Chevrolet Malibu vs Volkswagen Jetta: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Chevrolet Malibu burns about $1,350 of fuel annually against $1,750 for the Volkswagen Jetta. That $400 yearly gap compounds to roughly $2,000 over five years and $3,200 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 versus highway split: the Chevrolet Malibu is the stronger commuter at 49 mpg city, while the Volkswagen Jetta pulls ahead on the interstate at 48 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Chevrolet Malibu is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, SIDI; Hybrid), the Volkswagen Jetta with 3 (SIDI;, SIDI, 2.0). Across 24 recorded Chevrolet Malibu configurations and 51 for the Volkswagen Jetta, 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 Volkswagen Jetta 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 Compact 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 Chevrolet Malibu emits 194 g/mile of CO2 versus 200 g/mile for the Volkswagen Jetta. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.