Chevrolet Malibu Best and Worst Years

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu drew the most (220; most-reported area: engine) and the 2021 the fewest (13).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 46 mpg combined, arrived in 2016. Includes the Malibu Hybrid and the 2016 Malibu Limited, the previous generation sold alongside the new car.

Best and worst years, by owner complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2018 Malibu Most reported: engine	220	708	6
2017 Malibu Most reported: engine	212	724	4
2016 Malibu Most reported: engine	151	861	10
2020 Malibu Most reported: engine	45	198	1
2019 Malibu Most reported: powertrain	41	192	1
2022 Malibu Most reported: electrical system	29	97	1
2023 Malibu Most reported: backover prevention and rearview camera	21	69	2
2021 Malibu Most reported: electrical system	13	89	2

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints
2025 MPG · Recalls and problems	31 mpg Gas	1	11
2024 MPG · Recalls and problems	31 mpg Gas	2	39
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	30 mpg Gas	2	69
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	32 mpg Gas	1	97
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	32 mpg Gas	2	89
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	32 mpg Gas	1	198
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	46 mpg Hybrid	1	192
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	46 mpg Hybrid	6	708
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	46 mpg Hybrid	4	724
2016 MPG · Recalls and problems	46 mpg Hybrid	10	861

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2018: 708 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Chevrolet Malibu
Model year	Complaints
2016	861
2017	724
2018	708
2019	192
2020	198
2021	89
2022	97
2023	69
2024	39
2025	11

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 30 to 32 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2025); highest in 2019. Hybrid: 46 mpg (2016 to 2019).

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2025: gas 31 mpg · hybrid not offered

Show as a table

Chevrolet Malibu best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2016	30	46
2017	30	46
2018	30	46
2019	32	46
2020	32	–
2021	32	–
2022	32	–
2023	30	–
2024	31	–
2025	31	–

Questions

Which Chevrolet Malibu years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2018 (220) and 2017 (212) drew the most.

Which Chevrolet Malibu years have the fewest problems?

The 2021 (13) drew the fewest complaints in its first three years. The 2024 and 2025 are not ranked yet: they have had fewer than three full years on the road.

Which Chevrolet Malibu years should you avoid?

Complaint counts can't tell you whether a particular car is sound, but they show where owners reported the most trouble: the 2018 and the 2017, against 43 complaints in a typical Chevrolet Malibu year. Whatever the year, check the car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Chevrolet dealers.

Which Chevrolet Malibu years have the most recalls?

The 2016 has the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (10), then the 2018 (6). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. No recall for 2016 to 2025 models tells owners not to drive the car or to park it outside.

What are the most common Chevrolet Malibu problems?

Of the 2,988 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2016 to 2025 models, the areas named most are engine (34%), electrical system (27%), and powertrain (23%). One complaint can name more than one area. The recalls and problems page for each year breaks this down further.

Which Chevrolet Malibu year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 46 mpg combined, first reached by the 2016 hybrid version.

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.