- Safety
- 4
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 32
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Chevrolet Malibu
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 78
- Complaints citing a crash
- 0
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 21V649000high
Safety restraint issue
SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.
Consequence
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
- 22V359000high
Safety restraint issue
SEATS
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, Blazer and Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may have an improper weld in the power tilt-adjustment mechanism.
Consequence
An improperly welded seat frame may not adequately restrain the driver in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the cushion frame, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212356050.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 3 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.3%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu 4 out of 5 stars overall, below the 5-star median for the 16 comparable 2021 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 10.3% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
29
City
36
Hwy
32
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $1,900
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 273 g/mi
How this compares
At 32 MPG combined, the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 3rd of 18 midsize cars EPA rated for 2021 — 3.5 MPG better than the 28.5 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $1,900, $175 less than the $2,075 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $9,500, a $875 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 273 grams per mile — about 4.1 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
78 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 78
- Total
- 0
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE35
- ELECTRICAL13
- OTHER13
- AIR BAGS5
- FUEL SYSTEM4
Notable Issues
78 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves injuries.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, newest first.
- Recall
An improperly welded seat frame may not adequately restrain the driver in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
- Recall
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sedan
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
29
City
36
Hwy
32
Comb
- Annual cost
- $1,900
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An improperly welded seat frame may not adequately restrain the driver in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
- Recall
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.