Refresh planned after 2013 model panned

General Motors is rushing through an early mid-cycle refresh of its 2013 Chevrolet Malibu just months after the new car hit dealership lots, the automaker said.

Poor sales pickup and unflattering expert reviews have driven the company to revise the recently redesigned sedan, GM CEO Dan Akerson confirmed. The refreshed version should be available late 2013.

"We are going to do a mid-cycle enhancement, not dramatic, by this time next year," Akerson told Automotive News, adding only that the changes would include a revised front fascia.

Mid-cycle refreshes typically come about three years after a model's introduction--the new Malibu's will break just 18 months after the car's debut.

Honda similarly moved its Civic model's mid-cycle refresh ahead of schedule after the best-selling car was widely panned by reviewers, particularly for its shoddy interior.

(Automotive News)