Kia, Hyundai models top 2023 list of stolen vehicles as social media exposes vulnerabilities
For years, full-size pickups had topped the list of America’s most stolen vehicles. That’s no longer true.
Kia and Hyundai models now hold the top three spots in a 2023 ranking of stolen vehicles, according to a May 9 report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a not-for-profit organization that partners with insurance companies to combat fraud and theft.
Hyundai Elantras were stolen more than 48,000 times and Hyundai Sonatas were stolen more than 42,000 times, according to the report. The Kia Optima experienced the third-highest volume of thefts, at more than 30,000.
Social media videos that expose vulnerabilities in the automakers’ vehicles likely played a role in their increased theft, the organization said.
The analysis is based on the 1,020,729 vehicle thefts from 2023 that were reported to law enforcement and entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center.
Which vehicles were most stolen?
The top 10 stolen vehicles for 2023, according to the report:
● Hyundai Elantra: 48,445 thefts
● Hyundai Sonata: 42,813
● Kia Optima: 30,204
● Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 23,721
● Kia Soul: 21,001
● Honda Accord: 20,895
● Honda Civic: 19,858
● Kia Forte: 16,209
● Ford F150 Series Pickup: 15,852
● Kia Sportage: 15,749
It’s a new look for the list, which had included a full-size pickup truck in the top three models going back to 2011.
Why thefts are up
Some models may be more vulnerable to theft because they are more common on U.S. roads.
Half the models in the list – the Honda Accord, Ford F-Series pickup, Honda Civic, Chevrolet Silverado and Hyundai