Compare the2022 Kia K5VS 2022 Chevrolet Malibu

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia K5 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.

Both the K5 and Malibu have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The K5 EX Premium/GT-1 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Malibu’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The K5 EX Premium/GT-1 has standard Parking Collision Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Malibu doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The K5 1.6T offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Malibu doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The K5’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Malibu.

The K5 EX Premium/GT-1 has a standard Surround View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Malibu only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The K5’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 K5 and the Malibu have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, 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 Kia K5 is safer than the Chevrolet Malibu:

	K5	Malibu
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Stress	180 lbs.	216 lbs.
Neck Compression	21 lbs.	29 lbs.

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, results indicate that the Kia K5 is safer than the Chevrolet Malibu:

	K5	Malibu
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	110	160
Chest Movement	1 inches	1.3 inches
Abdominal Force	190 G’s	232 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	202	365
Hip Force	687 lbs.	1117 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the K5 its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 74 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Malibu last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The K5 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Malibu’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the K5 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Chevrolet covers the Malibu. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Malibu ends after only 5 years or 60,000 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 K5’s reliability 33 points higher than the Malibu.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia 6th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia third in reliability, above the industry average. With 18 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 12th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Kia 2 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The K5 1.6T’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 20 more horsepower (180 vs. 160) and 11 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 184) than the Malibu’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The K5 GT 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 40 more horsepower (290 vs. 250) and 51 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 260) than the Malibu Premier’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the K5 1.6T 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Chevrolet Malibu 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

	K5	Malibu
Zero to 60 MPH	7.4 sec	8.5 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.8 MPH	84.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the K5 gets better mileage than the Malibu:

			MPG
K5
	FWD	LX 1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/38 hwy
		1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/37 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	1.6 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
Malibu
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	29 city/36 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/33 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia K5 uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Malibu Premier requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

The K5 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Malibu doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the K5’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Malibu:

	K5	K5 GT	Malibu
Front Rotors	12 inches	13.6 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.2 inches	12.8 inches	11.3 inches

The K5 stops much shorter than the Malibu:

	K5	Malibu
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	140 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The K5 has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Malibu’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The K5 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Malibu doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the K5 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Malibu.

The K5 GT-Line AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the Malibu LT pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The K5 GT executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Malibu LT (26.3 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the K5’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Malibu’s (36 feet vs. 37 feet).

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the K5 a Large car, while the Malibu is rated a Mid-size.

The K5 has 2.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Malibu (105.3 vs. 102.9).

The K5 has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 4.6 inches more front legroom, 2.5 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom and 3.2 inches more rear hip room than the Malibu.

Cargo Capacity

The K5 has a larger trunk than the Malibu (16 vs. 15.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the K5 easier. The K5’s trunk lift-over height is 28.6 inches, while the Malibu’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the K5 LXS/GT-Line/EX/GT’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Malibu doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

The K5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Malibu uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The K5’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Malibu’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully. The K5 EX Premium/GT-1’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches. The Malibu LT/Premier’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The K5 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Malibu doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The K5’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Chevrolet only offers heated mirrors on the Malibu LT/Premier.

The K5 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Malibu LT/Premier.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Kia K5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chevrolet Malibu isn't recommended.