Used car safety, rank #165 of 188
Subaru WRX Safety Rating (2022-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2022-23 Subaru WRX, a small car, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition Β· 2021β2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits Β· Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2022-23 Subaru WRX has an IIHS driver death rate of 51 per million registered vehicle years against a small cars average of 79, which is 35% below the class average. That places it #165 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 17.4/100.
What the Subaru WRX death rate means
At 51 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Subaru WRX beats the small cars average of 79 by 35%. The 95% confidence interval is 25 to 76, so even the pessimistic end of the range is no worse than the class average.
The other-driver death rate of 42 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Subaru WRX. Its 95% confidence interval is 18β66. It is no higher than the Subaru WRX's own driver death rate. 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 Subaru WRX highlighted. It ranks 5 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Honda Civic hatchback at a death rate of 28.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic hatchback | 2022-23 | 28 (3 to 52) | 36.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Mazda 3 2WD | 2020-23 | 46 (5 to 87) | 19.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla hatchback | 2020-23 | 51 (9 to 93) | 17.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla hybrid 2WD | 2020-23 | 51 (24 to 79) | 17.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru WRX (this page) | 2022-23 | 51 (25 to 76) | 17.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic | 2022-23 | 58 (33 to 83) | 14.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla | 2020-23 | 71 (59 to 84) | 11.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Elantra | 2021-23 | 80 (52 to 107) | 10.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Nissan Sentra | 2020-23 | 81 (60 to 103) | 10.3 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small cars: 79 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Subaru WRX
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Subaru WRX we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Subaru WRX | No award | 68.1 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 17.4 used-car score above.
Safety recalls for the Subaru WRX
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 2023 model year, covering power train.
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Power train: driveline, driveshaft
Risk: A broken driveshaft can cause a loss of drive power while driving or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is in park without the parking brake engaged. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and right front driveshafts as necessary, free of charge.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. 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 2023. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Subaru WRX: Common Questions
Is the Subaru WRX a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 51 per million registered vehicle years for the 2022-23 Subaru WRX, 35% below the class average (79 for small cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 17.4 out of 100 and rank #165 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Subaru WRX driver death rate?
51 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 25 to 76. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Subaru WRX died at a rate of 42 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2022-23 models.
How does the Subaru WRX compare with other small cars?
The small cars class averages 79 driver deaths per million; the Subaru WRX sits at 51. Among the 9 small cars compared above it ranks 5 by safety score; the top of that group is the Honda Civic hatchback with a death rate of 28.