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2020 Chevrolet Malibu

Gas
Midsize Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
A
Safety Signal
92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns1
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA196
Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA32 mpg
2025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize car with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Malibu, is EPA-rated at 32 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 196 complaints, most often about the engine. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
MalibuGasFWD1.5L 4-cyl turbo293632$1,950
MalibuGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo223226$3,000

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 41492, 41425.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2020 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)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Seat Belts

N212333380
402 vehicles
ProblemGeneral 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.RiskAn improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.FixDealers 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 campaign 21V649000reported Aug 20, 2021General Motors, LLC

NHTSA defect investigations

Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module — DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture open

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has become aware of eight vehicle crashes in which a rupture of a Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN) air bag inflator occurred during the deployment of the driver side air bag. All eight drivers in these crashes sustained serious or fatal injuries that appear linked to the ruptures. Six of those drivers sustained fatal injuries and two sustained severe injuries. In all eight incidents, the subject inflators had been installed as replacement equipment after the vehicle was involved in a previous crash. Information gathered during NHTSA’s initial analysis of these incidents indicates that the inflators were potentially

Opened Oct 21, 2025 · action EA25005

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
196complaints filed

10 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 7 injuries · 1 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2020: 5 · 2021: 17 · 2022: 23 · 2023: 36 · 2024: 40 · 2025: 46 · 2026: 29

Most-cited components

Engine59
Power Train58
Electrical System57
Unspecified44
Service Brakes42
Vehicle Speed Control18

What owners describe

“Vehicle lost power after trying to go around a truck on the highway. Car will decline in power and traction light and engine light blinks for a period of 60 minutes some times longer. While in traffic you can not press the gas to go, leaving your car to decline in speed on the highway. Please recall the 2020 Malibu bef…”Apr 1, 2022 · Engine · NHTSA owner report
“I need my pistons and rings replaced. My car only has 57,000 miles. My car has been diagnosed with excessive piston blowby from 2 different independent service centers. Both times I have been to Chevy to get it fixed under warranty, they’ve charged me $200 for diagnostics each time and told me it is my PCV valve that…”Mar 16, 2022 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report
“Engine loses power while driving. This happened the first time on 8/24/2. I was on the NJ Parkway in highspeed traffic . The vehicle would not drive over 25 miles an hour putting all occupants in the car at risk. The dealership repaired the vehicle The same loss of engine power re-occurred on 3/12/22 while driving at o…”Mar 13, 2022 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

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

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★☆10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other Malibu model years

A

2025 Chevrolet Malibu

1 recalls · 11 complaints

B

2024 Chevrolet Malibu

2 recalls · 39 complaints

B

2023 Chevrolet Malibu

2 recalls · 68 complaints

A

2022 Chevrolet Malibu

1 recalls · 96 complaints

B

2021 Chevrolet Malibu

2 recalls · 88 complaints

A

2019 Chevrolet Malibu

1 recalls · 191 complaints

F

2018 Chevrolet Malibu

6 recalls · 706 complaints

D

2017 Chevrolet Malibu

4 recalls · 723 complaints

F

2016 Chevrolet 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. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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