The most favorite car brands among thieves

Two Hyundai models and one Kia were the three most stolen cars last year, according to a National Insurance Crime Bureau report.

The Hyundai Elantra specifically targeted by thieves was stolen more than 48,000 times last year, while the Hyundai Sonata sedan was stolen nearly 43,000 times, according to the report. Third on the list is a Kia Optima sedan, which has been stolen more than 30,000 times, according to the report, which only counted thefts reported to police.

Those theft numbers far exceeded those of the fourth-most stolen model, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup, one of America’s best-selling vehicles. According to the report, Silverado pickup trucks have been stolen about 24,000 times.

Overall, six of the 10 most stolen cars in America last year were Hyundai and Kia models. The list included Kia Soul, Kia Forte, and Kia Sportage. Other cars on the list include the Honda Accord, Honda Civic and the Ford F-150 pickup.

The NICB reports primary police-reported theft data collected through the National Crime Information Centre.

The numbers are not adjusted based on the population of a particular model on the road, so to some extent some vehicles may get stolen more often simply because there are more of them available to steal.

Why are Hyundai and Kia cars among the most important targets?

By the first half of 2023, thefts of older Hyundai and Kia models had increased 1,000 percent since 2020, according to a Highway Loss Data Institute report earlier this year.

Some older Hyundai and Kia models manufactured before 2023 are particularly vulnerable to car thieves. Less expensive versions of vehicles, such as cars with an integrated ignition system — as opposed to cars that only require the push of a button to start — are nearly twice as likely to be stolen than other vehicles of the same age, according to HLDI.

These vehicles may lack some basic auto theft-prevention technology, such as electronic immobilizers, built into most other vehicles even in those years, according to HLDI. Electronic immobilizers rely on a computer chip in the car and another in the key to communicate to ensure that the key is original and belongs to that car.

Techniques for stealing these cars are spreading through social media channels.

Hyundai and Kia operate as separate companies in the United States, but Hyundai Motor Group owns a significant stake in Kia, and the various Hyundai and Kia models share much of their engineering. Newer models from these automakers are less likely to be stolen.

Earlier this year, Hyundai and Kia agreed to a $200 million settlement with up to 9 million car owners to settle allegations that the automakers didn’t do enough to make vehicles safe. Besides payments for stolen and damaged vehicles, the settlement also included the installation of anti-theft software and the cost of other theft prevention measures.

“In response to this situation, Kia continues to take comprehensive measures to enhance the security of our vehicles in an effort to prevent criminals from using theft tactics popularized on social media to break the law and steal or attempt to steal certain models of vehicles.” Kia spokesman James Bell said.

According to Kia, anti-theft software has been installed in more than 1.1 million Kia vehicles nationwide. The company also provides free steering wheel locks for vehicles that do not accept anti-theft programs. Hyundai said it has retroactively added several anti-theft measures to 1.3 million of its vehicles.

Source: OT