Chevrolet Monza Goes Mild-Hybrid, Onix Gains 1.3L Base Engine In China

Since its launch in March 2019, the Chevrolet Monza has become the brand’s best-selling nameplate in China, with more than 140,000 units delivered.

Chevrolet wants to keep the momentum going and is updating the Monza compact sedan with mild-hybrid technology. In addition, the bowtie brand is introducing a 1.3-liter naturally aspirated engine for the Onix subcompact sedan.

From now on, the Chevrolet Monza is available with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system attached to either a 125 PS (123 HP) 1.0-liter or a 163 PS (161 HP) 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine.

See Also: Chevrolet Will Build 2020 Onix Sedan In Mexico But Won’t Bring It Stateside

Chevrolet Monza RS

The system consists of a small electric motor, battery, power management module and hybrid control unit. At startup, the 48-volt motor operates before the gasoline engine to increase efficiency. During acceleration, the motor and engine run simultaneously, thus decreasing the engine load to save energy and reduce emissions.

By extending the engine’s fuel cut-off time during deceleration, fuel economy is further improved, with GM claiming that the average fuel consumption is as low as 4.7 liters/100 km (50 mpg US) with the 1.0-liter unit. Besides the two turbocharged three-cylinder engines with mild-hybrid assistance, the Chevrolet Monza can also be had with a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder.

In total, there are four Monza variants available with the mild-hybrid tech – two RS models and two Redline models. They all feature Chevrolet’s new MyLink+ infotainment system and 100 GB of free OnStar 4G LTE data service every year. Prices start from 108,900 yuan (approximately $15,400).

Chevrolet Onix

Chevrolet and its local joint venture partner SAIC have also updated the smaller Onix sedan with a new engine, a naturally aspirated 1.3-liter three-cylinder unit with dual injection variable valve timing. Mated to a five-speed manual transmission, it produces 79 kW (107 PS / 106 HP) and 130 Nm (96 lb-ft) of torque.

The new gasoline engine is said to average 4.8 l/100 km (49 mpg US), representing a more affordable alternative to the existing 123 HP 1.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder. The Chevrolet Onix 1.3 is priced from 79,900 yuan (approximately $11,300). The new powertrains introduced on the Monza and Onix comply with the China 6 B emission standard.