In this article, we will look at the 20 most stolen vehicles in the US in 2023.
Data from the FBI shows that although violent crimes decreased in 2022 compared to last year, robbery increased by 1.2% during the same period. In fact, homicide and rape decreased by 6.1% and 5.4%. At the same time, stolen car losses increased by more than 10%.
Some cars are more likely to be stolen than others. One thing to note here is that both luxury and affordable cars are likely to be stolen. Affordable cars usually lack advanced security mechanisms, making them prone to theft. In addition, parts of these cars are readily sold because more people own them. So, they are attractive to car thieves since they can easily turn the car into cash. Luxury cars, on the other hand, may be difficult to steal and sell but give a higher return to the thieves. These cars could either be smuggled or stolen into parts.
A study from Highway Loss Data Institute revealed that muscle cars with powerful engines appear attractive to thieves, and are more likely to be stolen. As you will see, the car that tops our list is a muscle car. In fact, three out of the top five cars in our list are muscle cars by the same company. Pickup trucks and vehicles with powerful engines have a higher chance of being stolen. In addition, another factor that might make your car more likely to be stolen is the lack of an electronic immobilizer. It is not common for cars of older models to have electronic mobilizers, so thieves might gravitate towards stealing them. Japanese imported cars sell like hotcakes and often do not have an electronic immobilizer. So, this is the reason why Japanese cars are being stolen.
Sometimes, thieves will identify a potential flaw in a vehicle’s security and will manipulate that flaw, making that car more likely to be stolen. A recent example of this is the recent surge in theft of Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Videos of thieves prying the ignition cover off Kia and Hyundai vehicles and then using a screwdriver to start them went viral on TikTok. As a result, the thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles increased. In 2021, 10746 vehicles were stolen in Milwaukee, 66% of which were Hyundais and Kias. In fact, four out of the 20 most stolen vehicles on our list are from Kia.
Amid car thefts, the car insurance market is booming. The United States Motor Insurance is expected to grow at a cumulative average growth rate (CAGR) of 4.7% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2028. It is currently valued at $344.43 billion and is expected to reach a valuation of $433.46 billion by 2028. State Farm is one of the largest auto insurance companies in the United States. The company also has the leading market share with 16.8%.
The national cost average of full coverage car insurance is $1601 annually. At the same time, the cost of insuring a car is on the rise, as it increased by 45% between the period of 2013 and 2022. Young drivers are expected to pay more for their car insurance. The average insurance cost for 16-year-old drivers with their own policy is whooping $8,765.
A garage mechanic working on a car engine, a bright shininginning on its components. Editorial photo for a financial news article. 8k. –ar 16:9
Methodology
To curate our list of the 20 most stolen vehicles in the United States, we utilized data from the Highway Loss Data Institute. The institute uses relative claim frequency, which is the number of times a car theft is claimed divided by the total number of vehicles insured, to compile a list of the most stolen vehicles.
20 – Honda CR-V
Relative Claim Frequency – 270
Honda CR-V is a mid-sized affordable SUV crossover, making it an absolute favorite of car thieves around the wItct, it is one of the most stolen cars in Canada too. The older models of CR-V are more prone to theft because they lack electronic immobilizers. In addition, the simpler design of older models makes them easy to break in and hot wire the car.
19 – Nissan Maxima
Relative Claim Frequency – 284
The Nissan Maxima is a four-door sports car that is cheaper than most sports cars out there. The older models of Nissan Maxima, however, are prone to be stolen. In the past thieves loved Maxima’s high-intensity discharge headlights, which were easy to steal and sold like hotcakes. Currently, the 2016 model seems to be a prime target of thieves.
18 – Infiniti Q50 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 286
Infiniti Q50 4WD is a luxury sedan, making it a favorite among thieves. The brand Infiniti is owned by Nissan, and it is interesting to see that this is the second Nissan car in our list of most stolen vehicles in the US in 2023. Another thing to note is that the simpler variant without the 4-wheel drive of this car ranks much higher on the list.
17 – Ram 3500 Crew Cab Long-wheelbase 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 306
Pickup, trucks, and muscle cars are car thief favorites, and the Ram 3500 Crew Cab Long-Wheelbase 4WD is no exception. It is a heavy-duty truck and its price ranges from $50,000 to more than $100,000 depending on the variant and condition. It is also one of America’s most favorite trucks, making it a prime target of car thieves.
16 – Honda Accord
Relative Claim Frequency – 306
The iconic Honda Accord has been one of the most popular sedans in the world. The car became one of the best-selling ones when it was introduced in the US market back in 1989. The older models of the Honda Accord are prone to theft because of the lack of immobilizers. In fact, back in 2014, it was one of the top 3 most stolen vehicles in the United States. The newer Honda Accords, it turns out, are also prone to theft because of a keyfob fault. Thieves can hack your Honda Accord via a portable radio.
15 – Ford F-250 SuperCrew 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 337
Ford F250 SuperCrew 4WD is a heavy-duty truck introduced in 1999 by the Ford Motor Company. The truck is quite popular in the United States because of its utility. It can be used to tow other vehicles, carry heavy loads, and cruise through rough terrains. However, even the newer models of Ford F-250 SuperCrew 4WD are prone to theft. The models prior to 2007 had ignition switches located right under the ignition column, making it a breeze to start the engine without a key. The newer models are prone to car hacking. Thieves can clone or steal key fobs and cut off the signals sent from the key fob to the car. The high demand for this car and the ease of stealing make it an absolute favorite among thieves.
14 – BMW X7 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 338
The BMW X7 4WD is a full-size luxury sports utility vehicle that is quite popular in the United States, making it one of the prime targets of car thieves. Recently, Tom Cruise’s BMW X7 was stolen while he was filming a movie.
13 – Ford F-350 SuperCrew 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 349
Ford F-350 is among the most stolen vehicles in the US in 2023. It is the big brother of Ford F250, as the two are quite similar. The only difference between the two trucks is that F-350 has greater payload and towing capacities, and a larger chassis and dimension. However, the F-350 is more prone to theft because its parts are more expensive.
12 – Kia Forte
Relative Claim Frequency – 357
Kia Forte is an affordable and popular Sedan, which could easily be bought for under $20,000. However, its popularity and affordability also make it prone to theft because parts are sold readily in the market. Hyundais and Kias are the most stolen car brands, and in some cities, they make up more than 60% of cars being stolen. The surge in theft of Kia Forte came when a TikTok video explaining how these cars can be stolen went viral.
11 – Kia Rio
Relative Claim Frequency – 359
Kia Rio is the 11th most stolen vehicle in the US in 2023. It is an affordable hatchback which is more popular than the Kia Forte. So, it is more prone to theft compared to the Forte.
10 – BMW X6 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 361
BMW X6 4WD is quite similar to the X7, which ranks much lower in our list of the most stolen vehicles in the US. The car can be easily stolen through a range extender and copying the key fob. It is a luxury and popular car, which makes it one of the prime targets of car thieves.
9 – Honda CR-V 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 409
The four-wheel drive version of the Honda CR-V is one of the ten most stolen cars in the United States. It is also interesting to see that the relative claim frequency jumped from 361 to 409 compared to the BMW X6. The non-4-wheel drive Verion is also among the most stolen cars in the United States, but it had a claim frequency of 270. The higher price bracket and more expensive spare parts make this car a more likely target of car thieves.
8 – Kia Sportage 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 415
As we have mentioned earlier, Kias and Hyudais are the most stolen car brands. Kia Sportage is a sports utility vehicle that is quite popular in the United States. Although the latest versions of the car include an electronic immobilizer, the car is among the most stolen brands because of a viral TikTok video showing how to steal these cars.
7 – Land Rover Range Rover Sport 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 460
The Range Rover Sport 4WD by Land Rover is a luxury sports utility vehicle, which is currently in its third generation. The first generation of the car was introduced in 2005. Range Rovers are targeted by thieves for overseas markets. However, because its spare parts are quite expensive, some thieves steal it and sell spare parts separately.
6 – Kia Sportage
Relative Claim Frequency – 479
Kia Sportage is more favorite among thieves compared to its more option-loaded, four-wheel drive version. This car is more popular because of its price bracket and hence easier for thieves to steal.
5 – Land Rover Range Rover 4WD
Relative Claim Frequency – 611
Range Rover 4WD is a thieve’s favorite compared to its sports version by a significant margin. Its relative claim frequency is 611 as opposed to 460 for the sports version. This Range Rover is comparatively more affordable and hence higher in number in the United States, making it a more likely target.
4 – Dodge Challenger
Relative Claim Frequency – 611
The Dodge Challenger is arguably one of the most popular muscle cars in the United States, which also makes it a prime target of car thieves. Dodge Challengers are high-performing cars and are limited in number. In addition, even the older versions of the car manufactured in the 1990s are worthy. Since the older versions of the car do not have advanced tech to prevent theft, they are more likely to be stolen.
3 – Infiniti Q50
Relative Claim Frequency – 878
The non-4-wheel drive version of the Infiniti Q50 is among the top 3 most stolen cars in the United States. It is the third Nissan Car to end up in our list of the most stolen vehicles.
2 – Dodge Charger HEMI
Relative Claim Frequency – 2,197
The Dodge Charger HEMI is among the most popular muscle cars in the United States. It is a thief’s favorite by a margin. The third most stolen car had a claim frequency of 878, whereas this one had a claim frequency of 2,197, which is more than double of the third vehicle on our list of the most stolen cars.
1 – Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat
Relative Claim Frequency – 6,128
The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is the most stolen vehicle in the US in 2023. With a claim frequency of 6,128, it is very highly likely to be stolen. For comparison. The second most stolen vehicle, the Dodge Charger HEMI, has a claim frequency of 2197. The relative claim frequency of this car is almost seven times that of the third vehicle on our list. To put things more into perspective, the average claim frequency of cars is 100.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Most stolen vehicles in the US in 2023 is originally published on Insider Monkey.
