Used car safety, rank #58 of 181
Chevrolet Bolt Safety Rating (2017-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2017-20 Chevrolet Bolt, a small car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2017-20 Chevrolet Bolt has an IIHS driver death rate of 8 per million registered vehicle years against a small cars average of 60.5, which is 87% below the class average. That places it #58 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 65.3/100.
What the Chevrolet Bolt death rate means
At 8 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Chevrolet Bolt beats the small cars average of 60.5 by 87%. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 19, so even the pessimistic end of the range is no worse than the class average.
The other-driver death rate of 19 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Chevrolet Bolt. It is higher than the Chevrolet Bolt's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used cars
The safest small cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Chevrolet Bolt highlighted. It ranks 1 of the 9 shown.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Bolt (this page) | 2017-20 | 8 (0 to 19) | 65.3 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Prius Prime | 2017-20 | 23 (0 to 45) | 52.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru WRX | 2017-20 | 38 (19 to 58) | 34.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Prius | 2017-20 | 45 (23 to 67) | 29.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru Impreza sedan | 2017-20 | 46 (18 to 74) | 28.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic | 2019-20 | 49 (29 to 69) | 26.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla | 2020 | 58 (31 to 86) | 19.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic hatchback | 2019-20 | 78 (26 to 130) | 13.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Elantra | 2020 | 103 (48 to 157) | 10.1 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small cars: 60.5 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Chevrolet Bolt
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
Park outside
3 campaigns tell owners to park away from buildings and other vehicles, usually a fire risk. Check the VIN before driving it. On a car this age the repair may still be outstanding.
8 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering electrical system, structure, seat belts, service brakes, hydraulic, latches/locks/linkages.
-
Electrical system: propulsion system, traction battery Park outside
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Dealers will reinstall advanced diagnostic software, free of charge.
-
Electrical system: propulsion system, traction battery Park outside
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Dealers will reinstall the advanced diagnostic software, free of charge.
-
Structure: body, roof and pillars
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both front seat belt pretensioners and, if necessary, install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust. Certain vehicles will also need a pretensioner cover installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge.
-
Structure: body, roof and pillars
Risk: A vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will install metal foil at the carpet near the pretensioner exhaust, and install a pretensioner cover as necessary, free of charge.
-
Electrical system: propulsion system, traction battery Park outside
Risk: A battery fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to take the following interim steps: Set the Target Charge Level feature in their vehicle to limit the charge level to 90%, charge their vehicle more frequently, avoid depleting the battery to 70 miles range remaining, park outside after charging, and do not charge the vehicle indoors overnight. Defective battery modules will be replaced by GM, free of charge.
-
Seat belts
Risk: If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021.
-
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components, disc, caliper
Risk: If a brake caliper fractures and brake fluid is lost, the vehicle may experience reduced brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the casting lot number on the front left brake caliper and replace it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021.
-
Latches/locks/linkages: doors, latch
Risk: If the rear door opens while driving, or the door handle fails to open the rear door, there is an increased risk of injury to the rear passengers.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear inside door-handle cables, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2020.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Chevrolet Bolt: Common Questions
Is the Chevrolet Bolt a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 8 per million registered vehicle years for the 2017-20 Chevrolet Bolt, 87% below the class average (60.5 for small cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 65.3 out of 100 and rank #58 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Chevrolet Bolt driver death rate?
8 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 19. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Chevrolet Bolt died at a rate of 19 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2017-20 models.
How does the Chevrolet Bolt compare with other small cars?
The small cars class averages 60.5 driver deaths per million; the Chevrolet Bolt sits at 8. Among the 9 small cars compared above it ranks 1 by safety score.