The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Lt stands as a popular choice in the mid-size sedan market, known for its fuel efficiency, comfortable ride, and modern features. For families and individuals prioritizing safety, understanding the crashworthiness and safety technology of the Malibu LT is crucial. This article delves into the safety ratings of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, providing a comprehensive overview based on rigorous testing.
When considering a vehicle like the 2018 Chevy Malibu LT, safety isn’t just an added bonus—it’s a fundamental requirement. Automotive safety evaluations offer invaluable insights, allowing consumers to make informed decisions. Let’s explore how the 2018 Malibu LT performed in key safety assessments.
Small Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Driver and Passenger Sides
The small overlap frontal test represents a challenging scenario where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a barrier. This test is critical because it simulates what happens when a car clips another vehicle or a fixed object like a tree or pole.
Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
The 2016-2025 Chevrolet Malibu models, including the 2018 LT, underwent the driver-side small overlap test. The results for structural integrity and driver injury measures were impressive, earning the highest rating of “Good”.
Key findings from the driver-side test include:
- Structure and Safety Cage: Rated “Good,” indicating that the structural integrity of the Malibu held up well, maintaining the survival space for the driver.
- Driver Injury Measures: All injury measures for the head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot were rated “Good,” signifying a low risk of significant injuries in this type of collision.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: Also rated “Good,” demonstrating that the restraints effectively controlled the dummy’s movement during the crash, contributing to the positive injury measures.
Technical measurements further support these ratings. For example, occupant compartment intrusion was minimal, with maximum intrusion at the lower hinge pillar at 9 cm and even less in critical areas like the steering column (1 cm). Driver injury measures were also low, with a Head Injury Criterion (HIC-15) of only 85, well below the threshold for concern.
Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
The passenger-side small overlap test, introduced later, assesses the protection offered to the front passenger. The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu LT 4-door, representative of the 2018 model year, was tested. While the driver-side performance was excellent, the passenger-side test revealed some areas for improvement, resulting in an overall “Marginal” rating.
Key findings for the passenger-side test:
- Overall Evaluation: “Marginal.”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Acceptable,” indicating that while the structure provided reasonable protection, it wasn’t as robust as in the driver-side test.
- Passenger Injury Measures: Head/neck and lower leg/foot protection were rated “Acceptable,” while chest and hip/thigh protection received “Good” ratings. This mixed result contributed to the “Marginal” overall score.
- Passenger Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: “Marginal.” The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag and then slid off, hitting the dashboard. This indicates a potential vulnerability for head injuries in a passenger-side small overlap crash.
Technical measurements showed greater occupant compartment intrusion on the passenger side compared to the driver side. For instance, the upper dash intrusion was 11 cm on the passenger side versus 8 cm on the driver side. The passenger’s head HIC-15 score was significantly higher at 312, compared to 85 for the driver, indicating a higher risk of head injury.
Moderate Overlap Frontal Crash Test: Robust Frontal Protection
In the moderate overlap frontal test, a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts the barrier. This test is a more traditional frontal crash assessment and often reflects common collision scenarios. The 2016-2025 Chevrolet Malibu models, including the 2018 LT, earned a “Good” rating in this test.
The Malibu demonstrated excellent performance across all evaluation criteria:
- Overall Evaluation: “Good.”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good,” signifying strong structural integrity in a moderate frontal impact.
- Driver Injury Measures: “Good” ratings for head/neck, chest, and leg/foot (both left and right), indicating a low risk of injuries in this type of crash.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: “Good,” confirming effective restraint system performance.
Technical measurements for this test highlighted minimal footwell intrusion and well-controlled steering column movement, further validating the “Good” rating.
Side Impact Tests: Mixed Performance in Updated Evaluation
Side impact crashes are a significant concern, and the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT was subjected to both the original and updated side impact tests.
Original Side Impact Test: “Good” Rating
In the original side impact test, the 2016-2025 Chevrolet Malibu models received a “Good” overall rating. This test simulates a vehicle being struck in the side by another vehicle.
The Malibu performed well in all aspects of the original side impact test:
- Overall Evaluation: “Good.”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good,” indicating good resistance to side impact forces.
- Driver Injury Measures: “Good” ratings for head/neck, torso, and pelvis/leg, demonstrating effective protection in a side collision.
- Driver Head Protection & Rear Passenger Protection: “Good,” showing adequate head protection for both front and rear occupants.
Updated Side Impact Test: “Poor” Rating
The updated side impact test is more demanding, using a heavier barrier and higher impact speed to better simulate a severe side collision, particularly with a larger vehicle like an SUV or truck. The 2022 Chevrolet Malibu LT, representing the same basic structure as the 2018 model, received a “Poor” overall rating in this updated test.
The updated side impact test revealed significant weaknesses:
- Overall Evaluation: “Poor.”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Poor,” indicating inadequate structural resistance to the more severe side impact.
- Driver Injury Measures: Head/neck protection rated “Poor,” torso protection “Marginal,” and pelvis protection “Acceptable.” Rear passenger protection was somewhat better, with “Good” head/neck and pelvis protection, but “Acceptable” torso protection.
- Driver & Rear Passenger Head Protection: “Marginal.” Crucially, in the updated test, the dummy’s head moved past the side curtain airbag and struck the window sill, indicating inadequate head protection in this more severe scenario.
Technical measurements confirmed high head injury risk in the updated side impact test, with a driver head HIC-15 score of 1,178, far exceeding acceptable levels.
Roof Strength Test: Excellent Rollover Protection
The roof strength test evaluates the vehicle’s ability to withstand forces in a rollover crash. The 2016-2023 Chevrolet Malibu models, including the 2018 LT, achieved a “Good” rating.
With a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.35, the Malibu’s roof demonstrated excellent structural integrity, capable of withstanding over five times the vehicle’s weight. This strong roof structure contributes significantly to occupant protection in rollover scenarios.
Head Restraints & Seats: “Good” Whiplash Protection
Whiplash is a common injury in rear-end collisions. The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT, equipped with power cloth seats, earned a “Good” rating for head restraints and seats, indicating effective whiplash protection in rear impacts. Both dynamic ratings and seat/head restraint geometry were rated “Good.”
Headlights: “Poor” Rating Across Trim Levels
Headlight performance is crucial for nighttime driving safety. Unfortunately, the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, across various trim levels including the 1LT, Hybrid, and Premier with the Driver Confidence package, received a “Poor” rating for its headlights.
Both halogen projector low-beam and high-beam headlights were tested, and visibility was found to be inadequate in various scenarios, particularly on curves and on the left side of the road in straightaways. Glare was not excessive, but the primary issue was insufficient illumination distance. Even with high-beam assist available on some trims, the overall headlight rating remained “Poor.”
Front Crash Prevention: Superior with Optional Equipment
Front crash prevention systems can significantly reduce or prevent front-end collisions. The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT offers optional front crash prevention features, and when equipped, achieves a “Superior” rating for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention.
With the optional Driver Confidence Package II, the Malibu’s Forward Automatic Braking and Forward Collision Alert systems demonstrated excellent performance:
- Forward Collision Warning: System meets requirements.
- 12 mph Test: Collision avoided.
- 25 mph Test: Impact speed reduced by 24 mph.
Even with the optional Driver Confidence Package (without Package II), the Malibu achieved an “Advanced” rating, still demonstrating effective collision mitigation.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH): Marginal Ease of Use
For families with young children, the ease of use of child seat anchors (LATCH system) is important. The 2016-2025 Chevrolet Malibu models, including the 2018 LT, received a “Marginal” rating for LATCH system ease of use in both LS and LT trims with cloth seats.
While the Malibu has LATCH hardware in two rear seating positions and tether anchors in three, the lower anchors were rated as being too deep in the seat and requiring too much force to attach child seats. This “Marginal” rating indicates that installing child seats might be less convenient compared to vehicles with higher LATCH ratings.
Conclusion: 2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT Safety Profile
The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT presents a mixed safety profile. It excels in driver-side small overlap, moderate overlap frontal, roof strength, and head restraint tests, achieving “Good” ratings in these critical areas. When equipped with optional front crash prevention, it earns a “Superior” rating, showcasing advanced safety technology.
However, the “Marginal” rating in the passenger-side small overlap test, the “Poor” rating in the updated side impact test, and the “Poor” headlight rating are areas of concern. The “Marginal” LATCH ease of use is also a factor for families to consider.
For prospective buyers of a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu LT, it’s essential to weigh these safety ratings in the context of their driving needs and priorities. While offering strong protection in many crash scenarios and advanced prevention technologies, the Malibu LT also has identified weaknesses, particularly in passenger-side small overlap and more severe side impacts, as well as headlight performance. Understanding these strengths and weaknesses empowers informed decision-making when choosing a family sedan.
