How safe is the Chevrolet Malibu?
Drivers of the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu died at a rate of 116 per million registered vehicle years, 76% higher than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver: it ranks 111th of 129 vehicles, safer than 14% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Chevrolet Malibu sits among all 129 vehicles
Chevrolet Malibu (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on limited data, so its exact rank could move several places with more data.
Vehicles ranked near the Chevrolet Malibu
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | Ram 1500 Classic crew cab short bed 4WDPickup · Large | 61 | 16 |
| 109 | Honda CivicCar · Small | 58 | 16 |
| 110 | Hyundai KonaSUV · Small | 62 | 15 |
| 111 | Chevrolet MalibuCar · Midsize | 116 | 14 |
| 112 | Chevrolet CorvetteSports car · Midsize | 82 | 13 |
| 113 | Toyota CorollaCar · Small | 71 | 12 |
| 114 | Chevrolet CamaroSports car · Large | 88 | 12 |
How it compares with other cars
Among the 23 cars ranked, the Chevrolet Malibu is 8th. The safest cars are below. See all cars.
| Cars rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda Civic hatchbackCar · Small | 28 | 36 |
| 2 | Subaru LegacyCar · Midsize | 37 | 27 |
| 3 | Toyota Corolla hybrid 2WDCar · Small | 51 | 21 |
| 4 | Subaru WRXCar · Small | 51 | 20 |
| 5 | Toyota Camry hybridCar · Midsize | 51 | 20 |
| 8 | Chevrolet MalibuCar · Midsize | 116 | 14 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2017–2020 models, the Chevrolet Malibu had a driver death rate of 91 (range 73–108) and ranked 120th of 127. The newer rate is higher.
Common questions
Is the Chevrolet Malibu a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Chevrolet Malibu is one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver. Its driver death rate of 116 per million registered vehicle years is 76% higher than the average, and it ranks 111th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Chevrolet Malibu compare with other cars?
It ranks 8th of 23 cars. The safest is the Honda Civic hatchback, with a rate of 28.
Why is this different from the Chevrolet Malibu's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.