Here’s some good news if you’ll be shopping for a Chevy Malibu, Chevy Equinox, GMC Terrain, Buick Verano or Buick Regal next year: GM is pulling the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine used in these products, and replacing it with an updated 2.5 liter version.

As you’d expect, the new engine delivers more horsepower, which will go a long way to improving drivability in GM’s midsize sedans and crossovers. In the 2013 Chevy Malibu, Car and Driver reports that the new engine will make 190 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque.

That’s a noticeable improvement over the current port-injected, 2.4-liter engine in the 2012 Malibu, which puts out 169 horsepower and 160 pound feet of torque.  Even in direct-injected versions (as used in the 2012 Buick Regal), the current engine makes only 182 horsepower.

You can expect similar horsepower in other GM applications, but the automaker isn’t releasing fuel economy data yet. Expect the 2.5-liter four to be at least as fuel efficient (but probably more so) as the engine it replaces.

GM plans to roll out its new four-banger across product lines in the next 12 months. It’s not yet know if it will adopt the 2.5-liter engine for use in its EcoAssist hybrids, which currently used a version of the 2.4-liter four.