- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 1
- on record
- MPG
- 31
- combined
Open recalls on record
1 safety recall. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2025 Chevrolet Malibu
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 1
- Owner complaints
- 11
- Complaints citing a crash
- 1
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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
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.
Safety recalls
1 NHTSA campaign affecting this model year.
- 26V212000high
Rear-visibility system issue
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image.
Consequence
A rearview image that does not display correctly reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2026. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262551720. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.3%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard & Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Standard & Optional
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 7 comparable 2025 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 2025 Chevrolet Malibu, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
28
City
36
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,150
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 283 g/mi
How this compares
At 31 MPG combined, the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 2nd of 9 midsize cars EPA rated for 2025 — 0.6 MPG better than the 30.4 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little above the middle of its class. Fuel cost is close enough to its rivals that other running costs will probably matter more.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,150, $25 more than the $2,125 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $10,750, a $125 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 283 grams per mile — about 4.2 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
11 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 11
- Total
- 1
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
Most reported components
- OTHER7
- ELECTRICAL2
- BRAKES1
- ENGINE1
Normal Range
11 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu, newest first.
- Recall
A rearview image that does not display correctly reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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
28
City
36
Hwy
31
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,150
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
A rearview image that does not display correctly reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.