Driver death rates vary enormously between models, and the latest IIHS data shows that small cars and powerful muscle cars sit at the dangerous end. The fleet-wide average is 37 deaths per million registration years, and the worst models run several times higher. Here are eleven cars and SUVs that posted the highest rates, starting with the worst.
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1. Kia Rio: Highest Rate of All
In the July 2026 IIHS release, the Kia Rio landed at the top of the list, with 170 driver deaths per million registration years. No other model in the study posted a higher figure, and the number is more than four times the fleet-wide average of 37.
The data covers 2023 models and equivalent earlier ones, using fatalities from 2021 through 2024. For a shopper, the result is a reminder that a low sticker price on a subcompact can come with a much thinner margin for error in a serious crash.
2. Nissan Versa: A Close Second
Behind the Rio sits the Versa, which the AutoGuide ranking puts at 164 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years in the same IIHS dataset. The gap between first and second place is only six deaths, so the two budget sedans are nearly tied at the worst end of the chart.
Both are small, inexpensive cars, a class the release headline singles out. Buyers weighing the Versa on price alone may want to compare its crash-test results against slightly larger sedans before signing.
3. Chrysler 300: Big Sedan, Big Risk
Size did not protect the rear-drive Chrysler 300, which the AutoGuide top-ten list puts at 132 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years for two-wheel-drive versions. That is roughly three and a half times the fleet-wide average of 37 deaths, and it places the full-size sedan third overall.
The finding undercuts the assumption that a heavy car is automatically a safe one. Powerful rear-drive sedans can be harder for some drivers to control at speed, so the rate reflects how the car is used as well as how it is built.
4. Dodge Charger: Hemi Power, High Toll
Among two-wheel-drive Hemi-powered versions, the Dodge Charger recorded 127 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, per the AutoGuide study summary. That puts the four-door muscle sedan fourth, only a few points behind the Chrysler 300, with which it shares a rear-drive heritage.
Horsepower is the common thread across this part of the list. Insurers have long priced high-output cars at a premium, and a rate more than three times the fleet average helps explain why owners often see steep quotes.
5. Dodge Challenger: The Coupe Counterpart
The IIHS death-rate table gives the two-wheel-drive Dodge Challenger 125 driver deaths per million registration years. The two-door coupe lands fifth, just two points below its Charger sibling, in a cluster of Dodge and Chrysler models near the top.
Like the Charger, the Challenger pairs rear-wheel drive with a big V8 option and a loyal enthusiast following. The rate is a statistical average, but it shows that nostalgic muscle cars carry real risk when driven aggressively.
6. Kia Forte: Compact With a Problem
Few expect an economy compact to rank this high, yet the Kia Forte recorded 120 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, according to CarPro’s IIHS summary. That makes it the second Kia in the top six, joining the Rio at the head of the table.
The Forte is a mainstream, widely sold sedan, so the figure reaches many ordinary commuters rather than a niche of enthusiasts. Small size appears to be the factor, since lighter vehicles absorb less of the energy in a collision with a larger one.
7. Chevrolet Malibu: Midsize and Still Exposed
The Chevrolet Malibu recorded 116 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, per CarPro’s breakdown, which is above three times the fleet average of 37. It is the first midsize family sedan to appear in the ranking and sits seventh overall.
That shows the risk is not confined to subcompacts or sports cars. Everyday sedans bought for commuting and school runs can also sit well above the norm, so buyers should look at the specific model rather than the size class alone.
8. Nissan Altima: Family Sedan on the List
The IIHS model ranking lists the Nissan Altima at 105 driver deaths per million registration years. The midsize sedan has been a perennial top seller, which makes its eighth-place showing relevant to a large pool of drivers.
The rate is nearly triple the fleet-wide average of 37, though it is well below the Rio at 170. Owners should treat it as a population statistic rather than a prediction, since driver age, mileage and road type all shape the outcome.
9. Hyundai Kona: Small SUV, Big Number
Crossovers are generally seen as safer than small cars, but the two-wheel-drive Hyundai Kona recorded 95 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, per the Carscoops table. That is more than two and a half times the fleet-wide average of 37.
The Kona is one of the few SUVs on a list dominated by sedans and coupes. Its subcompact footprint appears to matter more than its raised seating, a useful caution for buyers who assume any SUV badge brings extra protection.
10. Kia K5: Sporty Midsize Sedan
At 94 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Kia K5 ranks among the highest in the Carscoops top-20 table. That is just one death per million below the Kona and well above the fleet-wide average of 37.
Its appearance means a third Kia model made the list, alongside the Rio and the Forte. The sedan is newer and more stylish than most of its rivals, yet a modern design did not translate into a low death rate in this analysis.
11. Chevrolet Camaro: Muscle Car at the Bottom
Rounding out the eleven, The IIHS driver death release lists the Chevrolet Camaro at 88 driver deaths per million registration years. The rear-drive sports coupe is the lowest-ranked entry here, though still more than double the fleet-wide average of 37.
Together with the Charger and Challenger, it shows how the muscle-car class clusters near the top of the risk table. Prospective owners can weigh that against insurance costs, since the same horsepower that attracts them also drives the numbers.
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