Is the Chevrolet Malibu more reliable than the KIA Forte?

Slightly, yes. The Malibu comes out ahead by a small margin, and both cars are in good standing. The Forte has a lower complaint rate and lower repair costs, so the gap is narrow. Which one is better for you depends on whether you fear brake pump and shifter problems or engine failures more.

Which has more recalls, the Malibu or the Forte?

The Malibu has more. Federal recall records show 13 recalls across its 8 model years from 2018 to 2025. The Forte has 11 across 7 model years from 2018 to 2024. The Malibu has one more model year in the count, so the difference is small.

Which costs less to repair, the Malibu or the Forte?

The Forte costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $451 a year for the Forte and $532 for the Malibu. That is about $405 more for the Malibu over five years. The Forte also has fewer shop visits and a lower chance that a repair is major.

What is the Malibu's "Shift to Park" problem?

Owners report a dash warning that 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, and owners past warranty paid for the repair.

What goes wrong with the Forte's engine?

Owners report sudden engine failure, often with stalling, knocking, and grinding. Many say oil ran low between changes with no warning light until the damage was done. Failures cluster between 67,000 and 90,000 miles. Some owners were denied warranty coverage when they lacked oil-change receipts.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Malibu vs Kia Forte: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Chevrolet Malibu

Good

Kia Forte

Good

On reliability, the Chevrolet Malibu edges out the KIA Forte, but only by a slight margin, and both rate good. The Forte is cheaper to repair, so the Malibu's lead rests on overall standing. Its brake pump and shifter reports and the Forte's engine failures are the issues to check.

How Do the Chevrolet Malibu and Kia Forte Generations Compare?

Every Malibu from 2018 to 2025 comes from one design. It is the ninth generation, which ran from the 2016 model year through 2025. A facelift arrived for 2024, and production has ended. Year-to-year differences therefore come from running changes, not a redesign. On the Forte side, the 2018 model was the last year of the second generation, which received a facelift for 2017. The third generation started with the 2019 model year and ran through 2024, with a facelift for the 2022 model year. A 2018 Forte is a different design from the 2019 and later cars.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Malibu is more reliable than the Kia Forte, scoring 76/100 vs 72/100.

A slight edge goes to the Chevrolet Malibu. Both cars sit in good standing, and the gap is small. The Forte costs less to keep and visits the shop less often, so the Malibu's lead is not a cost story. Each car also has a serious weak spot: the Malibu's brake vacuum pump failures and false "Shift to Park" warning, and the Forte's sudden engine failures and airbags that did not deploy in crashes. Weigh those against the small overall lead.

Key Differences

1Kia Forte costs $81 less per year to repair
2Chevrolet Malibu scores 4 points higher in reliability
3Kia Forte has 2 fewer total recalls

Category Scoreboard

2Chevrolet Malibu

—

5Kia Forte

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Chevrolet Malibu vs Kia Forte: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Malibu vs Kia Forte at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Malibu	Kia Forte
Reliability Score	76/100	72/100
Years Tracked	8	7
Total Recalls	13	11
Complaints per 10k Sold	3.6	3.2
Annual Repair Cost	$532/yr	$451/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.2/yr
Major Repair Risk	11%	9%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2025 NHTSA	2024 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	5	2

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Malibu and Kia Forte?

Shifter and brake trouble defines the Malibu. A false "Shift to Park" warning leaves the car running or drains the battery, and a failing brake vacuum pump can turn the pedal rock hard or drop it to the floor. Some pumps broke the camshaft. Engine trouble defines the Forte, with stalling and failure often reported between 67,000 and 90,000 miles. Only the Forte lists air bags among its main problem areas, where most reports are crash-linked and describe airbags that did not deploy. Only the Malibu lists service brakes, with crash-linked reports.

Chevrolet Malibu vs Kia Forte common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Malibu	Kia Forte
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	0.6Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.7Very Low	0.4Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.5Very Low	0.6Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	0.5Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	—None
SERVICE BRAKES	0.2Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	0.1Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	—None
STRUCTURE	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None
EQUIPMENT	—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 Kia Forte?

Owning the Forte costs less on every measure. Independent repair-cost data puts its yearly repair bill at $451, against $532 for the Malibu. That gap is $81 a year, or about $405 over five years. The Forte also needs fewer unscheduled shop visits, 0.2 a year against 0.3. Its chance of a major repair is 9%, while the Malibu's is 11%. The difference is modest.

How Does Chevrolet Malibu vs Kia Forte Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Malibu vs Kia Forte year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Malibu	Kia Forte	Edge
2024	80/1001R / 8C	78/1000R / 20C	Chevrolet Malibu
2023	81/1001R / 23C	68/1003R / 53C	Chevrolet Malibu
2022	80/1001R / 66C	75/1001R / 22C	Chevrolet Malibu
2021	74/1002R / 61C	72/1002R / 64C	Chevrolet Malibu
2020	74/1001R / 178C	76/1000R / 63C	Kia Forte
2019	74/1001R / 181C	67/1002R / 140C	Chevrolet Malibu
2018	62/1006R / 673C	66/1003R / 133C	Kia Forte

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu scored 81/100 and the 2024 Kia Forte scored 78/100 — 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 Kia Forte?

Pick the Malibu if you want the slightly better overall standing and a car from the final stretch of its generation. Ask for proof that the shifter and brake vacuum pump have been checked, since those drive its worst reports. Skip 2018 and 2019, which are its weakest years. Newer years show fewer complaints partly because they have had less time to collect them. Pick the Forte if lower running costs matter most. It has the cheaper repair estimate and fewer unscheduled shop visits. Avoid 2018 and 2019 here too. Look for 2020, one of its strongest years. Before buying, ask for oil-change records, because owners report engine failures without warning lights and some second owners were denied warranty coverage. Check that any airbag warning light works normally and has no open repair history.

Chevrolet Malibu vs Kia Forte: Common Questions

Is the Chevrolet Malibu more reliable than the KIA Forte?: Slightly, yes. The Malibu comes out ahead by a small margin, and both cars are in good standing. The Forte has a lower complaint rate and lower repair costs, so the gap is narrow. Which one is better for you depends on whether you fear brake pump and shifter problems or engine failures more.
Which has more recalls, the Malibu or the Forte?: The Malibu has more. Federal recall records show 13 recalls across its 8 model years from 2018 to 2025. The Forte has 11 across 7 model years from 2018 to 2024. The Malibu has one more model year in the count, so the difference is small.
Which costs less to repair, the Malibu or the Forte?: The Forte costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $451 a year for the Forte and $532 for the Malibu. That is about $405 more for the Malibu over five years. The Forte also has fewer shop visits and a lower chance that a repair is major.
What is the Malibu's "Shift to Park" problem?: Owners report a dash warning that 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, and owners past warranty paid for the repair.
What goes wrong with the Forte's engine?: Owners report sudden engine failure, often with stalling, knocking, and grinding. Many say oil ran low between changes with no warning light until the damage was done. Failures cluster between 67,000 and 90,000 miles. Some owners were denied warranty coverage when they lacked oil-change receipts.

More Chevrolet Malibu comparisons

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More Kia Forte comparisons

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How we score the Chevrolet Malibu and Kia Forte

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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