 2011.

The Malibu is built in Fairfax, Kan., but at mid-year will also begin to be built at GM Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant.

This summer, GM will launch the Malibu with the Ecotec 2.5-liter engine without eAssist, and with the LS, LTZ and LT trim models. That’s followed by the turbo engine this fall that’s expected to go from zero to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds.

The car maker is anticipating a push for greater efficiency in vehicles in view of rising fuel price and the introduction of new CAFE standards which may attract more US customers select diesel models.

The new diesel Cruze will be powered by a GM powertrain and the vehicle slated to be unveiled next year.

GM is developing an engine that will deliver great fuel efficiency and torque as well as provide a smooth, quiet ride, while GM engineers in Russelsheim, Germany, are supporting the initiative by developing the accessory drive, acoustic cover and other specialised components.

The company claims that the introduction of a diesel option for Cruze is expected to enhance its diesel car sales success.

Cruze diesel engine development will gain from GM’s recent commitment to invest EUR20m ($26.5m) to add five new dynamic benches at its Torino plant for climatic, noise and vibration and chassis dynamometer testing which will speed development time.

The new GM diesels have resolved problems associated with the earlier engines which create a smooth-running engine and particulate-capturing filtration systems will reduce tailpipe emissions.

GM had sold over half a million diesel-powered cars across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America in 2011comprising 33,000 Cruzes.

The new 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is in its fourth year of production and the improvements keep coming. For this newest version Chevrolet focused on the improving the comfort, performance and value both inside and out. One of the upgrades includes an optional High Performance package. This PDE ZR1 package features Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure tires. These are street legal versions of racing tires that are optimized to give the highest performance in cornering and handling capabilities. They are very wide and come wrapped around the 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s all new wheels. These wheels are staggered size alloy wheels that come in five pounds less than last year’s wheel, a twenty spoke. The suspension has been tuned to near perfect as well in order to provide the best cornering grip. The addition of carbon ceramic brakes makes the stopping distant almost immediate at high speeds.

The main competition for the new 2012 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is the Ferrari 599, Porsche 911 GT2, Lamborghini Gallardo and the Audi R8. Critics agree that the mechanics of the Corvette ZR1 is up to par with the best in the world. They also complain that the interior is not as up to par as the European cars. American drivers do not seem to care as much about the smell of high quality leather for the interior when they are able to smell the heat from road the ZR1 leaves behind.

“The Cruze station wagon caters to an important market segment. It ticks all the boxes for European drivers in terms of distinctive design, dynamic driving, space and economy,” said Chevrolet Europe President and Managing Director Susan Docherty.

5-door models like the Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback and Station Wagon have proven to be very popular in the European and Australian markets but the “station wagon” has acquired a somewhat negative reputation for being tragically unhip vehicles driven only by soccer moms and newspaper delivery people. This view by the American consumer market is at fault for the end of very cool wagons like the Dodge Magnum and although compact hatchbacks have slowly become more popular in the US – full blown wagons still carry a stigma that slows sales. Because of this, we are very unlikely to see the Cruze Station Wagon in North American anytime soon but with the steady growth in popularity of models like the Ford Focus 5-door hatchback; perhaps General Motors will bring one of their larger versions of the Cruze across the pond to the US.

Those locations which do receive the new Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon will get 17.6 cubic feet of storage space with the seats in the upright position and when the seats are folded down, the Cruze Wagon offers an impressive 52 cubic feet of storage space. Buyers will get to pick between a trio of gasoline engines (1.4L turbo, 1.6L, 1.8L) and a pair of diesel engines (1.7L, 2.0L), with start-stop technology on the 1.4L turbo gas engine and both diesel options.

Finally, the new Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon includes the new MyLink system. This pairs your smartphone with the in-dash infotainment system – offering full control of your phone including phone numbers and stored media through the touchscreen control panel.

General Motors recorded the worst month for sales of Volts in January since August. Only 603 of the innovative plug-in extended-range electrics were sold, Automotive News points out.

By contrast, the News says Chevrolet averaged 1,259 Volt sales during each of the months of last year’s fourth quarter. The Volt, which lists for $39,995, is the first plug-in from a major maker with a backup gas engine for unlimited range.

GM recently agreed to modifications to better shield the batteries after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that Volts could catch fire weeks after a breech of their battery compartments, such as what would be seen in a big crash.

After GM said it would better protect the battery and take other steps, NHTSA saluted the automaker for taking affirmative steps to protect the company. But so far the clean bill of health is yet to translate into better Volt sales.