Is the Chevrolet Malibu more reliable than the Ford Fusion?

Yes, the Malibu has a clear edge. Owners filed 3.6 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 21.1 for the Fusion. Repair cost is also a little lower. The Fusion's engine failures, including coolant in the cylinders, often end in a replacement engine.

Which has more recalls, the Malibu or the Fusion?

The Malibu has more in total, with 13 recalls across 8 model years. The Fusion has 8 across 3 model years. The Malibu's count covers a longer span of years, so the Fusion actually has more recalls per model year shown.

Which costs less to repair?

The Malibu, at about $532 a year versus $581 for the Fusion. That is roughly $245 less over five years. Shop visits are the same at 0.3 a year, and major repairs are slightly less likely on the Malibu at 11% versus 12%.

What is the "Shift to Park" problem on the Malibu?

The dash says the car is not in Park when the shifter is in Park. The car may not shut off or lock, and the battery can drain. Dealers traced it to a failed shift lever. Owners past warranty report paying for the repair, and one paid $500.15.

What is the main engine problem on the Ford Fusion?

Two failures stand out. A cracked flex plate causes rattling or knocking at idle, usually with no warning light. Coolant can also leak into the cylinders, bringing white smoke and power loss. Owners blame the 1.5L EcoBoost, and most reports fall between 65,000 and 96,448 miles.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Malibu vs Ford Fusion: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Chevrolet Malibu

Good

Ford Fusion

Good

Reliability favors the Chevrolet Malibu over the Ford Fusion by a clear margin. Owners file far fewer complaints per car sold. The Fusion's cracked flex plates and coolant leaks into the cylinders are the main reason it falls behind, though the Malibu has its own shifter and brake faults.

How Do the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion Generations Compare?

Every Malibu year in this comparison, 2018 to 2025, belongs to the ninth generation, which began in 2016. It received a facelift for 2024, and production has ended. A used Malibu is therefore a mature design, and early and late years share the same basic car. The Fusion's second generation ran from 2013 to 2023. It was facelifted for 2017 and again for 2019. The 2018 car came from the first update only, while 2019 and 2020 carry the second one. Shoppers looking at these years are buying the later part of that generation.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Malibu is more reliable than the Ford Fusion, scoring 76/100 vs 69/100.

A clear edge goes to the Malibu. Its owners file far fewer complaints per car sold, and its repair costs run a little lower. The Fusion's problems are expensive: cracked flex plates, coolant leaking into the cylinders, and engine replacements on cars with no warning light. The Malibu has serious faults too, mainly a false "Shift to Park" warning and brake vacuum pump failures. Still, the Fusion's engine failures tend to end in a new engine, and that tips the call to the Malibu.

Key Differences

1Chevrolet Malibu costs $49 less per year to repair
2Chevrolet Malibu has 17.5 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Chevrolet Malibu scores 7 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

4Chevrolet Malibu

—

1Ford Fusion

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Chevrolet Malibu vs Ford Fusion: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Malibu vs Ford Fusion at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Malibu	Ford Fusion
Reliability Score	76/100	69/100
Years Tracked	8	3
Total Recalls	13	8
Complaints per 10k Sold	3.6	21.1
Annual Repair Cost	$532/yr	$581/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	11%	12%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2025 NHTSA	2020 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2	1

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion?

A failed shift lever behind a false "Shift to Park" warning is the most common Malibu fault. The car may not shut off, and the battery can drain. The worst Malibu reports involve brake vacuum pump failure, where the pedal goes hard or sinks, and sudden power loss on the highway. Brakes carry the most crash links of any Malibu area. Fusion trouble sits in the engine and drivetrain: a cracked flex plate that rattles at idle, and coolant leaking into the cylinders. The Fusion also has steering reports, with snapped front lower control arms, which the Malibu data does not show. Its engine category has no crash links.

Chevrolet Malibu vs Ford Fusion common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Malibu	Ford Fusion
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	5.7Average
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	5Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	2.6Low
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	2.9Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	1.5Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.8Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.1Very Low
SEAT BELTS	—None	0.1Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Chevrolet Malibu or Ford Fusion?

Repair costs favor the Malibu: about $532 a year, against $581 for the Fusion. That gap of $49 a year adds up to roughly $245 over five years. Both cars average 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year, so neither sends you to the shop more often. The chance that a repair is major is 11% for the Malibu and 12% for the Fusion. The difference is small. The bigger financial risk is a rare, severe failure: a Fusion engine replacement, or a Malibu pump that damaged the camshaft.

How Does Chevrolet Malibu vs Ford Fusion Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Malibu vs Ford Fusion year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Malibu	Ford Fusion	Edge
2020	74/1001R / 178C	71/1003R / 176C	Chevrolet Malibu
2019	74/1001R / 181C	68/1003R / 370C	Chevrolet Malibu
2018	62/1006R / 673C	68/1002R / 429C	Ford Fusion

Best years to cross-shop: The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu scored 74/100 and the 2020 Ford Fusion scored 71/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Chevrolet Malibu vs the Ford Fusion?

Pick the Malibu if you want the lower complaint rate and slightly cheaper upkeep. Target 2023 or 2025, which rank strongest, though newer years have also had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2018 and 2019. Whatever year you shop, ask whether the shift lever has been replaced, and check for any brake vacuum pump work, since a failed pump has damaged engines. Pick the Fusion only if you find a clean, well-documented car and can have it inspected closely. The data covers just 2018 to 2020, so your choices are narrow. Of those, 2020 ranks strongest and 2018 is among the weakest. Owners blame the 1.5L EcoBoost for the worst engine failures, so have a mechanic look for a cracked flex plate, unexplained coolant loss, and white exhaust smoke before you buy. Most reported failures fell between 65,000 and 96,448 miles, so a car in that range deserves extra scrutiny.

Chevrolet Malibu vs Ford Fusion: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Malibu more reliable than the Ford Fusion?: Yes, the Malibu has a clear edge. Owners filed 3.6 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 21.1 for the Fusion. Repair cost is also a little lower. The Fusion's engine failures, including coolant in the cylinders, often end in a replacement engine.
Which has more recalls, the Malibu or the Fusion?: The Malibu has more in total, with 13 recalls across 8 model years. The Fusion has 8 across 3 model years. The Malibu's count covers a longer span of years, so the Fusion actually has more recalls per model year shown.
Which costs less to repair?: The Malibu, at about $532 a year versus $581 for the Fusion. That is roughly $245 less over five years. Shop visits are the same at 0.3 a year, and major repairs are slightly less likely on the Malibu at 11% versus 12%.
What is the "Shift to Park" problem on the Malibu?: The dash says the car is not in Park when the shifter is in Park. The car may not shut off or lock, and the battery can drain. Dealers traced it to a failed shift lever. Owners past warranty report paying for the repair, and one paid $500.15.
What is the main engine problem on the Ford Fusion?: Two failures stand out. A cracked flex plate causes rattling or knocking at idle, usually with no warning light. Coolant can also leak into the cylinders, bringing white smoke and power loss. Owners blame the 1.5L EcoBoost, and most reports fall between 65,000 and 96,448 miles.

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How we score the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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