[Courtesy of GM Korea]
General Motors' new mid-sized sedan Malibu is enjoying a good response from consumers, garnering some 2,000 orders in advance on Thursday, only a day after its new version was unveiled in South Korea.
The new model under its Chevrolet brand has been a steady seller in the global market. It comes with a 1.5-liter or 2.0-liter gasoline engine. The 1.5-liter model offers a fuel economy of 13 kilometers per liter with a maximum 166 horsepower. In South Korea, the price ranges from 23.1 million won ($20,100) to 31.8 million won.
The new model will officially go on sale in May for South Korean consumers, but GM Korea has expressed confidence over its sale in competition with local rivals -- Hyundai' Sonata, Renault Samsung' SM6 and Kia Motors' K5.
“Malibu's outstanding quality and competitive price will completely change the dynamics of the local midsize sedan market," GM Korea head James Kim said in a ceremony on Wednesday, adding the company would launch its new hybrid Malibu this summer.
GM Korea recorded the worst-ever earnings last year due to rising labor cost and weak demand at home and abroad.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
