The all new 2014 Chevrolet Malibu which is coming to Malaysia in a few weeks time has just been awarded the much-revered Top Safety Pick+ rating according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In order to receive 2014 Top Safety Pick+ status, the 2014 Chevy Malibu with Forward Collision Alert has been rated “Good” by the IIHS for its superior crash prevention in five different crash scenarios.
The midsize sedan earned the agency’s highest designation when paired with the forward collision warning system Chevrolet calls Advanced Safety Package. This bundle of safety gadgetry makes use of camera and radar systems that monitor the distance from the Malibu’s front bumper to the car in front, sounding an audible warning if it senses a possible collision.
The small overlap test wasn’t Malibu’s strongest point in previous IIHS testing, where it scored a less than satisfactory “marginal” rating. The good news is that from 2013 to 2014, the Malibu leveled up from “marginal” to “good” in the small overlap test, thanks to improvements Chevy engineers made to the Malibu’s front structure and door sill. In this latest small overlap test, the driver’s space was well maintained, the driver dummy indicating a low risk of any significant injuries in crash situations.
“We are very pleased that the IIHS has recognized the safety of the Malibu with this prestigious rating,” declared Gay Kent, general director of GM Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “Customer safety is our guiding compass; this serves as a testament to that.”
Chevy’s Malibu has been a Top Safety Pick for the past 4 years, but 2014 is the first time it is a Top Safety Pick+. It is the second Chevrolet after the Chevrolet Spark to receive the Top Safety Pick+ rating.
