For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Acura Integra 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 Acura Integra 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 Mitigration Braking System, the Acura Integra is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Chevrolet Malibu, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
Integra |
Malibu |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
25 MPH |
-23 MPH |
-5 MPH |
|
Crossing Adult - NIGHT |
|
12 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-11 MPH |
12 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
No Slowing |
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-4 MPH |
25 MPH Low beams |
-22 MPH |
-3 MPH |
|
Parallel Adult - NIGHT |
|
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-4 MPH |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-1 MPH |
37 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-4 MPH |
Warning Issued-Brights |
2.1 sec |
1.3 sec |
37 MPH Low beams |
-22 MPH |
No Slowing |
Warning Issued-Low beams |
1.2 sec |
No Warning |
Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Integra A-Spec Technology/Type S 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 Integra A-Spec Technology/Type S 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 Integra has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Malibu’s blind spot costs extra.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Integra has standard Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Malibu.
The Integra’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 Integra 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 and rearview cameras.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Acura Integra is safer than the Chevrolet Malibu:
|
Integra |
Malibu |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Neck Stress |
191 lbs. |
216 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
19 lbs. |
29 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.7 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
27% |
36% |
Neck Stress |
151 lbs. |
169 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
265/107 lbs. |
162/232 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 Acura Integra is safer than the Chevrolet Malibu:
|
Integra |
Malibu |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
145 |
160 |
Chest Movement |
.9 inches |
1.3 inches |
Abdominal Force |
226 lbs. |
232 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
3 Stars |
HIC |
239 |
365 |
Spine Acceleration |
60 G’s |
62 G’s |
Hip Force |
531 lbs. |
1117 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
12 inches |
HIC |
236 |
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 Acura Integra is much safer than the Malibu:
|
Integra |
Malibu |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Structure |
ACCEPTABLE |
POOR |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
POOR |
Head Injury Criterion |
160 |
1178 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
142 G’s |
Neck Tension |
201 lbs. |
402 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
MARGINAL |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.14 in |
2.17 in |
Shoulder Force |
268 lbs. |
402 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.26 in |
1.77 in |
Pelvis |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Pelvis Force |
959 lbs. |
1049 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
258 |
335 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
74 G’s |
Neck Tension |
112 lbs. |
469 lbs. |
Torso |
ACCEPTABLE |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.02 in |
1.93 in |
Shoulder Force |
201 lbs. |
892 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.46 in |
1.81 in |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Pelvis Force |
602 lbs. |
870 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
The Acura Integra has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned an “Acceptable” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Malibu is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.