Car theft surged more than 10% in one year. See the most stolen models.

Fri, 10/20/2023 - 06:09

2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat — The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat was the most stolen vehicle from 2020 to 2022
Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is the most frequently stolen vehicle in the US, a nonprofit says.
It tops the list of 20 others that IIHS says are stolen more often than average.
Kia and Hyundai cars also made the list, after viral videos exposed a quirk making them easy to steal.

The FBI released its annual crime report this week, revealing rising motor vehicle theft.

From 2021 to 2022, stolen car losses rose 10.9% while most other violent crimes fell about 1.7%, the report said.

Some cars are more prone to theft than others, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The nonprofit said it identified the top stolen cars from 2020 to 2022 based on a review of claims per insured vehicle.

As you might expect, pricey cars like the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, which can cost more than $80,000, topped the list. Cheaper Hyundai and Kia cars also made the list, likely due to their lack of electronic immobilizers — a shortfall that was exploited after it was exposed on social media.

Thieves favor the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat the most, stealing it about 60 times more frequently than the average car, IIHS said, landing it a relative claim frequency of more than 6,000.

Here's the full list of the most stolen vehicles, according to IIHS: (as a reference point, the average relative claim frequency across all vehicles is 100):

20. Honda CR-V