Compare the2023 Chevrolet MalibuVS 2023 Volkswagen Jetta

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Malibu are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Jetta doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Chevrolet Malibu has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Jetta doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Malibu’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 Jetta.

Both the Malibu and the Jetta have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors 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 Chevrolet Malibu is safer than the Volkswagen Jetta:

	Malibu	Jetta
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	172	247
Neck Injury Risk	18%	31.7%
Neck Stress	216 lbs.	354 lbs.
Neck Compression	29 lbs.	58 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	272	315
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	36%	41.6%
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	141 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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Malibu is safer than the Volkswagen Jetta:

	Malibu	Jetta
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	38 G’s
Hip Force	549 lbs.	627 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Malibu is 2.8% less likely to roll over than the Jetta.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Malibu the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 221 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Jetta has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Malibu 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volkswagen covers the Jetta. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Jetta ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 5 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Malibu’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Malibu first among midsize cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Jetta isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 83 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 30th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volkswagen is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 7 places higher in reliability than Volkswagen.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Malibu has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Jetta (15.8 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Malibu has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Jetta doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

The Chevrolet Malibu comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Jetta.

The Malibu has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Jetta doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Malibu	Jetta
Front Rotors	11.8 inches	11.3 inches
Rear Rotors	11.3 inches	10.7 inches

The Malibu stops much shorter than the Jetta:

	Malibu	Jetta
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	124 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Malibu’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Jetta (245/45R18 vs. 205/60R16).

The Malibu LT’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Jetta Sport/SE/SEL’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Malibu LT offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Jetta’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Chevrolet Malibu has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Volkswagen Jetta has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Malibu has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Malibu flat and controlled during cornering. The Jetta’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Malibu’s wheelbase is 5.7 inches longer than on the Jetta (111.4 inches vs. 105.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Malibu is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Jetta.

The Malibu handles at .88 G’s, while the Jetta SEL pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Malibu executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Jetta SEL (26.4 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

Passenger Space

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

The Malibu has 8.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Jetta (102.9 vs. 94.7).

The Malibu has .6 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear legroom, 2 inches more rear hip room and 3.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Jetta.

The front step up height for the Malibu is 2.3 inches lower than the Jetta (13.5” vs. 15.8”). The Malibu’s rear step up height is 1.9 inches lower than the Jetta’s (14.1” vs. 16”).

Cargo Capacity

The Malibu has a much larger trunk than the Jetta (15.7 vs. 14.1 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Malibu Premier’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Jetta doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Malibu’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Jetta does not have an oil pressure gauge.

On a hot day the Malibu’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Jetta can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Malibu LS/LT’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Jetta doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Car-Net can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

Consumer Reports rated the Malibu’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Jetta’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Malibu to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Jetta doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Malibu LT with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Jetta’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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

The Malibu LT offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Jetta doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Malibu LT’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Jetta doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Malibu is less expensive to operate than the Jetta because it costs $209 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Malibu than the Jetta, including $196 less for a water pump, $68 less for a muffler, $324 less for a starter, $99 less for fuel injection, $134 less for a fuel pump, $163 less for front struts, $70 less for a timing belt/chain and $253 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

The Chevrolet Malibu outsold the Volkswagen Jetta by 24% during 2020.