Reliable Auto DB

2020 Chevrolet Malibu reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu over 7 years — 15 per year. The other Malibu years sit at about the same rate: their median is 15 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Critical fasteners.

2012 Chevrolet Malibu
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

198

Per year

15

Recalls

1

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (59 of 198), then Powertrain (58) and Electrical system (57). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 5 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Malibu has 190 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2021 has 89 complaints, 4 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall seat belts, critical fasteners 2021-08-20 · NHTSA campaign 21V649000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (198 total)

Engine
59
Powertrain
58
Electrical system
57
Service brakes
42
Speed control
18
Steering
16
Fuel and propulsion system
14
Hydraulic brakes
6
Air bags
4
Fuel system, gasoline
4
Engine and engine cooling
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
Forward collision avoidance
2
Structure
2
Suspension
2
Air brakes
1
Exterior lighting
1
Traction control
1
Show 10 more Show less
Crash-flagged

10

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

5

Death reports

1

Complaints filed per year

52020172021232022362023402024462025312026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond and seized, causing the contact to engage the parking brake. The contact was…"
    Hydraulic brakes · filed 2026-09-08
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the message "Steering Assist Reduced - Drive with Care" was intermittently displayed on the instrument panel while driving. The contact stated that…"
    Steering · filed 2026-09-08
  • "The vehicle's transmission shifter mechanism has failed for a second time, preventing the vehicle's computer from communicating with the gear shifter. When shifting the physical gear lever forward into the "Park"…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system · filed 2026-09-08
  • "I have a failed vacuum pump which caused my braking ability to be 100% reliant on my own strength to be able to “safely” stop the car. This is an ongoing and common problem with GM yet they have not recalled or given…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-08-23
  • "My 2020 Chevrolet Malibu experienced a sudden and severe electrical failure after driving through normal roadway water. Immediately afterward, the vehicle displayed multiple safety‑critical warnings including loss of…"
    Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes · filed 2026-08-05

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Malibu 1.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 29 36 32 MPG $2050
Malibu 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 22 32 26 MPG $3050

Specs and fitment

9th generation, 2016–2025
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-20 (1.5L turbo and 2.0L turbo); 5W-30 (hybrid where equipped) , 5.3 qt capacity
Tire size 205/65R16 to 245/45R18 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-668 covers certain 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles among other GM models: the start/stop transmission accumulator end cap may have missing bolts, which can lead to a transmission fluid leak and possible loss of propulsion. Dealers inspect the accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing. The published unit count for this campaign is shared across multiple GM nameplates, not Malibu alone.

Compare

Previous year 2019 Chevrolet Malibu Next year 2021 Chevrolet Malibu See every Chevrolet Malibu model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?

Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu over 7 years — 15 per year. The other Malibu years sit at about the same rate: their median is 15 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Critical fasteners.

What are common problems with a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (59 of 198), then Powertrain (58) and Electrical system (57). Those filings include 10 that report a crash, 5 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.

Is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Malibu has 190 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2021 has 89 complaints, 4 per year. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has more complaints per year than the 2021.

Has the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu been recalled?

The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?

Owners have filed 198 complaints about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu is 29 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

When did the current Chevrolet Malibu body style debut?

The 9th-generation Malibu launched for the 2016 model year (2016-2025).

What engine oil does a Chevrolet Malibu use?

5W-30 (most engines); 5W-20 (2.4L where specified)

What does NHTSA recall 15V-164 cover on the Chevrolet Malibu?

Recall 15V-164 covers certain 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles: the slide or tilt switch for the roof panel may not be recessed enough, so the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly and increase pinch-injury risk; dealers update Body Control Module software to remove…