2019 Chevrolet Malibu
Hybrid Gas Midsize car
The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas midsize car with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Malibu Hybrid, is EPA-rated at 46 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 191 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | 1.8L 4-cyl + 300V Li-Ion | 49 | 43 | 46 | $1,350 |
| Malibu | Gas | FWD | 1.5L 4-cyl turbo | 29 | 36 | 32 | $1,950 |
| Malibu | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 32 | 26 | $3,000 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (1)
Seat Belts
highProblem: 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.
Risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds (closed)
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005
Owner complaints
191 complaints filed
8 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 7 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2018: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 18 · 2021: 16 · 2022: 38 · 2023: 42 · 2024: 19 · 2025: 41 · 2026: 10
Most-cited components
- Power Train — 67
- Engine — 63
- Electrical System — 63
- Unknown Or Other — 36
- Service Brakes — 20
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | 10% |
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | 10% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other Malibu model years
2025 Malibu
1 recalls · 11 complaints
B2024 Malibu
2 recalls · 39 complaints
B2023 Malibu
2 recalls · 68 complaints
A2022 Malibu
1 recalls · 96 complaints
B2021 Malibu
2 recalls · 88 complaints
A2020 Malibu
1 recalls · 196 complaints
F2018 Malibu
6 recalls · 706 complaints
D2017 Malibu
4 recalls · 723 complaints
F2016 Malibu
10 recalls · 861 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 40842, 40776, 40563). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.