Compare the2025 Chevrolet MalibuVS 2024 Acura Integra

The Malibu’s standard pretensioning seatbelts also sense rear collisions and remove slack from the front seatbelts to help protect the occupants from whiplash and other injuries. The Integra doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Malibu and the Integra have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Malibu is safer than the Acura Integra:

	Malibu	Integra
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	172	231
Neck Injury Risk	18%	27%
Leg Forces (l/r)	252/306 lbs.	287/574 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	272	328
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	73 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 post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Malibu is safer than the Acura Integra:

	Malibu	Integra
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	549 lbs.	646 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Malibu’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Integra’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are almost 11 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Malibu’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Malibu third among midsize cars in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The Integra isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 18th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 42 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 20th.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Malibu uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Integra requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Malibu has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Integra (15.8 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Chevrolet Malibu higher (7 out of 10) than the Acura Integra (6 to 7). This means the Malibu produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Integra every 15,000 miles.

The Malibu stops much shorter than the Integra:

	Malibu	Integra
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	178 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	123 feet	Motor Trend

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Malibu’s wheelbase is 3.7 inches longer than on the Integra (111.4 inches vs. 107.7 inches).

The Malibu handles at .88 G’s, while the Integra A-Spec Technology pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Malibu executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Integra A-Spec Technology (26.4 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Malibu’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Integra’s (37 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Malibu’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Integra Type S’ (37 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The front grille of the Malibu (except 2.0 Turbo) uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Integra doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Malibu LT is quieter than the Integra Type S:

	Malibu	Integra
At idle	42 dB	42 dB
Full-Throttle	71 dB	89 dB
70 MPH Cruising	65 dB	73 dB

The Malibu has 7.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Integra (102.9 vs. 95.8).

The Malibu has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, .7 inches more rear legroom, 4.5 inches more rear hip room and 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Integra.

The Malibu has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The Integra has no towing capacity.

The Malibu’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Integra does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the Malibu and the Integra have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Malibu is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Integra prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Malibu’s standard front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Integra’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Malibu LS/LT’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Integra doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its extra cost AcuraLink can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

Consumer Reports rated the Malibu’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Integra’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Malibu to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Integra doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Both the Malibu and the Integra offer available heated front seats. The Malibu Premier also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Integra.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Malibu LT keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Integra doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the Malibu LT’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Integra doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Malibu and the Integra offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Malibu LT has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Integra doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

With optional voice command, the Malibu LT offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Integra doesn’t offer a voice control system.

The Malibu LT offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Integra doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Malibu LT’s optional Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Integra doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Malibu will be $402 to $4823 less than for the Acura Integra.

The Chevrolet Malibu outsold the Acura Integra by over four to one during 2023.