How safe is the Kia Rio?
Drivers of the 2020–2023 Kia Rio died at a rate of 170 per million registered vehicle years, 155% higher than the average of 37 for all vehicles. That makes it one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver: it ranks 126th of 129 vehicles, safer than 2% of them, whether they're small cars, SUVs, pickups or minivans.
Where the Kia Rio sits among all 129 vehicles
Kia Rio (bar is the 95% range)Every other ranked vehicleDashed line: average of 37
The rate is based on plenty of data, so this ranking is reliable.
Vehicles ranked near the Kia Rio
These are the vehicles just above and below it on the all-class ranking. Notice they aren't all the same type: the ranking compares every vehicle against every other one. Ranks use each rate after adjusting for how much data is behind it, so a rate of 0 from a few vehicles can rank below a slightly higher rate from many. Why.
| Rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 123 | Kia K5Car · Midsize | 94 | 5 |
| 124 | Nissan AltimaCar · Midsize | 105 | 4 |
| 125 | Dodge Charger Hemi 2WDCar · Large | 127 | 3 |
| 126 | Kia RioCar · Mini | 170 | 2 |
| 127 | Dodge Challenger 2WDCar · Large | 125 | 2 |
| 128 | Kia ForteCar · Small | 120 | 1 |
| 129 | Nissan VersaCar · Small | 164 | 0 |
How it compares with other cars
Among the 23 cars ranked, the Kia Rio is 20th. The safest cars are below. See all cars.
| Cars rank | Vehicle | Deaths* | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda Civic hatchbackCar · Small | 28 | 36 |
| 2 | Subaru LegacyCar · Midsize | 37 | 27 |
| 3 | Toyota Corolla hybrid 2WDCar · Small | 51 | 21 |
| 4 | Subaru WRXCar · Small | 51 | 20 |
| 5 | Toyota Camry hybridCar · Midsize | 51 | 20 |
| 20 | Kia RioCar · Mini | 170 | 2 |
Earlier models
In the earlier IIHS study of 2018–2020 models, the Kia Rio had a driver death rate of 122 (range 48–197) and ranked 115th of 127. The newer rate is higher.
Common questions
Is the Kia Rio a safe vehicle?
By real-world driver deaths, the Kia Rio is one of the riskiest vehicles on the road for its driver. Its driver death rate of 170 per million registered vehicle years is 155% higher than the average, and it ranks 126th of 129 vehicles across all classes.
How does the Kia Rio compare with other cars?
It ranks 20th of 23 cars. The safest is the Honda Civic hatchback, with a rate of 28.
Why is this different from the Kia Rio's crash-test rating?
Crash-test stars only compare vehicles of similar size and weight, so a 5-star small car and a 5-star SUV aren't equally safe. This ranking uses real-world driver death rates, which can be compared across every class.
* Driver deaths per million registered vehicle years. A registered vehicle year is one vehicle registered for one year.