Chevrolet Malibu Fuel Economy (MPG)

What is the real-world gas mileage of a 2025 Chevrolet Malibu?

The 2025 Chevrolet Malibu gets up to 46 MPG combined (49 city / 43 highway) in EPA testing.

Latest model year (2025):

The Chevrolet Malibu gets up to 31 MPG combined (28 city / 36 highway) in the Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L trim.

Verifiedfueleconomy.gov · Verified August 11, 2026

Chevrolet Malibu MPG — All Years

YearTrimEngineFuelCity (MPG)Hwy (MPG)Combined (MPG)
2025Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline283631
2024Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline283631
2023Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline273530
2022Config 1 of 2Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline293632
2022Config 2 of 2Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LPremium Gasoline223326
2021Config 1 of 2Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline293632
2021Config 2 of 2Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LRegular Gasoline223326
2020Config 1 of 2Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline293632
2020Config 2 of 2Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LPremium Gasoline223226
2019Config 1 of 3Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline293632
2019Config 2 of 3Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L4 1.8LRegular Gasoline494346
2019Config 3 of 3Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LPremium Gasoline223226
2018Config 1 of 3Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L4 1.8LRegular Gasoline494346
2018Config 2 of 3Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline273630
2018Config 3 of 3Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LPremium Gasoline223226
2017Config 1 of 3Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L4 1.8LRegular Gasoline494346
2017Config 2 of 3Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline273630
2017Config 3 of 3Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LPremium Gasoline223326
2016Config 1 of 4Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L4 2.5LRegular Gasoline233327
2016Config 2 of 4Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LRegular Gasoline223226
2016Config 3 of 4Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L4 1.8LRegular Gasoline474646
2016Config 4 of 4Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L4 1.5LRegular Gasoline273630
2015Config 1 of 2Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L4 2.0LRegular Gasoline212924
2015Config 2 of 2Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L4 2.5LRegular Gasoline253629

Data sourced from fueleconomy.gov (U.S. Department of Energy). MPG figures are EPA-tested. Fuel costs are estimates based on average fuel prices and 15,000 miles/year.

Chevrolet Malibu data analysis

How Chevrolet Malibu combined fuel economy varies

Across 24 configurations recorded for the 2015 through 2025 Chevrolet Malibu, combined fuel economy runs from 24 MPG to 46 MPG. The strongest figure belongs to the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu (Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L) at 46 MPG, and the weakest to the 2015 car (Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L) at 24 MPG — a spread of 92%. A gap that wide means the model year and configuration you buy matter more than the nameplate does: quoting a single number for the Chevrolet Malibu would be misleading.

What changed for 2025

Average combined fuel economy for the 2025 Chevrolet Malibu is 31 MPG, against 31 MPG for the 2024 car — it held flat. A carry-over year like this usually means no powertrain or structural change, so an older example is the cheaper way into the same specification.

How to read this Chevrolet Malibu data

This page lists every 2015 through 2025 Chevrolet Malibu record we hold for this measurement — 24 rows in total, one per configuration and model year rather than a single headline figure. Figures are published as the source agency records them: we do not round, average or interpolate missing years, and a year that is absent from the table is a year with no published measurement rather than a zero. Where a manufacturer offered several drivetrains or body styles in the same year, each appears on its own row, because those variants rarely share the same numbers.

Configurations behind these Chevrolet Malibu numbers

The 2015 through 2025 Chevrolet Malibu entries here cover the variants Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Auto 9-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Auto 6-spd, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L and Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L. 2016 is the busiest model year in the record with 4 separate measured configurations, which is why a single quoted combined fuel economy figure for that year is rarely the one that matches the car in front of you. Match the row to the exact drivetrain, body style and engine on the window sticker or VIN before relying on the number, and use the comparison links below to see how those same configurations line up against rival models.

Where these Chevrolet Malibu figures come from

Every value on this page is loaded from federal open data — EPA fuel economy submissions, NHTSA vehicle and crash-test records, and manufacturer specification filings — rather than dealer listings or copied editorial content. The Chevrolet Malibu record refreshes as the agencies publish, which typically means new model-year rows appear in the autumn and crash-test results follow through the model year as vehicles are tested. Because certification data is filed per configuration, treat any single headline number for this vehicle with caution: the figure that applies to a specific car depends on its engine, drivetrain, body style and model year, all of which are listed separately above. If a number here disagrees with a brochure, the brochure is usually quoting the best available configuration rather than the one being sold.

Official Factory Specs vs. AutoSpecData Expert Benchmarks

The EPA highway loop never holds interstate speed. Here is what the same engine does when you sit on the cruise control.

Cruise speedEPA highway specAutoSpecData adjusted MPGFuel you lose
60 mph46 MPG46 MPG0%
65 mph46 MPG42.9 MPG7%
70 mph46 MPG39.9 MPG13%
75 mph46 MPG37.2 MPG19%
80 mph46 MPG34.7 MPG25%

Our Real-World Speed MPG Adjuster re-scales the Chevrolet Malibu EPA highway result with a quadratic drag term (mpg = hwy ÷ (1 + k·(v² − 60²)/60²), k = 0.55 for trucks, SUVs and vans, 0.42 for cars). Wind, roof racks, and a heavy right foot make it worse, never better.

Frequently Asked Questions About Malibu MPG

What is the MPG of the Chevrolet Malibu?

The Chevrolet Malibu gets up to 46 MPG combined (49 city / 43 highway) in the 2025 model year. Fuel economy varies by engine and trim — see the full table above for details.

Which Chevrolet Malibu trim has the best fuel economy?

The Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 1.8 L trim offers the best combined fuel economy at 46 MPG. Smaller engines and front-wheel-drive configurations typically achieve the highest MPG.

View full Chevrolet Malibu specs

Browse other makes