It isn’t too rare for a car to earn a Top Safety Pick and or 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score but when an all-new vehicle manages to gain both, something truly special is afoot. After extensive testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco has become the first and only all-new, 2013 midsize car to do just that: earn both ratings. Each accolade is the highest score given out by the two safety experts and with the recent awarding, the next line of bow tie sedans have surely proven their outstanding strength and security.
“The IIHS and NHTSA results demonstrate GM’s commitment to state-of-the-art crash protection,” said IIHS President Adrian Lund. Though similar in goals, the IIHS and NHTSA conduct their testing in different manners. Occupant safety is determined by the IIHS with front, side, rollover and rear crash testing. A vehicle’s overall strength is put to the test by the NHTSA who conduct three brutal evaluations: front, side and rollover crash simulations. The 2013 Malibu will be truly global, selling in nearly 100 markets around the world and thus, its American testing milestone is joined by a top rating from the European New Car Assessment Program.
“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. The Malibu Eco’s 5-Star Overall Safety Rating from the NHTSA makes it the sixth Chevrolet model to earn the award within the 2012 year. With a new body, new powerplant, new efficiency and now new safety, the Malibu line up is a solid step towards a brighter future at General Motors.
Source: Chevrolet
