Full-sized pickup trucks for years had been the favorite target for vehicle thieves. But not anymore.
Kia and Hyundai models now rank first, second, and third in a 2023 ranking of stolen vehicles, according to USA Today. A nationwide rash of Hyundai and Kia thefts caused the rare change, the Kelley Blue Book said.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), a nonprofit organization that works with companies to combat insurance fraud and theft, recently released its 2023 list.
The group reported that social media posts exposing vulnerabilities in the Asian automakers’ cars may have played a big part in the spike in thefts. Hyundai Elantras were stolen more than 48,000 times and Hyundai Sonatas were stolen more than 42,000 times, NICB reported. Kia Optimas ranked third in the volume of thefts at 30,000 according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The analysis is based on the 1,020,729 vehicle thefts reported to law enforcement and entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center.
Here are the top 10 most stolen cars in 2023 according to the report.
- Hyundai Elantra, 48,445
- 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
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