Car Models With the Rudest Drivers in 2021

We’ve all come across rude drivers while out on the roads. As it turns out, such drivers prefer certain car models, and their choices might surprise you.

Most Americans hold assumptions about their fellow motorists, especially when it comes to what someone’s choice of vehicle says about how they drive. Hybrid owners are bound to be painfully slow and cautious, while any driver in a big SUV almost certainly has no interest in sharing the road. All of these assumptions are, of course, vast oversimplifications based on stereotypes—after all, people are so much more nuanced than their choice of car. Sometimes, however, certain kinds of drivers really do have preferences when it comes to their ride.

Such is the case for drivers who demonstrate far more rude driving behavior than their fair share. Every car model attracts drivers who partake in inconsiderate driving practices on occasion, but some models seem to be favored by drivers who do so at extremely elevated rates. Curious to see which car models are owned by drivers with a record of the most hazardous forms of rude driving behavior, the data science team at Insurify turned to their database of over 4 million car insurance applications to identify the ten car models with the rudest drivers in 2021.

Insights

• National averages. Among all U.S. drivers, 23.8 per 1,000 reported having received a citation for rude driving behavior within the past seven years, and the most common rude driving violation is failure to stop at a stop sign. The average price of a new car in 2021 is $41,729.

• Usual suspects. Ever feel like the drivers of expensive German sports cars exhibit more than their fair share of rude driving behavior? It’s not just your imagination: combined, 26.8 per 1,000 Audi and BMW drivers have a rude driving citation on record. This means that American drivers of two of the most popular German luxury brands exhibit rude driving behavior 13 percent more often than the average motorist.

• The most polite: a pickup? Surprisingly, the car model with the most considerate drivers of all is the Chevrolet C1500, a now-discontinued precursor to the popular Silverado pickup. A mere 0.4 out of 1,000 C1500 drivers report a prior rude driving violation on record, a share that’s 98 percent lower than the national average. While many drivers perceive pickup truck owners as more brazen actors out on the roads, C1500 drivers are doing what they can to dispel that image.

Methodology

Data scientists at Insurify, a car insurance comparison website, examined their database of over 4 million car insurance applications to identify the car models with the rudest drivers. When applying for car insurance, applicants disclose their current primary vehicle’s make and model, as well as any violations on their driving record within the past seven years. Insurify determined the following violations as most indicative of rude driving: failure to yield violations (failure to yield the right of way, failure to yield to a pedestrian), failure to stop violations (failure to stop for a red light, school bus, or stop sign), improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, and hit-and-runs. Analysts compared the number of drivers with the above violations driving a given car model against the total number of drivers driving that car model. The models with the highest share of drivers with these penalties were determined to be the car models with the rudest drivers.

Each car’s MSRP comes from the most recent available model listed on Autoblog, and the average cost of a new car in 2021 comes from Cox Automotive’s July vehicle price data.

The findings in this article represent statistical trends found in Insurify’s database of over 4 million car insurance applications. The findings of this study are not meant to imply the direction nor necessarily the existence of a causal relationship. Rather, this is a presentation of statistical correlations of public interest.

Car Models With the Rudest Drivers in 2021

10. Hyundai Genesis Coupe

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 34.4 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a red light

• MSRP (base model): $26,950

With sleek styling and a 300-plus horsepower engine, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe is an attractive option for any driver in the market for a performance vehicle. Current Genesis Coupe drivers, however, have not always used the car’s impressive speed and handling as carefully as warranted, boasting a rude driving citation rate that’s 45 percent higher than the national average. It appears that nothing—not even a red light—can slow down Genesis Coupe drivers’ need for speed.

9. Mazda CX-3

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 35.0 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a stop sign

• MSRP (base model): $20,790

Priced at just over $20,000, the Mazda CX-3 offers great value for a subcompact SUV. But while the CX-3 is a good-looking car at an ideal price, its drivers rack up rude driving violations at a less-than-ideal rate. 35.0 out of 1,000 CX-3 drivers have a rude driving citation on record, a share that exceeds the national average by 47 percent.

8. Dodge Stratus

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 35.3 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a stop sign

• MSRP (base model): $20,825

Dodge unveiled the Stratus in the mid-1990s to critical acclaim, but sales of the mid-size sedan fell slowly over time, and Dodge ultimately discontinued the model in 2006. Fifteen years later, Stratus drivers are now proving that the car stands the test of time—at least when it comes to rude driving. Out on the roads, Stratus drivers are anything but slow and steady. With 35.3 of 1,000 Stratus drivers reporting a rude driving violation on record, this model demonstrates that motorists who gravitate towards practical, reliable vehicles don’t always fit the associated stereotypes.

7. Audi A5

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 35.5 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a stop sign

• MSRP (base model): $42,400

With a rude incident rate that stands 49 percent higher than the national average, the Audi A5 ranks seventh among the vehicles with the rudest drivers. The A5’s starting price of $42,400 also firmly classifies it as a luxury vehicle—one of several among the top models with the rudest drivers. Hopefully drivers who can afford the A5 can also afford the auto insurance rate hikes that inevitably follow a rude driving infraction.

6. Acura RSX

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 35.6 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a stop sign

• MSRP (base model): $20,325

Like the Dodge Stratus, the Acura RSX was also discontinued in 2006. Despite the extended time that’s passed since the model was in production, RSX drivers are still making their presence known on the roads, receiving citations for rude driving behavior at a rate 50 percent higher than the national average. Their most common rude driving violation: failure to stop at a stop sign.

5. Scion xD

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 35.9 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a stop sign

• MSRP (base model): $15,92

Although Toyota’s Scion brand is typically known for its  sporty yet affordable vehicles, the xD is anything but a performance car. A fuel-efficient hatchback with an entry-level price, the xD markets itself as the perfect car for urban dwellers on a budget. Perhaps the big-city grind causes xD drivers to exhibit rude driving behavior more often than the average motorist, as the xD ranks fifth on the list of car models with the rudest drivers. 35.9 out of every 1,000 xD drivers have received a citation for rude driving behavior, a share that’s 51 percent higher than the national average.

4. BMW 7-Series

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 38.2 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a red light

• MSRP (base model): $86,800

While most stereotypes of people’s driving behavior are gross oversimplifications, the data occasionally backs them up. For example, sometimes the drivers with the flashiest cars on the road really do demonstrate inconsiderate driving behavior more often than everyone else. This trend is evidenced most strongly by the BMW 7-Series: the model’s base MSRP of $86,800 is more than double the national average, and its drivers receive rude driving violations a full 61 percent more often than the average motorist.

3. BMW 4-Series

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 41.3 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a stop sign

• MSRP (base model): $46,795

The BMW 4-Series might have a more “reasonable” sticker price than the 7-Series, but its drivers are nonetheless even more guilty of racking up citations for rude driving behavior. 41.3 out of 1,000 4-Series drivers report a prior violation for inconsiderate driving behavior, making a given 4-Series driver 73 percent more likely to have such a citation than the average motorist.

2. Audi A4 Allroad

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 41.4 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a red light

• MSRP (base model): $45,500

The Audi A4 Allroad is yet another luxury vehicle to rank within the top ten car models with the rudest drivers in 2021. The A4 Allroad ultimately places second, with 4.14 out of every 1,000 A4 Allroad drivers reporting a rude driving citation on their driving record. The A4 also differentiates itself as one of the few models in the top ten whose drivers’ most common rude driving offense is failing to stop at a red light.

1. Kia Stinger

• Drivers cited for rude driving behavior: 44.3 out of 1,000

• Most common rude driving citation: Failure to stop at a stop sign

• MSRP (base model): $36,090

Though Kia developed the Stinger to match the speed and styling of more expensive luxury sports cars, it appears the model may out-compete those vehicles when it comes to its drivers’ penchant for accruing rude driving citations. A full 44.3 out of 1,000 Stinger drivers report at least one rude driving violation on record, making the Stinger the model with the rudest drivers in 2021. Indeed, Stinger drivers are cited for rude driving behavior 87 percent more often than the average motorist.

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