2004 Chevrolet Malibu
midsize car / 4-door sedan
Moderate overlap front: original test
Tested vehicle: 2004 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4-door
Rating applies to 2004-07 models
The Chevrolet Malibu was redesigned for the 2004 model year. The earlier design remained in production through the 2005 model year, but was called the Chevrolet Classic and was sold only to fleets.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | |
Technical measurements for this test
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CEF0406 |
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 4 |
| Left (cm) | 7 |
| Center (cm) | 7 |
| Right (cm) | 7 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 1 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 2 |
| Right (cm) | 2 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | -3 |
| Rearward (cm) | 1 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 1 |
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CEF0406 |
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 490 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | 93 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.5 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 16 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.31 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 33 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 0.9 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 2.0 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.39 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.73 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 2.5 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 3.1 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 51 |
| Right | 152 |
Side: original test
Tested vehicle: 2004 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4-door with optional front and rear head curtain airbags
Rating applies to 2004 models built after February 2004
The Chevrolet Malibu was redesigned for the 2004 model year. The earlier design remained in production through the 2005 model year, but was called the Chevrolet Classic and was sold when new only to fleets.
All 2004-07 Malibu models manufactured after February 2004 include front door trim panel changes to improve occupant protection in side-impact crashes in cars equipped with optional side airbags. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.) A further change was made beginning with 2005 models -- side airbags designed to protect drivers' and front passengers' torsos were added to the optional side curtain airbags available in 2004.
Two tests of a 2004 Malibu were conducted, one with an optional side curtain airbag for the driver and rear passenger, and one without. A third test of a Malibu, a 2005 model, was conducted because of the side airbag change. These three Malibus are rated separately, except that the structure ratings for the three vehicles are based on all three tests, and the rear passenger injury and head protection ratings are based on the two tests with side airbags.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
Technical measurements for this test
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0404 | CES0403 | CES0509 |
|---|---|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -5.0 | -5.0 | -5.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |||
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CES0403 |
| Head HIC-15 | 532 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.9 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.9 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 63 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 2.8 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 45 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 34 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 5.29 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.97 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.4 |
| Combined force (kN) | 4.6 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.8 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 103 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 42 |
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement | |
|---|---|---|
| Test ID | CES0403 | CES0509 |
| Head HIC-15 | 94 | 174 |
| Neck | ||
| Tension (kN) | 0.1 | 0.9 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Shoulder | ||
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 34 | 29 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Torso | ||
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 36 | 35 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 28 | 27 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.84 | 3.89 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.61 | 0.58 |
| Pelvis | ||
| Iliac force (kN) | 0.6 | 0.8 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.0 | 2.4 |
| Combined force (kN) | 2.1 | 2.8 |
| Left femur | ||
| L-M force (kN) | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 177 | 165 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | -43 | 35 |
Tested vehicle: 2004 Chevrolet Malibu LS 4-door without optional side airbags
Rating applies to 2004-06 models
The Chevrolet Malibu was redesigned for the 2004 model year. The earlier design remained in production through the 2005 model year, but was called the Chevrolet Classic and was sold when new only to fleets.
All 2004-07 Malibu models manufactured after February 2004 include front door trim panel changes to improve occupant protection in side-impact crashes. (Chevrolet reported that these door trim panel changes would not significantly affect side-impact performance in models without side airbags; therefore the overall side impact rating for all 2004-06 models without side airbags is the same.)
Two tests of a 2004 Malibu were conducted, one with an optional side airbag for the driver and rear passenger, and one without. A third test of a Malibu, a 2005 model, was conducted because the side airbags were changed beginning with 2005 models. These three Malibus are rated separately, except that the structure ratings for the three vehicles are based on all three tests.
Beginning with 2007 models, the side curtain airbags designed to protect drivers' and front and rear passengers' heads became standard, but side airbags designed to protect drivers' and front passengers' torsos remained optional.
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | |
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection The dummy's head was hit by the intruding barrier, producing high head injury measures. |
|
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection The dummy's head was hit by the window sill and window frame of the rear passenger door, producing moderately high head injury measures. Hitting the window areas should be prevented. |
|
Technical measurements for this test
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0404 | CES0403 | CES0509 |
|---|---|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -5.0 | -5.0 | -5.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |||
Driver injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CES0404 |
| Head HIC-15 | 1,606 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 2.0 |
| Compression (kN) | 1.3 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 51 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 2.8 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 48 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 39 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 8.12 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 1.49 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 2.8 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.8 |
| Combined force (kN) | 6.3 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.8 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 129 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 42 |
Passenger injury measures
| Evaluation criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Test ID | CES0404 |
| Head HIC-15 | 722 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.9 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.1 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 38 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.63 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.61 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.5 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.3 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.3 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 124 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 31 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: All seats
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
Technical measurements for this test
| Seat type | All seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 32 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 52 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Fail |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 12.1 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 71 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 14 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 732 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.