Used car safety, rank #177 of 181
Kia Rio sedan Safety Rating (2018-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2018-20 Kia Rio sedan, a mini car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2018-20 Kia Rio sedan has an IIHS driver death rate of 122 per million registered vehicle years against a mini cars average of 162.6, which is 25% below the class average. That places it #177 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 1.9/100.
What the Kia Rio sedan death rate means
At 122 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Kia Rio sedan beats the mini cars average of 162.6 by 25%. The 95% confidence interval is 48 to 197, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 133 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Kia Rio sedan. It is higher than the Kia Rio sedan'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 mini cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Kia Rio sedan highlighted. It ranks 1 of the 5 shown.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia Rio sedan (this page) | 2018-20 | 122 (48 to 197) | 1.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Chevrolet Spark | 2017-20 | 151 (90 to 212) | 1.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Accent | 2018-20 | 152 (61 to 242) | 1.2 | n/a | n/a |
| Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback | 2017-20 | 183 (93 to 273) | 0.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Mitsubishi Mirage G4 | 2017-20 | 205 (107 to 303) | 0.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for mini cars: 162.6 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Kia Rio sedan
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.
1 recall campaign on the 2020 model year, covering service brakes, hydraulic.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components, master cylinder
Risk: Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge.
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.
Kia Rio sedan: Common Questions
Is the Kia Rio sedan a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 122 per million registered vehicle years for the 2018-20 Kia Rio sedan, 25% below the class average (162.6 for mini cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 1.9 out of 100 and rank #177 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Kia Rio sedan driver death rate?
122 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 48 to 197. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Kia Rio sedan died at a rate of 133 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2018-20 models.
How does the Kia Rio sedan compare with other mini cars?
The mini cars class averages 162.6 driver deaths per million; the Kia Rio sedan sits at 122. Among the 5 mini cars compared above it ranks 1 by safety score.