A car can say plenty about its owner, but DUI data can reveal an unexpected side of the driving picture. Insurify’s analysis found that some vehicle models appear in DUI records far more often than others. The figures measure DUI convictions per 1,000 drivers, giving each model a rate that can be compared with the national average of 6.4 convictions per 1,000 drivers.
The Buick Envista sits at the top with a rate more than 11 times the national figure, while the Ford Bronco rounds out the 10 vehicles listed. These numbers do not mean the vehicle itself causes impaired driving. They simply show which models had the highest DUI rates in the data used for the analysis.
1. Buick Envista
The Buick Envista takes the top spot with 72.1 DUI convictions per 1,000 drivers, according to Insurify’s vehicle analysis. That figure is striking when placed beside the national average of 6.4 convictions per 1,000 drivers.
The Envista’s rate is more than 11 times the national figure, making it the highest rate among the 10 models listed. That number may catch a reader off guard because the Envista is a relatively modern Buick crossover rather than a vehicle commonly associated with aggressive driving.
Its design emphasizes everyday transportation, comfort, and practicality. DUI statistics, however, are not a measurement of how sporty, fast, or powerful a vehicle is.
A DUI rate attached to a particular model should also be read carefully. The figure represents convictions associated with drivers of that vehicle, not evidence that the vehicle encourages impaired driving.
Many factors can affect such statistics, including who buys a particular model, where those drivers live, how much they drive, and other personal or demographic factors.
For shoppers, the Envista’s position is best treated as an interesting statistical finding rather than a reason to avoid the vehicle. A car cannot determine whether someone drives sober.
The driver’s decision remains the central factor in preventing an impaired-driving incident.
2. Buick Encore GX
The Buick Encore GX records 58.7 DUI convictions per 1,000 drivers, placing it second on Insurify’s list. Its rate is also far above the national average of 6.4 per 1,000 drivers.
Put simply, the model appears in DUI conviction data at a much higher rate than the average vehicle in the analysis. The Encore GX is a compact SUV designed for regular passenger use.
That makes its position on this list particularly interesting. There is nothing about its basic purpose that connects it directly with impaired driving.
A vehicle’s presence in DUI statistics is tied to its registered drivers and the records associated with them.
Statistics such as these can sometimes create an easy assumption: if a model has a high DUI rate, perhaps something about the vehicle encourages risky behavior.
The data does not support such a definitive conclusion. It shows a correlation between a particular vehicle model and DUI convictions, but it does not prove that the vehicle itself causes or contributes to those incidents.
There is also a useful distinction between a rate and a raw count. A model could have thousands of DUI convictions simply because millions of people drive it. Insurify’s measure uses convictions per 1,000 drivers, which provides a standardized way to compare models.
For anyone considering an Encore GX, the statistic should be viewed as a data point rather than a judgment about the vehicle or its owners. Safe driving depends far more on driver choices than on the badge attached to the hood.
3. Chevrolet Bolt EV
The Chevrolet Bolt EV posts 40.6 DUI convictions per 1,000 drivers, giving it the third-highest rate in the Insurify data. That figure is more than six times the national average of 6.4 convictions per 1,000 drivers.
The Bolt EV stands apart from several other vehicles on this list because it is an electric car. Its inclusion shows that high DUI rates are not limited to traditional gasoline-powered SUVs, sedans, or older vehicles.
The presence of an electric model in the top three makes the data more difficult to connect with vehicle type alone. A vehicle’s powertrain does not determine whether a driver operates it responsibly.
Electric propulsion, gasoline engines, hybrid systems, and other technologies can all be found in vehicles driven by people who make different choices behind the wheel.
The Bolt EV is also a practical example of why statistical rankings need context. A rate of 40.6 does not mean that 40.6% of Bolt drivers have DUI convictions.
The measurement is expressed as convictions per 1,000 drivers. That distinction matters because the rate is a standardized statistic rather than a percentage.
The data also does not say that Bolt owners are more likely to drink and drive because they chose an electric vehicle. It simply places the model third in this particular ranking.
Anyone interpreting the result should keep the measurement in its proper frame: it describes an observed DUI conviction rate associated with the model, not a cause-and-effect relationship.
4. Chevrolet Astro
Here’s the oldest vehicle on the list, and it’s a surprise guest. The Chevrolet Astro, a classic van, sits fourth at 29.9 DUIs per 1,000 drivers. It hasn’t been built since 2005, yet plenty are still on the road.
Picture the Astro in its heyday. It hauled families to soccer games, carried tools for contractors, and moved bands and gear to weekend gigs. Boxy, roomy, and simple, it earned a loyal following among people who wanted space without a high price.
That history helps explain its place here. A vehicle that old tends to be cheap to buy and cheap to insure, and those qualities can appeal to drivers watching their budgets. Older vehicles also pass through many owners, each with their own driving history.
Let’s keep this fair. A list built from insurance quotes for a model that’s been out of production for two decades has a very different owner pool than one for a brand-new crossover.
The Astro’s number tells us about the people who currently own and insure one, not about the van. Is there a practical lesson? Yes. Older vehicles lack the advanced driver aids found in newer cars, which makes responsible driving even more important.
If you own a classic van, keep it maintained, keep it insured, and keep every trip sober.
5. Chevrolet Blazer
Next up: the Chevrolet Blazer, with 28.1 DUIs per 1,000 drivers. That’s mid-pack on this list, but still more than four times the national average of 6.4.
Quick snapshot. The Blazer is a midsize SUV with sporty styling and a wide range of trims. It appeals to a mix of buyers, from young professionals to families who want something with a bit of attitude.
Let’s break it down.
What the number means: for every 1,000 Blazer drivers in Insurify’s data, about 28 reported a DUI on their record.
What it doesn’t mean: that Blazers are more dangerous, or that their owners drive worse than anyone else.
Why it might look high: popular models with a broad range of buyers collect a broad range of driving histories. And a driver with a past DUI still needs a vehicle, and still needs coverage.
What’s interesting about the brand: Chevrolet has three models on this list, the Bolt EV, the Astro, and the Blazer. Buick also has three. Of the ten vehicles, eight are American-made.
Does the brand matter? Not in any way the data can prove. Brands like these sell affordable vehicles to a wide range of buyers, which may help explain why they appear so often.
Practical tip: if you drive a Blazer, enjoy the style and skip the risk. A ride home costs a tiny fraction of what a DUI does.
6. Jaguar XF
Here’s the odd one out: the Jaguar XF, with 27.5 DUIs per 1,000 drivers. Nearly every other vehicle on this list is mainstream and budget-friendly, but the XF is a luxury sedan.
According to Insurify, it’s the most expensive model on the list, with a Kelley Blue Book price of $51,075. That detail breaks a popular theory.
Some people suggest the list reflects affordable cars chosen by drivers trying to save on insurance. A $51,000 sedan doesn’t fit that story. So whatever explains these numbers, price alone isn’t the answer.
Think about how used luxury cars work. A sedan like the XF loses value quickly, so a once-pricey car can become attainable for a wider range of buyers. Many XFs on the road may be used examples, owned by drivers who never paid the sticker price.
There’s also a simple statistical point. A model with a smaller owner pool can swing sharply, because a few drivers with a DUI on their record can push the rate higher.
What can luxury buyers learn from this? Not much about the car, but plenty about the bill. Insurance for a luxury model costs more to begin with, and a DUI adds more than $1,600 a year on average, based on Insurify’s figures.
Premium badges don’t protect anyone from premium penalties.
7. Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave comes in seventh with 22.8 DUI convictions per 1,000 drivers. That rate remains considerably higher than the national average of 6.4 per 1,000, although it is lower than the figures recorded by the six models above it.
The Enclave is a larger SUV built with passenger space and everyday practicality in mind. Families and other drivers may choose a vehicle like this for its room, comfort, and utility. Those qualities do not provide a direct explanation for its position in DUI statistics.
One useful way to read the figure is to compare it with the national benchmark. At 22.8 per 1,000, the Enclave’s rate is more than three times 6.4. That makes the difference easy to see without turning the statistic into a judgment about every Enclave driver.
DUI data also needs to be separated from general vehicle safety. A DUI conviction rate tells us something about drivers associated with a vehicle model.
It does not measure crash protection, braking performance, occupant protection, or the effectiveness of driver-assistance features. For that reason, a person shopping for an Enclave should not treat this ranking as a safety rating.
The two subjects answer entirely different questions. The result is still useful as a statistical observation. Among the models examined by Insurify, the Enclave had a DUI conviction rate of 22.8 per 1,000 drivers.
That places it seventh, with a sizeable gap between its figure and the national average.
8. Volkswagen New Beetle
The Volkswagen New Beetle records 17.4 DUI convictions per 1,000 drivers, placing it eighth in the ranking. Although its rate is lower than those of the seven vehicles above it, it remains well above the national average of 6.4 convictions per 1,000 drivers.
The New Beetle brings a very different vehicle profile to the list. Its distinctive styling and compact design made it easily recognizable, while its passenger-car format separated it from larger SUVs and vans elsewhere in the ranking.
Still, appearance and vehicle size do not provide an answer to why the model has this DUI rate. The statistic concerns the drivers connected with the vehicle, not the mechanical design of the New Beetle.
There is also a useful mathematical point here. A rate of 17.4 per 1,000 is not the same as saying 17.4% of drivers received DUI convictions. The denominator is 1,000 drivers, making the reported figure a rate rather than a percentage.
That distinction can prevent readers from overstating what the ranking says. The data identifies a higher-than-average rate, but it does not establish that most New Beetle drivers have been convicted of DUI.
The model’s eighth-place ranking therefore provides a statistical comparison rather than a verdict on the car. It tells readers where the New Beetle falls within Insurify’s list based on convictions per 1,000 drivers.
For responsible motorists, the practical lesson is straightforward: the model in the driveway does not determine whether someone drives after drinking.
9. Chrysler Pacifica
The Chrysler Pacifica has a reported DUI rate of 17.3 convictions per 1,000 drivers, placing it ninth on the list. Its figure is just below the Volkswagen New Beetle’s 17.4 and remains considerably higher than the national average of 6.4.
The Pacifica is a minivan, a vehicle category commonly associated with families, passengers, and practical transportation. Its appearance in the ranking is a reminder that DUI statistics can include virtually any type of vehicle.
A minivan’s purpose does not prevent its driver from making a poor decision. At the same time, the Pacifica itself cannot be held responsible for the behavior of people operating it.
The reported rate is connected to the drivers in the data, not to a mechanical feature that causes impaired driving. Its position near the bottom of this top-10 list also gives the numbers some perspective.
Although 17.3 is considerably higher than 6.4, it remains well below the Buick Envista’s figure of 72.1. The data shows substantial variation among the 10 vehicles, with a wide gap between the first and ninth entries rather than a consistent pattern across the ranking.
Readers should resist turning that gap into assumptions about individual motorists. A model-level statistic does not tell us what any particular Pacifica owner will do.
The Pacifica’s ninth-place position simply reflects its reported rate in the Insurify analysis. It is useful for comparison, but it should be considered alongside the limits of the data rather than treated as a statement about the character or habits of its drivers.
10. Ford Bronco
We finish with the Ford Bronco, at 16.8 DUIs per 1,000 drivers. That’s still about 2.6 times the national average of 6.4, even though it sits at the bottom of the list. Insurify’s top ten ranges from burly off-roaders to tiny hatchbacks.
The Bronco returned with plenty of buzz, and its rugged image might lead some people to assume its owners are the type to drive recklessly.
The results challenge that assumption. The Bronco sits at the bottom of this ranking, none of the top ten vehicles are pickup trucks, and only one comes close to fitting the definition of a sports car.
The main takeaway is that the vehicles most associated with DUI incidents in this dataset span a wide range of everyday models, including crossovers, an electric vehicle, a luxury sedan, a minivan, and several older cars. A vehicle’s image or category does not determine a driver’s behavior.
What should readers do with all of this? Three things. Don’t judge a driver by the car. Don’t judge a car by a ranking built on owner records. And don’t let anyone drive impaired, including yourself.
The average driver with a DUI pays $4,176 a year for full coverage instead of $2,532, per Insurify, and that’s before legal costs or the risk to human lives.
Plan the ride home before the night begins. A rideshare, a designated driver, or a quiet night in beats any statistic on this page.
