IIHS data highlights safest used cars as Kia Rio leads deaths
The Kia Rio recorded 170 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the highest rate for any individual model and more than four times the overall average of 37, according to IIHS data analyzed by Siegfried & Jensen. This places the small sedan well above the typical risk level observed across the fleet of 2023 and equivalent earlier models studied.
The Nissan Versa followed at 164 deaths per million registered vehicle years. Large muscle cars also posted elevated figures, including the Chrysler 300 at 132, the Dodge Charger HEMI at 127 and the Dodge Challenger at 125. Additional models near the top included the Kia Forte at 120, the Chevrolet Malibu at 116, the Nissan Altima at 105 and the Nissan Maxima at 105. The Hyundai Venue led SUVs in the higher-risk group at 113. These rankings draw from the same IIHS dataset covering driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Minicars emerged as the highest-risk vehicle class at 139 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. Large cars recorded 79, small cars 60 and midsize cars 54. Midsize SUVs posted the lowest class rate at 22. In an earlier IIHS analysis using 2018 to 2021 data, the Mitsubishi Mirage G4 had ranked worst at 205 while the Kia Rio sedan stood at 122, indicating the Rio's relative position has worsened in the latest figures.
Eighteen of the 20 models with the lowest driver death rates were SUVs. Six models recorded zero driver deaths: the Audi Q7, BMW X7, Chevrolet Tahoe, Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class and Toyota Tundra CrewMax. No minicar received an IIHS 2026 safety award among the 63 vehicles recognized. These outcomes reflect the broader pattern in which larger SUVs and certain luxury and pickup models showed markedly lower driver fatality involvement.
Motorcyclists faced approximately 28 deaths per 100 million miles traveled in 2024 compared with 1.05 for car occupants, making motorcyclists roughly 27 times more likely to die per mile. NHTSA data recorded 6,228 motorcyclist fatalities that year, accounting for around 16 percent of all road deaths. The comparison underscores the per-mile exposure difference between two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles.
NHTSA records for 2024 show passenger cars with an occupant death rate of 10.81 per 100,000 registered vehicles, the highest among four-wheel vehicle types. National traffic fatalities totaled 39,254, of which 22,713 involved passenger vehicle occupants. Light trucks including SUVs, pickups and vans recorded lower rates of 6.23, 7.26 and 6.14 deaths per 100,000 registered vehicles respectively. Per-mile occupant death rates stood at 1.05 for passenger cars versus 0.63 for light trucks.
IIHS notes that death rates reflect usage patterns and vehicle build in addition to inherent design. The list of higher-risk models is dominated by affordable sedans that appeal to buyers on tight budgets, including many young or first-time drivers. The organization states the rankings do not prove the cars themselves cause the deaths, as driver demographics and operating conditions also influence outcomes.
The IIHS July 2026 release examined 2023 and equivalent earlier models using NHTSA fatal crash data from 2021 to 2024 together with vehicle registration information. Rates are expressed per million registered vehicle years. Siegfried & Jensen paired the IIHS findings with separate NHTSA 2024 fatality statistics. No survey was conducted, so no margin of error applies to the analysis.
