The 2021 Chevrolet Malibu has an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5, indicating above-average safety features. It excels in front crash tests with a rating of 5 for both the driver and passenger sides. The side crash ratings are also respectable, with a score of 4 for the driver's side and 3 for the passenger side. Additionally, the Malibu performs well in rollover and pole crash scenarios.
In terms of safety technology, this model comes equipped with standard electronic stability control, and it offers optional forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems for added protection. These features can help the driver avoid potential accidents and stay safe on the road.
On the downside, there have been 14 complaints filed for this vehicle, indicating that some drivers have experienced issues. Moreover, there have been 2 recalls for the 2021 Malibu, which suggest potential safety concerns that needed to be addressed by the manufacturer.
Overall, while the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu offers solid safety performance and some advanced safety features, potential buyers should be aware of the reported complaints and recalls associated with this model.
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Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD
ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.
Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.
Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.
| Test | 2005 Score | 2021 Score | 2024 Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Front Crash Rating | Not Rated | 5 | 5 |
| Front Crash Driver Side Rating | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Front Crash Passenger Side Rating | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.
| Test | 2005 Score | 2021 Score | 2024 Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Side Crash Rating | Not Rated | 4 | 5 |
| Side Crash Drivers Side Rating | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Side Crash Passenger Side Rating | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front | Not Rated | 5 | 5 |
| Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear | Not Rated | 3 | 5 |
| Overall Side Barrier Rating | Not Rated | 4 | 5 |
The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.
| Test | 2005 Score | 2021 Score | 2024 Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rollover Rating | Not Rated | 4 | 4 |
| Rollover Possibility % | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Dynamic Tip Result | No Tip | No Tip | |
| Side Pole Crash Rating | Not Rated | 5 | 5 |
This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.
Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.
Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.
Recall:
"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.Remedy:
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.
Component(s) Involved: SEAT BELTS > CRITICAL FASTENERS
Date of incident: 2021-08-20
This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.
CHEVROLET ranks 2 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.
| Manufacturer | Complaint Count | Recall Count | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORD | 208,358 | 3,259 | 1 |
| CHEVROLET | 111,306 | 2,082 | 2 |
| TOYOTA | 81,019 | 1,852 | 3 |
| HONDA | 61,937 | 1,268 | 4 |
| NISSAN | 56,226 | 930 | 5 |
| DODGE | 45,756 | 827 | 6 |
| HYUNDAI | 44,150 | 649 | 7 |
| GMC | 34,441 | 1,410 | 8 |
| KIA | 29,832 | 501 | 9 |
| CHRYSLER | 27,698 | 254 | 10 |
| TESLA | 26,230 | 730 | 11 |
| BMW | 24,890 | 1,877 | 12 |
| VOLKSWAGEN | 23,125 | 829 | 13 |
| MERCEDES-BENZ | 19,066 | 2,925 | 14 |
| SUBARU | 18,513 | 703 | 15 |
| MAZDA | 10,599 | 364 | 16 |
| PONTIAC | 10,430 | 138 | 17 |
| CADILLAC | 9,434 | 444 | 18 |
| AUDI | 7,865 | 1,093 | 19 |
| BUICK | 7,851 | 279 | 20 |
| SATURN | 7,672 | 84 | 21 |
| MERCURY | 7,374 | 135 | 22 |
| LEXUS | 6,373 | 408 | 23 |
| LINCOLN | 5,897 | 423 | 24 |
| ACURA | 5,722 | 382 | 25 |
| MINI | 5,585 | 366 | 26 |
| INFINITI | 4,000 | 187 | 27 |
| MITSUBISHI | 3,912 | 397 | 28 |
| VOLVO | 3,875 | 727 | 29 |
| PORSCHE | 2,646 | 1,231 | 30 |
| SUZUKI | 2,272 | 123 | 31 |
| FIAT | 2,205 | 80 | 32 |
| SAAB | 1,536 | 76 | 33 |
| JAGUAR | 1,195 | 198 | 34 |
| SMART | 528 | 17 | 35 |
| GENESIS | 436 | 42 | 36 |
| ISUZU | 249 | 37 | 37 |
| ALFA ROMEO | 161 | 37 | 38 |
| MASERATI | 76 | 46 | 39 |
| BENTLEY | 46 | 159 | 40 |
| POLESTAR | 42 | 2 | 41 |
| LUCID | 14 | 6 | 42 |
| CODA | 4 | 2 | 43 |
| MAYBACH | 0 | 0 | 44 |