Compare the2023 Hyundai ElantraVS 2023 Chevrolet Malibu

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Hyundai Elantra 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Elantra Limited has standard Reverse Parking Collision Avoidance 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 Elantra has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Malibu’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Malibu.

The Elantra’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 Elantra and the Malibu 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, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

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

	Elantra	Malibu
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	142	172
Leg Forces (l/r)	66/48 lbs.	252/306 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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Elantra is safer than the Chevrolet Malibu:

	Elantra	Malibu
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	83	160
Chest Movement	1.2 inches	1.3 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	345	365
Hip Force	355 lbs.	1117 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	11 inches	12 inches
HIC	184	279

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 available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Elantra the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Malibu last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The Elantra 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.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Elantra 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.

The Elantra’s corrosion warranty is 1 year and unlimited miles longer than the Malibu’s (7/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Malibu.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 23 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chevrolet is ranked 10th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 7 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

As tested in Consumer Reports the Hyundai Elantra is faster than the Chevrolet Malibu:

	Elantra	Malibu
Zero to 60 MPH	7.9 sec	8.4 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.4 sec	5.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.2 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	86 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

		MPG
Elantra
	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	33 city/42 hwy
	2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/40 hwy
Malibu
	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	27 city/35 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

The Elantra stops much shorter than the Malibu:

	Elantra	Malibu
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	149 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

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

The Elantra 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.

The Elantra Limited handles at .88 G’s, while the Malibu LT pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Elantra Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Malibu LT (27 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Elantra’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Malibu’s (35.4 feet vs. 37 feet).

Chassis

The Hyundai Elantra may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the Chevrolet Malibu.

The Elantra is 10.1 inches shorter than the Malibu, making the Elantra easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Elantra Limited is quieter than the Malibu LT (35 vs. 42 dB).

Passenger Space

The Elantra has 1.5 inches more front headroom and .8 inches more front legroom than the Malibu.

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Elantra easier. The Elantra’s trunk lift-over height is 28.4 inches, while the Malibu’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Elantra SEL/Limited’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.

Ergonomics

The Elantra 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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Elantra owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Elantra will cost $475 less than the Malibu over a five-year period.

The Elantra will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Elantra will retain 47.7% to 49.37% of its original price after five years, while the Malibu only retains 45.49% to 46.05%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra will be $5286 to $10291 less than for the Chevrolet Malibu.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Elantra as the 2021 North American Car of the Year. The Malibu has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Chevrolet Malibu by 1710 units during 2022.

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