Hyundai and Kia fashions topped US auto theft rankings final yr

WASHINGTON — Two Hyundai fashions and one Kia had been the three most-stolen autos final yr, in keeping with a report from the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau.

Hyundai Elantra compact automobiles had been stolen greater than 48,000 instances final yr whereas Hyundai Sonata sedans had been stolen virtually 43,000 instances, in keeping with the report. Kia Optima sedans had been stolen greater than 30,000 instances in keeping with the report, which solely counted police-reported thefts.

These theft numbers far outstripped these of the fourth most stolen mannequin, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup, one of many best-selling autos in America. Silverado pickups had been stolen about 24,000 instances, in keeping with the report.

In all, six of the highest 10 most-stolen autos in America final yr had been Hyundai and Kia fashions. The record included the Kia Soul, Kia Forte, and Kia Sportage. Different autos on the record had been the Honda Accord, Honda Civic and the Ford F-150 pickup.

The bureau studies uncooked numbers of police-reported thefts which can be gathered by means of the Nationwide Crime Data Heart. The numbers are usually not adjusted for the inhabitants of a given mannequin on the street so, to a sure extent, some autos could also be extra generally stolen just because there are extra of them out there to steal.

Why Hyundai and Kia automobiles are high targets

By the primary half of 2023, thefts of older Hyundai and Kia fashions had elevated by 1,000% since 2020, in keeping with a report by the Freeway Loss Knowledge Institute early this yr.

Sure older Hyundai and Kia fashions made earlier than 2023 are significantly weak to automobile thieves. Inexpensive variations of autos reminiscent of these automobiles geared up with turn-key ignitions — versus automobiles that solely require a button press to begin – are roughly twice as more likely to be stolen as different autos of the same age, in keeping with the info institute.

These autos can lack a few of the fundamental auto theft prevention applied sciences, reminiscent of digital immobilizers, included in most different autos even in these years, in keeping with the institute. Digital immobilizers depend on a pc chip within the automobile and one other in the important thing that communicates that the secret’s genuine and belongs to that car.

Methods to steal these automobiles unfold by means of social media channels. As theft claims for Hyundai and Kia autos have elevated since 2020, vandalism insurance coverage claims on them have additionally gone up, in keeping with institute information. That is presumably a results of these fashions being focused for theft however left broken when some makes an attempt fail, in keeping with the info institute.

Hyundai and Kia function as separate firms in america, however Hyundai Motor Group owns a big stake in Kia, and varied Hyundai and Kia fashions share a lot of their engineering. Newer fashions from these automakers are much less weak to theft.

Earlier this yr, Hyundai and Kia agreed to a $200 million settlement with as many as 9 million car house owners to settle claims that the automakers did not do sufficient to make the autos safe. Together with funds for stolen and broken autos, the settlement additionally included the set up of anti-theft software program and the prices of different theft-preventative measures.

“In response to this case, Kia continues to take complete motion to boost the safety of our autos in an effort to stop criminals from utilizing strategies of theft popularized on social media to interrupt the regulation and steal or try and steal sure car fashions,” Kia spokesman James Bell mentioned in an emailed assertion.

Greater than 1.1 million Kia autos nationwide have had anti-theft software program put in, in keeping with Kia. The corporate can also be offering free steering wheel locks for autos that aren’t capable of settle for the anti-theft software program. Hyundai mentioned it has retroactively added varied anti-theft measures on 1.3 million of its autos.