Used car safety, rank #163 of 181
Chevrolet Malibu Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Chevrolet Malibu, a midsize car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Chevrolet Malibu has an IIHS driver death rate of 91 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize cars average of 58.1, which is 57% above the class average. That places it #163 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 13.0/100.
What the Chevrolet Malibu death rate means
At 91 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Chevrolet Malibu is 57% worse than the midsize cars average of 58.1. The 95% confidence interval is 73 to 108, entirely above the class average, so the gap is unlikely to be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 66 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Chevrolet Malibu. It is no higher than the Chevrolet Malibu's own driver death rate. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used cars
The safest midsize cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Chevrolet Malibu highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Toyota Camry hybrid at a death rate of 19.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry hybrid | 2018-20 | 19 (0 to 38) | 58.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Fusion hybrid | 2019-20 | 25 (0 to 56) | 50.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Accord hybrid | 2018-20 | 45 (1 to 90) | 30.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Accord | 2018-20 | 46 (34 to 57) | 29.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 2019-20 | 47 (24 to 69) | 29.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Camry | 2018-20 | 48 (38 to 59) | 28.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Ford Fusion | 2019-20 | 67 (30 to 104) | 16.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Kia Optima | 2019-20 | 80 (45 to 115) | 14.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Malibu (this page) | 2017-20 | 91 (73 to 108) | 13.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize cars: 58.1 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Chevrolet Malibu
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
1 recall campaign on the 2020 model year, covering seat belts.
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Seat belts: critical fasteners
Risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Chevrolet Malibu: Common Questions
Is the Chevrolet Malibu a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 91 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Chevrolet Malibu, 57% above the class average (58.1 for midsize cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 13.0 out of 100 and rank #163 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Chevrolet Malibu driver death rate?
91 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 73 to 108. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Chevrolet Malibu died at a rate of 66 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Chevrolet Malibu compare with other midsize cars?
The midsize cars class averages 58.1 driver deaths per million; the Chevrolet Malibu sits at 91. Among the 9 midsize cars compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the Toyota Camry hybrid with a death rate of 19.