Chevrolet Malibu vs Hyundai Elantra: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Hyundai Elantra burns about $1,150 of fuel annually against $1,350 for the Chevrolet Malibu. That $200 yearly gap compounds to roughly $1,000 over five years and $1,600 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Hyundai Elantra leads in both cycles — 53 mpg city and 58 mpg highway against 49 and 46 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Chevrolet Malibu is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, SIDI; Hybrid), the Hyundai Elantra with 4 (2.0, SIDI, SIDI; Hybrid). Across 24 recorded Chevrolet Malibu configurations and 93 for the Hyundai Elantra, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Chevrolet Malibu is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Hyundai Elantra with Front-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Midsize Cars and Midsize Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Hyundai Elantra emits 165 g/mile of CO2 versus 194 g/mile for the Chevrolet Malibu. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.