Top 10 Stolen Cars in America: In the past, full-size pickups dominated the list of America’s most stolen vehicles. However, that’s changed now.
According to a recent report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Kia and Hyundai models have taken the top three spots in the 2023 ranking of stolen vehicles. The National Insurance Crime Bureau, a non-profit organization collaborating with insurance companies to combat fraud and theft, released this report.
The organization suggested that social media videos highlighting vulnerabilities in these automakers’ vehicles may have contributed to the increase in thefts.
The report indicates that Hyundai Elantras were stolen over 48,000 times, followed by Hyundai Sonatas with over 42,000 thefts, and the Kia Optima with more than 30,000 thefts.
This analysis is based on data from 1,020,729 vehicle thefts reported to law enforcement and entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center in 2023.
Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 stolen vehicles for 2023:
- Hyundai Elantra: 48,445 thefts
- Hyundai Sonata: 42,813 thefts
- Kia Optima: 30,204 thefts
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 23,721 thefts
- Kia Soul: 21,001 thefts
- Honda Accord: 20,895 thefts
- Honda Civic: 19,858 thefts
- Kia Forte: 16,209 thefts
- Ford F150 Series Pickup: 15,852 thefts
- Kia Sportage: 15,749 thefts
This marks a departure from previous years, where full-size pickup trucks consistently ranked in the top three since 2011.
Certain models may be more susceptible to theft due to their prevalence on U.S. roads. Interestingly, half of the models on the list are also among the top 10 most popular cars in the U.S. as of 2022, based on a report by Insurify.
According to a December report from the Highway Loss Data Institute, theft claims for Hyundai and Kia models from 2003 to 2023 were more than 10 times higher in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period three years prior.
This spike has been attributed to a lack of theft immobilizers in many Hyundai and Kia vehicles, a vulnerability that was widely shared on social media.
Both Hyundai and Kia have taken steps to address this issue. Earlier this year, they agreed to a $145 million class-action settlement and are set to compensate eligible car owners who experienced vehicle thefts.
Hyundai and Kia spokespersons have stated their commitment to enhancing vehicle security and assisting those affected by thefts. They also emphasized their collaboration with law enforcement agencies and efforts to counteract the influence of social media in encouraging car thefts.
