The 12 Car Models People Are Most Likely To Speed In

Whether you're cruising down the highway or just going somewhere in a rush, it's easy to stray over the speed limit and attract the attention of your local police force. Millions of drivers will accidentally end up with a speeding fine every year, and subsequently, curse the fact that their insurance premiums will go up when they renew. But, then there are always some that simply prefer life in the fast lane and will speed no matter what the implications are. Across America, speeding fines have spiked since the pandemic, and they're showing no sign of decreasing.

Insurance quote comparison platform Insurify compiled data from a total of 6.5 million quotes across 2020 and 2021 to see which drivers looking for insurance quotes had the highest percentage of previous speeding fines. It seems that drivers of certain car models are more likely to get caught speeding than most, and while some of those models follow stereotypes, a few entries on the list are surprising. It's worth noting that there is no way of obtaining data on why these fines were given, so it's possible that some car models just attract the attention of the police more than others. But, whatever the reason for their tickets, drivers of these cars just couldn't help but get caught speeding.

A more unlikely entry than the Dodge, the GMC 1500 is the only pickup to be featured here. It was the seventh most ticketed model in the 2021 data, with 15.31% of drivers having a previous speeding violation. That's 38% more than the national average for that year, which stood at 9.59%, slightly down from 2020's overall average. Pickups like the C1500 don't exactly have a reputation for being quick, but evidently, owners of the model are just as happy as sports car drivers to sit in the fast lane.

It seems like certain pickups simply end up as the models of choice for owners who want to get places in a hurry, as in an equivalent UK study by car insurance provider Admiral, another pickup also ranked in the top 10 for speeding convictions. It wasn't an American truck but rather a Japanese one, the Mitsubishi L200, and it clocked in at number nine on their list.

The Dodge Dart is a fairly unassuming compact sedan that was sold for just a few years between 2013 and 2016, before being axed in favor of more profitable SUVs. It offered good value for money, but it never really made much impact in the wider market, as it struggled to differentiate itself from its competitors. Its awkward automatic transmission didn't help its appeal, either. It might have had a short production life, but it clearly made a big impression on drivers with a taste for speed, as it beat several performance-focused rivals to make it into the top 10 most likely cars to get ticketed in.

In 2020, 15.45% of Insurify customers who drove a Dodge Dart had previous offenses for speeding. The data doesn't break down which trims were mostly likely to get caught, but chances are it was drivers of the more powerful GT or GT Sport that attracted the most tickets. With its 2.4L inline-4 engine, the Dart GT and GT Sport made 184 horsepower, not a huge amount, but evidently enough to rack up those fines.

Subaru describes its Impreza as "more than a car," yet despite this vaguely grand assertion, it's about as typical as economy cars get. That's no bad thing though, as it starts at around $19,000, making it one of the cheapest models on the market. Subaru has also carved out a reputation for making safe, reliable cars, and the Impreza is no different. It comes with all-wheel drive and a suite of safety assistance features as standard, so some people might assume it's primarily driven by law-abiding citizens.

Well, data suggests that's not the case, as the Impreza is one of the most likely cars for drivers to get caught speeding in. In 2020, 15.9% of Impreza drivers had received at least one ticket, putting them comfortably towards the top of the table. In 2021, that figure dropped slightly to 14.81%, although that was still high enough to see them ranked within the top 10 most likely models. Clearly, Impreza owners drive with a very different driving style than their safety-conscious car suggests.

Although it's an enthusiast-focused car, it's a little surprising to see the Mazda 3 quite so high up in the speeders' hall of shame. A choice of two engine options is available for 2023, either a naturally-aspirated or turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder. The base spec engine makes 191 horsepower, while the turbo makes 250 horses. A six-speed manual is optional, although only if buyers stick with front-wheel drive. The all-wheel drive requires Mazda's six-speed automatic. The car shares some of its DNA with the Miata and it's undoubtedly an enjoyable drive, but clearly, its owners are more impressed with its top speed than its agile handling.

In 2021, 16.36% of drivers searching for quotes on Insurify had at least one speeding ticket on record. Sales figures show that over 1.5 million examples of the Mazda 3 have been sold between 2005 and 2022, and even if only half of those are still on the road, that would still be well over 120,000 Mazda 3 drivers that have speeding tickets on their record.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI is a hot hatch classic, with an extensive aftermarket that includes everything from track-ready engine upgrades to VW-approved aftermarket body kits. Even in stock form, the car is a hoot to drive, and it still remains the class benchmark even with the emergence of a whole field of upstart challengers from South Korea and Japan. Most German performance cars are built with the autobahn in mind, and clearly, plenty of American owners think they're driving on one when they're on the highway.

Unfortunately for those owners, there are no autobahns in the U.S., or in fact anywhere outside of Germany. A full 17.38% of American GTI drivers clearly didn't get the memo, as they were caught driving too fast anyway. Strangely, the GTI is the only German car on the list. Evidently, the stereotypically fast drivers in BMWs, Audis, and Mercedes-Benzs are less common on the roads than many people would think. Instead, it seems the real speeding menaces drive hot VW hatchbacks.

An impressively consistent car for speeding offenders, the Subaru WRX took the top spot in both the 2020 and 2021 data. In 2020, 20.49 percent of drivers had previously got a ticket, and in 2021, that number dropped slightly to 18.8%. The WRX comes with most of the same safety features and systems as the rest of Subaru's range, which is a good job considering how many rulebreakers like to drive the car. The WRX has a reputation for being driven recklessly by younger drivers, and the model is also a favorite among modders looking for an affordable project car.

It might have a loyal fanbase, but in our review, the 2022 WRX simply didn't hold up against the competition. The newly-redesigned steering didn't have as much feel as the previous generation car, with that lack of feedback making it difficult to determine the Subaru's limits through corners. The gear ratios on the manual car also made it difficult to keep the engine pulling hard between second, third, and fourth, which is strange for a car with a relatively low 6,000 rpm redline. Presumably, though, most buyers of the WRX aren't too fussed about the car's ability to provide feedback or keep acceleration steady, as they're too busy racking up fines from law enforcement to notice.