Most stolen cars in America—and steps you can take to avoid losing yours
You may not realize how much your car is being scoped out by potential thieves. Is your car aging, parked on a high-traffic street, and in good shape? You could be driving one of the most commonly stolen cars in America, from perennial favorite family sedans to iconic trucks and SUVs.
In 2020, most newer cars have pretty robust security features as a matter of course. But the average car on the road is a record-high 16 years old, meaning every new car is balanced by at least one car that’s a great deal older. These older cars often have long track records of reliability and low-cost operation. But they also could be a song and dance to break into with a simple Slim Jim.
But why is it worth it for thieves to steal these much older cars of lower value? Parts. Car owners with vehicles that are out of warranty aren't going to new car dealerships for repairs; they go to repair shops or search online for parts. That drives interest in components stripped from older cars, bought by shops looking to cut corners, or sold online to unwitting consumers who think they're buying pieces from wrecked—not stolen—vehicles.
Because of this, theft is a major concern. Which cars are thieves looking for most, and why are they drawn to certain cars? Coverage.com used 2018 data (released on Nov. 19, 2019) from the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s Hot Wheels report to compile the top 10 car models that are most frequently stolen in America. The cars are ranked by the number of total car model thefts as reported to the National Crime Information Center every year. Each slide also contains information on states where this model has been stolen the most, according to NICB. For brevity, the top four car models only include states that list the car as being the #1 most stolen in the state, and the other six car models include states that list the car as being in their top three most stolen.
To protect your vehicles from theft, there are common-sense rules worth following. Keep the doors locked, don't store valuables in the vehicle, park in a well-lit or heavily trafficked area, and incorporate a tracking/recovery system and/or theft-prevention product (the more visible or loud, the better).
Keep reading to see which cars are the most stolen in the United States.
