Mild Hybrids: Chevy Malibu Hybrid & Saturn Aura Hybrid

Within the industry, they’re referred to as “mild” hybrids. They’re cars like the Saturn Aura and Chevy Malibu that have conventional engines with oversized starter-motors, which allow the engine to be shut down whenever the car is braking, coasting, or stopped (such as at a red light) without requiring a full re-start. Gauges, systems (like air conditioning) and electronic accessories (mp3 players, GPS systems) run on existing electrical power, and the motor spins the engine back to operating RPMs before any fuel is injected.

While mild hybrids don’t have electric motors, they do still offer some hybrid features. For example, they use less battery power, over all, and some mild hybrids even use regenerative braking to recharge that battery, just like the Toyota Prius hybrid, and their other true-hybrid cousins.

Because these cars do not have actual hybrid drivetrains, and because their fuel economy is generally within 10% of that for similar models with standard, non-hybrid drivetrains, mild hybrids are often the subject of negative feedback. “Why spend more,” people wonder, “on a hybrid that really isn’t one, when there don’t seem to be any obvious benefits?” The truth, however, is that there are still reasons other than the mpg numbers to consider one of these cars.

Those reasons include:

• Mild hybrids are good first steps. For people who are interested in hybrid technology, but not so certain they wish to commit to a whole new style of driving, these cars are a bridge, sort of like automotive training wheels. They are excellent first-hybrid options for those who want a greener vehicle.
• They’re less expensive, over all. While mild hybrids such as the Saturn Aura are more expensive to purchase than the Aura with a standard internal combustion engine, they’re still significantly less expensive to purchase than a true hybrid. As well, since they have fewer non-standard parts, these cars are less expensive to repair than hybrids with battery packs and electric motors. As well, with this summer’s dramatic gas prices sending people shopping for full hybrids in droves, and often being wait-listed, mild hybrids come in many more models, and have a greater availability.
• Hybrid incentives still apply. Like full-hybrid vehicles, mild hybrids qualify their owners for a tax credit from the government (though it’s important to remember that each automaker only has a limited number of hybrids that can be sold before the credit goes away).

The dictionary definition of “mild” is “gentle or moderate in force or effect,” and “moderate in intensity, degree, or character.” While it’s true that so-called mild hybrids meet this definition in the negative aspect – they don’t offer as much fuel efficiency as a fully-hybrid vehicle – these cars meet the definition in the positive aspect as well: they do offer an improvement in fuel economy of about 10 percent, and they are less expensive to own and operate than a true hybrid car. From that point of view, perhaps mild hybrids are worth considering, after all.

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