Compared: 2023 Chevrolet Malibu vs. 2023 Kia K5

All in all, Kia's midsize sedan offers more goodies than Chevrolet's.

Teia Collier | 

Oct 3, 2023 | 3 min read

Chevrolet | Kia

The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu and the 2023 Kia K5 are well matched, with each boasting sporty good looks, a reasonable price, and a well-equipped cabin. The former is more traditional in its design, whereas the Kia leans modern. That's not surprising, given the K5 debuted two years ago and the Malibu seven years ago. Perhaps in preparation for the Malibu's coming discontinuation, Chevrolet has simplified its midsize lineup in recent years, making the Malibu the underdog in this fight, but the two sedans aren't so different as to make the Kia the de facto choice.

Malibu and K5 Go Head-To-Head in Price

Equipped exclusively with front-wheel drive, the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu starts at around $26,000. Chevrolet fits a 160-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder in all four trims, the highest of which demands at least $33,000.

Kia gives buyers two powertrain options for the 2023 Kia K5, which, like the Malibu, opens right around $26,000. Four of the five trim levels come with a 180-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four, and one of them offers all-wheel drive. The top-tier GT employs a turbo 2.5-liter that makes about 290 horsepower — considerably more power.

That model costs roughly $33,000 and boasts performance elements such as larger brake rotors, a sport-tuned suspension, and a dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters.

Chevrolet

The Malibu Falls Behind the K5 in Features

The 2023 Kia K5 takes the lead in this category, in part by offering desirable features, such as wireless phone charging and heated and ventilated front seats in more than just its top trim level. It also has a better tech setup. While Kia provides an 8.0-inch touchscreen in the base K5, all other trims get a 10.3-inch screen with built-in navigation. Every 2023 Chevrolet Malibu makes do with 8.0 inches, and only the top model receives a navigation system.

Both midsize sedans come with the usual driver aids — forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, and auto high-beams — but Kia sweetens the pot with standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic assistance. Chevrolet, on the other hand, charges extra for both of those additional safety features.

Chevy also reserves dual-zone automatic climate control for its top Malibu, whereas Kia provides it across the board. Moreover, you'll find a 360-degree camera on the K5's options sheet but not the Malibu's. That said, if leather-appointed seats are important to you, the top-of-the-line Malibu is your choice, as no K5 offers genuine cowhide wrappers for the chairs.

Kia

Malibu and K5 Closely Match in Efficiency

These two sedans are closely matched in efficiency. The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu delivers 30 mpg, whereas the comparable front-drive, base-engine 2023 Kia K5 sees 31 mpg. Fuel economy for the all-wheel-drive K5 comes in a few points lower, at 28 mpg, while the higher-power GT model returns 27 mpg.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

Teia Collier

Native Texan with a love for people, auto, beautiful design and a grand adventure, Teia Collier is an award-winning writer based in the Dallas area. With a background in education, civic service, and public policy, she loves to discover the why behind a thing and to connect people with the best resources to make their lives better. Collier is also a mom of three, addicted to coffee, and the incoming president of the Texas Auto Writers Association.