Compare the2025 Chevrolet MalibuVS 2025 Kia K5

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 K5 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Malibu’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the front seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The K5 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Malibu has standard OnStar®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The K5 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Malibu and the K5 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The Malibu’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the K5’s (6/100,000 vs. 5/100,000).

There are almost 4 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Kia dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Malibu’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Malibu third among midsize cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The K5 isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked fourth.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Kia is ranked 8th.

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

Both the Malibu and the K5 LX have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Malibu’s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

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 K5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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 K5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Malibu stops much shorter than the K5:

The Malibu handles at .88 G’s, while the K5 GT pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The front grille of the Malibu (except 2.0 Turbo) uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The K5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Malibu has .5 inches more front shoulder room, 2.9 inches more rear legroom and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the K5.

The Malibu has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The K5 has no towing capacity.

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 K5 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Malibu’s standard front and rear power windows all lower 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 K5’s standard power windows’ passenger windows don’t open automatically.

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 K5 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Malibu to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The K5 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Malibu and the K5 offer available heated front seats. The Malibu Premier also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the K5.

The Malibu LT’s available GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The K5’s navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

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 K5 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 K5 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Chevrolet Malibu outsold the Kia K5 by over two to one during 2023.