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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Safety Review

July 19, 2009

SAFETY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Frontal and side impact: five stars; rollover rating: four stars (upper 10 percent)
NHTSA

Rates "good" in all areas
IIHS

there isn't a competitor that offers a better allotment of standard safety features
Edmunds

Reviewers commend the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu for safety. It hits all the right notes with features and crash-test scores.

The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu wins the top five-star rating in all of the federal government's crash tests, along with top "good" ratings from the IIHS in frontal offset and side tests. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the chance of a rollover accident is 10 percent; the overall range for all passenger cars is between 7 and 18 percent.

Car and Driver states that the 09 Malibu is "loaded-up on safety features." Edmunds confirms this, saying "there isn't a competitor that offers a better allotment of standard safety features." Front side thorax airbags and side curtain bags that cover front and rear occupants are standard, as are anti-lock brakes. Electronic stability control is also standard across the line for 2009. Other standard features include front and rear head curtain side-impact bags, front-seat-mounted thorax bags, and dual-stage front bags. The reviewer at MotherProof watches a crash test of a Chevrolet 2009 Malibu at 35 mph and confirms that all six airbags deploy as needed. During the test, "the safety cage compartment was not intruded upon."

Conclusion

The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu is fully loaded with safety features, and tests are all positive.

SAFETY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:Frontal and side impact: five stars; rollover rating: four stars (upper 10 percent)NHTSARates "good" in all areasIIHSthere isn't a competitor that offers a better allotment of standard safety featuresEdmunds Reviewers commend the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu for safety. It hits all the right notes with features and crash-test scores. The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu wins the top five-star rating in all of the federal government's crash tests, along with top "good" ratings from the IIHS in frontal offset and side tests. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the chance of a rollover accident is 10 percent; the overall range for all passenger cars is between 7 and 18 percent. Car and Driver states that the 09 Malibu is "loaded-up on safety features." Edmunds confirms this, saying "there isn't a competitor that offers a better allotment of standard safety features." Front side thorax airbags and side curtain bags that cover front and rear occupants are standard, as are anti-lock brakes. Electronic stability control is also standard across the line for 2009. Other standard features include front and rear head curtain side-impact bags, front-seat-mounted thorax bags, and dual-stage front bags. The reviewer at MotherProof watches a crash test of a Chevrolet 2009 Malibu at 35 mph and confirms that all six airbags deploy as needed. During the test, "the safety cage compartment was not intruded upon." ConclusionThe 2009 Chevrolet Malibu is fully loaded with safety features, and tests are all positive. 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU STYLING | [9 out of 10] Cars.com: "interior styling is much better than anything other than the Saturn Aura in General Motors' family sedan lineup" Car and Driver: "sleek styling, attractive interiors" Popular Mechanics: "more expressive styling" The 2009 ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Fusion and the Altima are more fun to drive than the Malibu, but neither of them is as roomy and comfortable inside. Backseat room is another big differentiator; the Malibu and Camry both have very spacious rear seats, as does the Accord, but the Altima's is especially tight. And the Malibu's interior puts Toyota to shame; its attractive interior is well styled and has better-looking and better-feeling materials than much of the class. The Fusion has by far the boldest, most aggressive styling, while the Accord arguably looks the most elegant. The Sonata is more comfort-oriented, but its interior isn't quite up to the standards of the Malibu or Accord, and it's not as quiet inside.

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See the Chevrolet Malibu in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

Comments (6 total)

  1. By  Automobile Mechanics #1, Posted: 7/22/2009

    nice post having good information.
    Thanks.

  2. By Jaxon #2, Posted: 8/4/2009

    Is the all-new Chevrolet Malibu ready to win the head-to-head competition with perennial favorites like Honda Accord and Toyota Camry? It's a tall order, but the just-introduced Malibu is poised to steal back the popularity it once enjoyed. Watch video: http://tinyurl.com/mta8x8

  3. By M Taylor #3, Posted: 9/15/2009

    We just purchased a new malibu ltz v-6 with 6 speed transmission. A major problem I have with this vehicle is that when you decelerate at any speed, the vehicle jerks and jumps simular to a miss-firing spark plug. Two dealers have told me this is normal for this transmission.

  4. By Janko H #4, Posted: 10/21/2009

    I have not driven new Malibu yet. Just one observation: Car of that size/weight built with McPherson Strut in the front CANNOT handle as good as Honda's or Toyota's fine tuned double-wishbone suspension. Sorry, chevy is once again trying to pull a quick one consumers that don't do their homework prior to purchase.

  5. By Ben #5, Posted: 10/24/2009

    We just purchased a new malibu. A major problem I have with this vehicle is that when you accelerate from a stop, the vehicle jerks and jumps ahead similar to a car which run out of gas. Two dealers have told me this is normal for this transmission. At $30,000 Canadian I am not a happy camper. No wonder their reputation slumped along with sales. I will not make this mistake again.

  6. By Lola #6, Posted: 10/26/2009

    I was in a wreck, my 08 Malibu was totalled, but my 18month old was scratch/hurt free. She was perfectly untouched. Safety is a concern of mine and Malibu performed well. I purchased another 09 Malibu. Consumers and critics should give this car much credit. If people gripe about the economy and go buy a honda, what does that fix? Support your own country and help someone keep their job. GREAT CAR inside and out and great value

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