The number of stolen cars per 100,000 people in the United States rose each year from 2019 to 2022. The raw number is large as well. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports over a million cars were stolen in America in 2022. Hyundai and Kia models especially appear to have been targeted for theft, and that trend continued early in 2023.

About this car theft trend, CNN reported, “Theft insurance claims for vulnerable Hyundais and Kias increased more than 1000% between the first half of 2020 and the first half of 2023.” The news outlet got the information from the Highway Loss Data Institute. Hyundai’s theft rate was usually high at 11.2 per 1,000 vehicles during that period. (See where your car is most likely to be stolen in each state.)

Why These Cars Are Stolen

The problem appears to be that some older models the two South Korean companies have sold have ignition systems that make the cars easier to steal. Word of this has spread among car thieves. And the problem has cost the companies money. A consumer class action suit claimed Kia and Hyundai did not do enough to protect their vehicles from theft. That led to a $200 million settlement.

Kia and Hyundai sales have surged in the United States over the past several years. Brands from Germany and Japan have dominated the American market, along with those from Ford, General Motors and, at one point, Chrysler. The two South Korean brands have received particularly good reviews from car research firms.

The two brands are also attractive to Americans because of their pricing. As the average price of a new car has increased above $40,000, the prices for several Kia and Hyundai and models are well below that. The question is, do people want a deal on cars that are likely to be targets of car thieves?

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