DETROIT – The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco is the first and only all-new 2013 midsize car  to receive double honors for safety including a 5-Star Overall Vehicle  Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a 2012  Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Both are  the highest ratings possible.
  The IIHS tests vehicles to determine how well they protect occupants  in front and side crash tests, in rollovers via a roof strength test,  and simulated rear impacts to evaluate seat and head restraints for  protection against neck injuries. The Malibu Eco achieved a “good” score  in all four types of tests performed and has standard electronic  stability control, which the IIHS requires for Top Safety Pick  designation.
  In achieving the 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score, the Malibu Eco was  tested under NHTSA’s revised New Car Assessment Program.  The overall  score is based on frontal and side crash tests in addition to evaluation  for rollover resistance. Under the rating system, performances in three  test segments are combined mathematically into an “Overall Vehicle  Score.” 
  "With the Malibu Eco, Chevrolet has earned seven 2012 TOP SAFETY PICK awards," said IIHS President Adrian Lund.  "The IIHS and NHTSA results  demonstrate GM's commitment to state-of-the-art crash protection."
  Under this methodology, the Chevy  Malibu Eco achieved an Overall Vehicle Score of five stars – the  highest rating possible - even though some individual ratings, such as  rollover, resulted in four stars.
  The all-new 2013 Malibu  will be sold in nearly 100 markets on six continents. It was designed  and engineered to achieve top safety ratings and to meet pedestrian  protection standards where such requirements exist. Last November, General Motors announced that the Malibu also earned a top five-star rating by the European New Car Assessment Program, known as Euro NCAP.
  GM designs its new products to perform well in the metrics IIHS and  NHTSA use to communicate crash worthiness to customers. There are 11 GM  2012 models with a 5-Star Overall Vehicle NCAP score and the Malibu Eco  is among the first 2013 GM models to receive this rating. There are now  15 GM vehicles that have an IIHS 2012 Top Safety Pick designation.
  “We are now seeing the results from our commitment to design the  highest-rated vehicles in the world in safety performance,” said Gay  Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety. “Earning these top safety  ratings demonstrates the strength of the Malibu’s advanced structure,  overall crashworthiness and effectiveness of the vehicle’s  state-of-the-art safety technologies.”
  The all-new Malibu is designed and engineered to help drivers avoid  crashes, while protecting occupants if a crash occurs. Standard safety  features include:
  ·         A body structure made up of 65 percent high strength and ultra-high strength steels
  ·         Driver and front passenger dual-stage frontal air bags,  seat-mounted side air bags and knee air bags and head curtain side air  bags with rollover protection that cover front and outboard rear-seating  rows
  ·         Rollover sensors which can activate the head curtain side  air bags if sensors determine an imminent rollover. In a rollover, the  air bags stay inflated longer to provide increased occupant protection
  ·         StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver  maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with  the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or  adjusting the throttle or a combination of both
  ·         Four-channel disc brakes with ABS, full-function traction  control and panic brake assist that activates when an emergency braking  maneuver is detected. The system automatically develops additional brake  pressure to more quickly engage ABS
  ·         Front safety belt pretensioners to reduce forward movement  and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision
  ·         OnStar, which features the Automatic Crash Response System  that uses GPS and cellular phone technology to automatically call for  help in a crash that deploys the air bags.
  The Malibu Eco is the sixth Chevy model within the 2012 model year to  achieve a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score for safety. The others include  the Camaro Coupe, Sonic, Cruze, Volt and Traverse. The 2012 Malibu is also is a Top Safety Pick.
  The Malibu Eco with fuel-saving eAssist technology is Chevrolet’s  most fuel-efficient midsize car ever. It is on sale now in the United  States with a base price including destination of $25,995, less than  competitor full hybrid vehicles. Chevrolet is scheduled to roll out an  all-new fuel-efficient 2.5L Ecotec engine on the full Malibu lineup this  summer. A new turbo model will be available this fall.
   
  Courtesy of Chevrolet Media