- Two Chevrolet Camaro models make the top five most-often stolen cars, relative to their numbers on roads
Car thieves love the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, while new software updates from Hyundai and Kia have made perpetrators’ lives harder. But if you truly want a car that no one will steal, buy an electric one.
Those conclusions come from an annual study from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), a division of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The insurance industry funds the IIHS. Since most Americans report stolen cars to their insurance company, the institute has easy access to data about car theft.
Researchers looked at cars from model years 2022 through 2024.
This year, researchers found, the muscle car Chevrolet stopped building in 2024 easily topped the list of targets.
“Relative to its numbers on the roads, the Camaro ZL1 had a whole-vehicle theft rate 39 times the average for all vehicles. The frequency of whole-vehicle theft claims for the standard Camaro was 13 times as high as the average,” they write.
“Muscle cars have often topped this list, as thieves are attracted to vehicles with high horsepower,” said Matt Moore, HLDI chief insurance operations officer. “That also helps explain why the more expensive, more powerful ZL1 is stolen so much more often than the standard Camaro.”
Dealers Have a Free Software Update to Help Protect Camaro Owners
- A software update, free at dealers, can help protect Camaro owners
There may be a technical reason, as well. “Thieves can steal modern vehicles by cloning the owner’s key fob with an electronic device. Ordinarily, they need access to the fob to copy it. But some media outlets have reported that thieves are able to clone the key code for newer Camaros by accessing the onboard ports that technicians use to retrieve diagnostic codes and monitor data about fuel economy, emissions, and other aspects of performance.”
Chevrolet has launched a campaign to update the software in Camaros to prevent that trick from working. If you own one and haven’t had your software updated, contact any Chevrolet dealer to arrange an appointment — it’s free.
Hyundai, Kia Software Update Cutting Theft Numbers
- A social media trend drove thefts of Hyundai and Kia models in recent years
- A free software update from the two companies has helped slow the thefts
The report had good news for some car owners. Hyundai and Kia owners suffered a nationwide theft wave starting in 2021 when social media videos showed viewers how to steal some base models of those companies’ cars with the help of a USB cord.
The companies responded with a software update that eliminates that risk. The software seems to be working. “Whole-vehicle theft claims were 52% less frequent for vehicles with the upgrade,” HLDI researchers found.
Theft claims for Hyundai and Kia vehicles remain abnormally high because not every owner has brought their vehicle in to have the patch installed. Automakers consistently tell KBB that getting owners to respond to recall and update campaigns is one of their biggest challenges.
EVs Still Rarely Stolen
- Thieves rarely go after electric cars, the researchers found
- There may be little market for their parts, but they’re also more likely to be garaged
Finally, the institute notes, electric vehicles (EVs) remain unlikely targets for thieves.
“The 20 least-stolen vehicles include eight electric vehicles and two plug-in hybrids, all of which have whole-vehicle theft claim frequencies that are more than 85% lower than the all-vehicle average,” the researchers write.
That may be true, in part, because many stolen cars are disassembled and sold as parts. EVs are a new enough technology that there is, as yet, a limited demand for used parts.
Researchers also note, however, that “electric vehicles are likely to be garaged or parked near buildings to facilitate charging.” That makes them less attractive to thieves.
The Most Commonly Stolen Cars
| Vehicle | Relative Claim Frequency (100 is average) |
| Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | 3,949 |
| Acura TLX AWD | 2,138 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 1,287 |
| GMC Sierra 2500 crew cab 4WD | 1,023 |
| Acura TLX 2WD | 805 |
| GMC Sierra 3500 crew cab 4WD | 742 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500 crew cab 4WD | 662 |
| Dodge Durango 4WD | 592 |
| Land Rover Range Rover 4WD | 540 |
| Ram 1500 crew cab short-wheelbase 4WD | 524 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500 crew cab 4WD | 402 |
| Ram 3500 crew cab long-wheelbase 4WD | 387 |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid AWD | 340 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab 2WD | 324 |
| Dodge Durango 2WD | 300 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab 4WD | 292 |
| BMW X7 AWD | 277 |
| Mercedes-Benz S-Class long-wheelbase AWD | 267 |
| Jeep Gladiator crew cab convertible 4WD | 264 |
| Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD | 260 |
The Least Commonly Stolen Cars
| Vehicle | Relative Claim Frequency (100 is average) |
| Tesla Model 3 AWD | 1 |
| Tesla Model Y AWD | 2 |
| Tesla Model 3 2WD | 2 |
| Toyota RAV4 Prime AWD | 5 |
| Tesla Model S AWD | 5 |
| Volvo XC90 AWD | 6 |
| Volvo XC40 AWD | 7 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | 8 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | 9 |
| Subaru Crosstrek AWD with EyeSight (2024) | 9 |
| Lexus NX 350 AWD | 9 |
| Ford Explorer | 10 |
| Infiniti QX60 AWD | 11 |
| Kia EV6 AWD | 11 |
| BMW iX AWD | 11 |
| Mini Cooper | 12 |
| Toyota Venza hybrid AWD | 12 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC AWD | 12 |
| Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid AWD | 13 |
| Hyundai Elantra Hybrid | 13 |
