2016 Chevrolet Malibu
Most riskA 2016 car is first year of the generation, so it carries the launch teething faults and most of the recall activity. At roughly 135k miles, 4 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
Chevrolet Malibu years to avoid
Ranked from 8 documented faults · reviewed by the VehicleFaults Research Team
Quick answer
On documented faults and where each build sits in the production run, the Chevrolet Malibu years to approach most carefully are 2016 and 2017. The 2019 and 2018 cars carry the least risk. No year is automatically a bad buy · service history and condition still decide it, so use the year-by-year table below as the starting point and then check the specific car.
The years to approach most carefully
2017 Chevrolet Malibu
Most riskA 2017 car is an early build, while launch issues were still being worked through. At roughly 122k miles, 4 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
The best years to buy
2019 Chevrolet Malibu
Safer buyA 2019 car is the final year of the generation, usually the best-built cars in the run. At roughly 95k miles, 3 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
2018 Chevrolet Malibu
Check carefullyA 2018 car is a mid-run build, by which point most launch faults had been addressed. At roughly 108k miles, 4 of the 8 documented faults are usually already due.
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Check this carYear-by-year risk
Faults due is how many of the 8 documented faults an average example of that year has usually already reached at typical mileage.
| Year | Typical miles | Faults due | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | ~95k | 3 / 8 | Safer buy |
| 2018 | ~108k | 4 / 8 | Check carefully |
| 2017 | ~122k | 4 / 8 | Most risk |
| 2016 | ~135k | 4 / 8 | Most risk |
Guidance only · built from documented fault patterns and where each build sits in the production run, not from an individual car's condition.
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