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2018 Chevrolet Malibu
Car · 2015–2025
Trims and features
Engines: 1.5L 4-cyl turbo; 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid; 2.0L 4-cyl turbo · Drive: FWD
2018 Malibu trims
| L (1VL) | LS (1LS) | LT (1LT) | Hybrid | Premier (2LZ) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base price (MSRP) | $21,680 | $23,320 | $25,220 | $27,920 | $31,020 |
| Seats | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Rows of seats | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Wheels | 16 in | 16 in | 17 in | 17 in | 18 in |
| Adaptive cruise control | — | — | — | — | Optional |
| Automatic emergency braking | — | — | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Pedestrian emergency braking | — | — | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Forward collision warning | — | — | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Blind-spot warning | — | — | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Lane departure warning | — | — | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Lane keeping assist | — | — | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Backup camera | — | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Parking assist | — | — | — | — | Optional |
| Automatic high beams | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Adaptive driving beam headlights | — | — | Optional | Optional | Optional |
| Push-button start | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard | Standard |
From NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Chevrolet reports it: base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment by trim. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Chevrolet aren't in our data yet. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Collision warning | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 31 mpg | 5 of 5 | 1 | 11 | Some versions | — |
| 2024 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 31 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 42 | Some versions | Yes |
| 2023 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 30 mpg | 5 of 5 | 2 | 70 | Some versions | Yes |
| 2022 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 26–32 mpg | 4 of 5 | 1 | 98 | Optional | Yes |
| 2021 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 26–32 mpg | 4 of 5 | 2 | 89 | Optional | Yes |
| 2020 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 26–32 mpg | 4 of 5 | 1 | 198 | Optional | Yes |
| 2019 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 26–46 mpg | 4 of 5 | 1 | 193 | Optional | Yes |
| 2018 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 26–46 mpg | 5 of 5 | 6 | 709 | Optional | Yes |
| 2017 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | FWD | 26–46 mpg | 5 of 5 | 8 | 1402 | Optional | Yes |
| 2016 | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.5L 4-cyl | FWD | 26–46 mpg | 5 of 5 | 20 | 1664 | Optional | Yes |
| 2015 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.5L 4-cyl | FWD | 24–29 mpg | 5 of 5 | 3 | 270 | Optional | No |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA and aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so compare years of the same model: a tall bar marks a year owners had more trouble with. Collision warning: forward collision warning as NHTSA lists it ("Some versions": standard on some). Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Apple lists CarPlay for: Malibu 2016–2024 (Apple).
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 5 | Standard & Optional | Standard & Optional | 1 | 11 |
| 2024 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 5 | Standard & Optional | Standard & Optional | 2 | 42 |
| 2023 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 5 | Standard & Optional | Standard & Optional | 2 | 70 |
| 2022 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 4 | Optional | Optional | 1 | 98 |
| 2021 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 4 | Optional | Optional | 2 | 89 |
| 2020 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 4 | Optional | Optional | 1 | 198 |
| 2019 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 4 | Optional | Optional | 1 | 191 |
| 2019 | Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid 4 DR FWD | 4 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 2 |
| 2018 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 6 | 698 |
| 2018 | Chevrolet Malibu HEV 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 0 | 11 |
| 2017 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 4 | 724 |
| 2017 | Chevrolet Malibu Eco e-Assist 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 4 | 678 |
| 2016 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | No | 10 | 861 |
| 2016 | Chevrolet Malibu Eco e-Assist 4 DR FWD | 5 | No | No | 10 | 803 |
| 2016 | Chevrolet Malibu Limited 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 10 | 803 |
| 2015 | Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 5 | Optional | Optional | 3 | 270 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Malibu | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo | 31 |
| 2024 | Malibu | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo | 31 |
| 2023 | Malibu | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo | 30 |
| 2022 | Malibu | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
26–32 |
| 2021 | Malibu | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
26–32 |
| 2020 | Malibu | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
26–32 |
| 2019 | Malibu | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
26–32 |
| 2019 | Malibu Hybrid | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 46 |
| 2018 | Malibu | Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
26–30 |
| 2018 | Malibu Hybrid | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 46 |
| 2017 | Malibu | Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
26–30 |
| 2017 | Malibu Hybrid | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 46 |
| 2016 | Malibu | Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Turbo Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
26–30 |
| 2016 | Malibu Hybrid | Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L | 46 |
| 2016 | Malibu Limited | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L | 27 |
| 2015 | Malibu | Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
24–29 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.