Which Vehicles Are the Most Stolen in America?

As of 2022, the most popular vehicles among car thieves are pickup trucks made by Chevrolet and Ford, while sedans made by Kia and Hyundai also saw a notable uptick in thefts due to a viral social media trend that exposed how to steal them without having access to the keys.

Keep reading to find out more about the most stolen cars in the U.S. along with what steps you should take to lower your exposure to car theft and how your car insurance policy may be able to help.

On This Page

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  The Most Stolen Cars in America

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  What State Has the Most Stolen Cars?

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  How Do I Keep My Car Safe From Theft?

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  FAQs

The Most Stolen Cars in America

The following sections will go over the top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles of 2022 including how many thefts there were of each make and model and what model year was the most likely to be stolen.

10. Honda CR-V

Given its status as Honda’s best-selling sports utility vehicle (SUV), it is perhaps unsurprising that the Honda CR-V was the target of a high number of thefts in 2022.^[1] There were 13,832 Honda CR-V thefts throughout the year, with the 2001 model year being the most popular among thieves.^[2]

9. GMC Full-Size Pickup

GMC is the first of three car manufacturers whose full-size pickup trucks were among the top 10 most stolen vehicles in 2022. Over the course of the year, 16,622 GMC full-size pickups were stolen. The most commonly stolen model year was 2005, highlighting how thieves often target older vehicles since they are less likely to have sophisticated anti-theft measures in place.^[2]

8. Toyota Camry

Taking its name from the Japanese word for “crown,” the Toyota Camry earned the dubious crown of being Toyota’s most frequently stolen vehicle of 2022. It was the subject of 17,094 thefts. Interestingly, rather than targeting older models, thieves were instead most likely to steal the 2021 model.^[2]

7. Kia Optima

The Kia Optima is the first of three vehicles on this top 10 list that may owe their presence here to social media. In 2022, there was a spike in Kia and Hyundai thefts amid a viral TikTok and YouTube trend in which content creators explained how to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles without a key.^[3]

As a result, the two car manufacturers agreed to a $145 million settlement to compensate people who bought certain models that came without an engine immobilizer from 2008 to 2022.^[3] As for the Kia Optima, there were 18,221 thefts in 2022 and the most stolen model year was 2015.^[2]

6. Hyundai Elantra

The first of Hyunda’s vehicles to appear on this list is the Hyundai Elantra. This compact car was stolen on 19,602 occasions throughout 2022. Most often, robbers opted to steal the 2017 model year, highlighting the vulnerabilities of even relatively modern Hyundai models.^[2]

5. Hyundai Sonata

Rounding out the victims of the 2022 TikTok trend on this list is the Hyundai Sonata. Car thieves opted for slightly older models of this midsize sedan, as the 2013 model year was the most commonly stolen version of the car. In total, there were 21,707 Hyundai Sonata robberies in 2022.^[2]

4. Honda Accord

The Honda Accord has a long history within the United States, becoming the first car manufactured in America by a Japanese automaker in 1982.^[4] Perhaps it is fitting, then, that the Honda Accord’s most stolen model year was 1997, the oldest of all the vehicles on this list. Throughout 2022, there were 27,089 Honda Accord thefts.^[2]

3. Honda Civic

Not only is the Honda Civic the overall best-selling Honda vehicle of all time but it was also the most commonly stolen Honda vehicle of 2022.^[5] Civic owners were the victims of 27,113 thefts over the course of 2022, with the 2000 model year standing out as a top target for thieves.^[2]

2. Ford Full-Size Pickup

Closing out this top 10 list are a pair of titans in the pickup truck manufacturing industry. Although its F-Series sold the most pickup trucks of 2023, Ford was only the second-most common target of car thefts in 2022.^[6] There were 48,175 Ford full-size pickup thefts in 2022, marking a significant increase compared to the third-ranked car on this list, and the most stolen model year was 2006.^[2]

1. Chevrolet Full-Size Pickup

While it was the second-best-selling truck brand of 2023, the No. 1 most stolen truck brand of 2022 was Chevrolet, making the Chevrolet full-size pickup the most stolen vehicle overall.^[6] Chevrolet full-size pickup truck owners experienced a staggering 49,903 thefts in 2022. Of all model years, 2004 models were the subject of the greatest number of heists.^[2]

What State Has the Most Stolen Cars?

California is currently the state with the most car thefts by a large margin. See the below table for a rundown of the top 10 states that had the most car thefts in the first half of 2023 and how many thefts were reported in each state during that time frame.^[7]

How Do I Keep My Car Safe From Theft?

To protect your car from larceny, consider parking it in a closed garage if possible or in a well-lit area if you must park it on the street or in an open driveway. In addition, you should take common-sense measures to make it more difficult for someone to steal your car such as locking your doors, rolling up your windows and bringing your keys with you whenever you aren’t driving your car.

Meanwhile, you should consider installing a car alarm and potentially other anti-theft devices that could deter would-be criminals such as a steering wheel lock or kill switch. You could also install a tracking device so that, in the event that your car is stolen, there is a greater chance that it will be recovered quickly.

Finally, if someone steals your car, you should be sure to report it to the police as soon as possible. Of all vehicles that are stolen and later recovered, 34% of them are recovered on the same day they are stolen, while an additional 11% are recovered by the end of the day afterward.^[2]

Does Insurance Cover a Stolen Car?

A liability-only car insurance policy won’t cover automobile theft but your insurance company will cover theft if you add comprehensive coverage to your policy. Comprehensive insurance isn’t required by law in any state but it is generally required by lenders and lessors. As a result, it’s likely that your auto insurance policy already includes coverage for car theft if you had to finance or lease your vehicle.

Does Insurance Cover Catalytic Converter Theft?

Comprehensive insurance can help you pay to replace your catalytic converter if it has been stolen and repair any damage a thief caused in the process of breaking into your car as long as the cost of repairs and replacements is below your comprehensive coverage limit, which is usually set at the actual cash value (ACV) of your car.^[8]