Compare the2025 Honda AccordVS 2025 Chevrolet Malibu

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda Accord have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Honda Accord are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda Accord is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Chevrolet Malibu, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Accord	Malibu
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	-8 MPH
25 MPH	-23 MPH	-5 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-11 MPH
12 MPH Low beams	-3 MPH	No Slowing
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-4 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-4 MPH
25 MPH Low beams	-19 MPH	-1 MPH
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	-4 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.5 sec	1.3 sec
37 MPH Low beams	No Slowing	No Slowing

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Accord Touring has a standard Low Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Malibu doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Accord EX-L/Touring has standard Parking Sensors to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Malibu doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The Accord’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Malibu doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Accord and the Malibu have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Chevrolet Malibu:

	Accord	Malibu
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	245/270 lbs.	252/306 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	203	272
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	32.5%	36%

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Accord is safer than the Chevrolet Malibu:

	Accord	Malibu
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	67	160
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.3 inches
Abdominal Force	92 lbs.	232 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	204	365
Spine Acceleration	50 G’s	62 G’s
Hip Force	722 lbs.	1117 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches
HIC	147	279

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Accord is much safer than the Malibu:

	Accord	Malibu
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Structure	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	POOR
Head Injury Criterion	216	1178
Head Peak Forces	no contact	142 G’s
Neck Tension	178 lbs.	402 lbs.
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	89 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	1.14 in	2.17 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	402 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.77 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	1026 lbs.	1049 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	150	335
Head Peak Forces	no contact	74 G’s
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	469 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.3 in	1.93 in
Shoulder Force	290 lbs.	892 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.46 in	1.81 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	669 lbs.	870 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

The Honda Accord has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Malibu is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The Accord’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Malibu’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Honda Accord’s reliability 27 points higher than the Malibu.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Engine

The Accord’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 more horsepower (192 vs. 163) and 8 lbs.-ft. more torque (192 vs. 184) than the Malibu’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The Accord Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 41 more horsepower (204 vs. 163) and 63 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 184) than the Malibu’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Honda Accord is faster than the Chevrolet Malibu:

	Accord turbo 4 cyl.	Accord Hybrid	Malibu
Zero to 60 MPH	7.3 sec	6.4 sec	8 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	18.2 sec	19 sec	24.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.2 sec	7.5 sec	8.9 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	4 sec	3.6 sec	4.9 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	5.1 sec	5.1 sec	5.9 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	15.1 sec	16.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	92 MPH	85 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the Malibu:

		MPG
Accord
	EX-L 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	51 city/44 hwy
	Sport/Touring 2.0 4-cyl. Hybrid	46 city/41 hwy
	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/37 hwy
Malibu
	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	28 city/36 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Accord Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Malibu doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Accord has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Malibu. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Accord Hybrid’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Malibu:

	Accord Hybrid	Malibu
Front Rotors	12.3 inches	11.8 inches

The Accord stops shorter than the Malibu:

	Accord	Malibu
70 to 0 MPH	165 feet	171 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	137 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Accord has larger standard tires than the Malibu (225/50R17 vs. 205/65R16).

The Accord LX/SE/EX-L’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Malibu LS’ standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Accord LX/SE/EX-L has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Malibu LS.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Accord is .2 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Malibu.

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .90 G’s, while the Malibu LT pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Accord uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Malibu doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Accord Touring Hybrid is quieter than the Malibu LT:

	Accord	Malibu
At idle	29 dB	42 dB
Full-Throttle	71 dB	71 dB

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Accord a Large car, while the Malibu is rated a Mid-size.

The Accord has 2.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Malibu (105.7 vs. 102.9).

The Accord has .4 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more front hip room, 2.7 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear hip room than the Malibu.

Cargo Capacity

The Accord has a larger trunk than the Malibu (16.7 vs. 15.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Accord easier. The Accord’s trunk lift-over height is 27 inches, while the Malibu’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Accord offers cargo security. The Malibu’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Accord SE/Sport/EX-L/Touring. The Malibu doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Chevrolet. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 6% lower rating, Chevrolet is ranked 13th.

Ergonomics

The Accord Touring has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Malibu doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Accord’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Malibu’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. The Malibu LT’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The Accord’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Malibu’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Accord Touring’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Accord’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Malibu’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Both the Accord and the Malibu offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Accord has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Malibu doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Accord, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chevrolet Malibu isn't recommended.

The Accord was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 25 more times in the last 26 years. The Malibu has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Accord outsold the Chevrolet Malibu by 29% during 2024.

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