Well-going new Chevrolet Malibu has been surrounded by controversy. After the new Malibu rolled out in Korea, it was revealed that the new Malibu has been equipped with old-version airbags which is different from the same new models’ which were manufactured in the U.S.
Customers are showing their cynical views and saying, “Even though it received the top rates in the U.S. safety evaluation, what use of the rate if the Korean model has been equipped with different components.”
On May 29th, articles about ‘Malibu 2G airbag controversy’ were posted up in the major domestic automobile community website.
Main contents claim that Chevy had discriminated against safety specifications when they released new Malibu, what 10 units of 4G advanced airbags had been equipped in the U.S. but 8 units of 2G, depowered airbags in Korea.
One of netizen (a mixed word using network and citizen) who confirmed directly through the Chevrolet customer center, posted up the answers from the customer center that domestic New Malibu was equipped with the 2G airbag.
The netizens are debating on their management that Chevy deceived the consumers by equipping with 2G airbags which are worse than the 3G smart airbags in previous model.
Another netizen claimed that “They promoted that New Malibu received the top safety rates from the US transportation Security Administration’s New Car Assessment Program, but it seems over exaggerated advertisements since the cars selling in domestic have different specifications than the U.S’s”
Meanwhile, such a controversy of using different airbags in new models is a familiar case to us from the Hyundai Avante and Sonata.
It was debated on the reverse discrimination after this emerged to people that they equipped 2G or 3G in domestic but the brand new 4G airbags in the U.S. export version.
Eventually, Hyundai rolled out a new car and emphasized safety specifications including airbags are composed exactly same as the US. Last year, they openly proceeded the head-on crash test of the Korean manufactured car versus the USA manufactured car.