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2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Verified July 23, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
4
of 5 stars
Recalls
1
on record
MPG
32
combined

Fatalities reported

Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.

Vehicle Summary

2020 Chevrolet Malibu

1 recall
191 complaints
32 MPG combined
4/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Check all recalls are completed
Review consumer complaints
Verify no crash-related complaints
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Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
1
Owner complaints
191
Complaints citing a crash
10

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalised 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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

1 Recall on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

1 NHTSA campaign 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.

Consumer complaints

191 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

191
Total
10
Crashes
0
Fires
7
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE92
  • BRAKES46
  • ELECTRICAL23
  • OTHER19
  • AIR BAGS4

Serious Concerns

191 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 7 reports involve injuries. 10 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)92
brake problems (soft pedal, noise, failure)46
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)23

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

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation EA25005

    DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  2. Recall

    Recall 21V649000

    An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.