Compare repair costs, reliability, and owner reviews
Chevrolet Malibu
$532
Average Annual
Repair Cost
Hyundai Sonata
$458
Average Annual
Repair Cost
Overall Reliability Rating
4
Excellent
The Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 9th out of 24 for midsize cars. The average annual repair cost is $532 which means it has lower than average ownership costs. Repairs are less severe and less frequent than the average car, so the Malibu is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
4
Excellent
The Hyundai Sonata Reliability Rating is 4.0 out of 5.0, which ranks it 5th out of 24 for midsize cars. The average annual repair cost is $458 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity and frequency of repairs are lower than other vehicles, so the Sonata is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
The Chevrolet Malibu ranks highest in value and ranks lowest in comfort.
83% of reviewers would recommend this car.
“This car is the worst, by far, I have ever owned. Constant steering problems, steering system replaced 4 times. Power steering failures, rear wiper fixed twice. At least 20 times this car has been...”
“This car is the worst, by far, I have ever owned. Constant steering problems, steering system...”
The Hyundai Sonata ranks highest in interior and ranks lowest in value.
“What a treat it is to drive my Sonata! even after 100000 miles with no minor or major repairs and only scheduled maintainance, my Sonata is as smooth and quiet as the day I took delivery. It's...”
“What a treat it is to drive my Sonata! even after 100000 miles with no minor or major repairs...”
The Chevrolet Malibu and the Hyundai Sonata are two cars in the midsize, four-door sedan category. Both of these cars come with front-wheel drive.
The Chevrolet Malibu’s standard engine has 160 horsepower, while the Hyundai Sonata’s standard engine significantly tops it with 185. The Malibu has an optional engine with 250 horsepower, just slightly more than the Sonata’s 245-horsepower option. Both the Malibu and the Sonata offer a hybrid version. The Sonata also offers a plug-in hybrid version, which has up to 27 miles of all-electric range.
The Chevrolet Malibu comes up short in terms of interior space. The Malibu comes with 102.9 cubic feet of space inside the cabin, but the Sonata tops it handily with 106.1. In the trunk, the Malibu’s 15.8 cubic feet is a bit smaller than the Sonata’s 16.3 cubic feet. Advantage Sonata.
The bottom line here is that the Hyundai Sonata offers more standard horsepower, more interior space, a bigger trunk and the option of plug-in hybrid power. One more advantage provided by the Sonata is the security of Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Hyundai Sonata is the clear winner of this comparison.