Top 10 Most Stolen Cars in America

Kia and Hyundai vehicles make up the top three and six out of the top 10 spots of the most stolen cars in America.

Updated: May 1, 2026

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A masked individual in a hoodie is attempting to break into a car using a tool, illustrating a scene of vehicle theft.

The Hyundai Elantra is America's most stolen car, with 48,445 thefts in 2023, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Full-size pickups had led the list for years. In 2023, Hyundai and Kia models overtook them. Close behind are the Hyundai Sonata, with 42,813 thefts, and the Kia Optima, with 30,204 thefts. The Sonata and Elantra first appeared on the list in 2022 before surging to the top two spots in 2023.

Among the top 10 most-stolen cars, Hyundai and Kia occupy six spots, including the top three. The NICB attributes the shift to social media videos demonstrating how to steal these models. After Hyundai and Kia, the most-stolen vehicles are full-size pickups and mid-size cars, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Honda Accord, Honda Civic and Ford F-150 Series pickup.

Most Stolen Cars: Key Takeaways

The Hyundai Elantra led all vehicles with 48,445 thefts in 2023. The Sonata was second at 42,813.

Nationwide vehicle thefts rose 1% from 2022 to 2023. The total reached 1,020,729.

Hyundai and Kia brands overtook full-size pickups as the most stolen vehicles in the U.S.

Over 85% of stolen passenger vehicles were recovered. A third were found on the same day they were reported.

The Most Stolen Cars as of 2023

The NICB's list of the most stolen cars in the U.S.

Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Sonata
Kia Optima
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Kia Soul
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Kia Forte
Ford F-150 Series pickup
Kia Sportage

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB)

1. Hyundai Elantra

Vehicles Stolen: 48,445

Model Base Price: $27,895 to $29,910 (2024 model)

The Hyundai Elantra jumped from sixth place in 2022 to first with 48,445 thefts.

2. Hyundai Sonata

Vehicles Stolen: 42,813

Model Base Price: $27,500 to $34,950 (2024 model)

Sonata thefts jumped 97% in 2023. That's the largest single-year increase in the top 10.

3. Kia Optima

Vehicles Stolen: 30,204

Model Base Price: $23,390 to $32,190 (2020 Model)

The Kia Optima climbed to third in 2023, a 66% increase from 2022.

4. Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Vehicles Stolen: 23,721

Model Base Price: $36,800 to $69,900 (2024 model)

The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 topped theft rankings in 2022, then dropped to fourth in 2023.

5. Kia Soul

Vehicles Stolen: 21,001

Model Base Price: $20,190 to $24,490 (2024 model)

High demand for its parts has moved the Kia Soul onto the most-stolen list.

6. Honda Accord

Vehicles Stolen: 20,895

Model Base Price: $27,895 to $29,910 (2024 model)

The Accord has appeared on the most-stolen list every year since 2016, making it one of the most consistently targeted vehicles in the country.

7. Honda Civic

Vehicles Stolen: 19,858

Model Base Price: $23,950 to $31,450 (2024 model)

Honda Civic thefts fell to 19,858 in 2023. Older models like the 2000 Civic are still common targets because they predate modern anti-theft technology.

8. Kia Forte

Vehicles Stolen: 16,209

Model Base Price: $19,990 to $25,390 (2024 model)

Older Forte trims shipped without immobilizers, a security gap thieves have exploited.

9. Ford F-150 Series Pickup

Vehicles Stolen: 15,852

Model Base Price: $36,770 to $78,330 (2024 model)

High demand for its parts puts the F-150 in thieves' sights.

10. Kia Sportage

Vehicles Stolen: 15,749

Model Base Price: $27,190 to $37,990 (2024 model)

Like other Kia models on this list, the Sportage lacks immobilizers on older trims, making it an easy target.

Most Stolen Cars by State

Vehicle theft rates vary by state. The interactive map below shows which cars thieves target most where you live.

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB)

State-by-State Theft Analysis

California leads the nation with 208,668 reported vehicle thefts, according to NICB data. Washington, D.C., has the highest theft rate, with 1,150 thefts per 10,000 people, three times the national average. Car thefts in the district also rose 64% from 2022. No other jurisdiction saw a larger increase.

Most Stolen Cars: Top States by Theft Volume

Based on NICB data, the volume of vehicle thefts in the top 10 states stayed steady in 2023, with California leading, followed by Texas and Florida. California, Texas, Washington, Colorado and Missouri rank in the top 10 for both theft volume and theft rate.

Rank	State	Vehicles Stolen
	California	208,668
	Texas	115,013
	Florida	46,213
	Washington	43,160
	Illinois	41,528
	Colorado	34,068
	New York	32,715
	Ohio	31,647
	Georgia	28,171
	Missouri	27,279

Most Stolen Cars: Top States by Theft Rate

The NICB analyzed the rate of stolen cars by state using data from the National Crime Information Center. Washington, D.C., Nevada and Maryland ranked among the top 10 states for vehicle theft rates.

Rank	State	Theft Rate/100,000 People
	Washington, D.C.	1,150
	Colorado	583
	Nevada	573
	Washington	554
	California	534
	New Mexico	490
	Missouri	442
	Maryland	428
	Oregon	394
	Texas	383

5 Tips to Prevent Car Theft

Vehicle thefts in the U.S. reached 1,001,967 in 2022. That's nearly two thefts every minute. High theft rates matter most to vehicle owners in high-risk areas, such as Colorado, Washington, D.C., Oregon and New Mexico.

Lock doors and windows

Lock your doors and windows every time you leave your vehicle.

Be mindful of your keys

Losing your keys or leaving them in your car is an open invitation for a thief to take your vehicle. Keep a close eye on your keys and make sure they’re on your person or near you at all times, even if you’re at home. Consider getting alarms for your keys so you can track their location on your phone.

Install vehicle safety devices

Beyond standard safety habits, install additional security devices. Vehicle immobilizers, steering wheel locks and GPS tracking devices can deter car theft.

Park your car in secure areas

You can't always control where you park, but choose well-lit areas with CCTV cameras or parking lots with security when possible.

Protect your vehicle’s wheels from theft

If thieves can’t steal your car, they can try to steal your wheels instead. For vehicles in long-term storage, install lug nut locks or wheel clamps to protect your tires.

Most Stolen Cars: FAQ

Why are some cars stolen more than others?

Older models are easier to steal. Vehicles with widely used parts also attract thieves because those parts sell for good money.

How common is car theft in the U.S.?

In 2023, thieves stole 1,020,729 vehicles (about 2,797 per day). Thefts rose 1% from 1,008,756 in 2022.

What's the hardest car to steal and why?

Tesla, Jaguar and Lexus use anti-theft systems that are hard to bypass. When tampering occurs, the vehicle notifies both the owner and manufacturer right away.

What is the easiest car to steal and why?

Older vehicles and certain Hyundai and Kia models are easier targets because they don't have immobilizers or alarm systems. Without these features, they're more vulnerable to the theft methods that drove Hyundai and Kia thefts higher in recent years.

What is the most stolen car in America?

Thieves stole 48,445 Hyundai Elantras in 2023, more than any other vehicle in the country. The 2017 model was hit most often.

How have vehicle theft trends changed over recent years?

MoneyGeek's analysis of NICB's Hot Wheels reports from 2016 to 2023 shows how theft targets shifted over that period. Ford and Chevrolet pickups led the list for years before being overtaken in 2023. The Hyundai Sonata and Elantra both broke into the top 10, while the Honda Accord and Civic have held spots since 2016.

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About Nathan Paulus

Nathan Paulus is Head of Content and SEO at MoneyGeek, where he leads content strategy and produces original data research across insurance, consumer costs, transportation safety, housing, public policy, and personal finance. He also reviews published studies for methodology, source quality and factual accuracy before they reach readers.

Research and Analysis

In nearly six years at MoneyGeek, Paulus has published more than 100 original studies and explanatory guides. His insurance research includes 50-state comparisons of health care outcomes, costs and access; an analysis of how uninsured rates track with state Medicaid expansion decisions and electoral patterns; full-coverage auto rate analyses across major insurers in all 50 states; and a study of how premium trends track with industry underwriting losses, with combined ratio data sourced from Fitch Ratings, AM Best and Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI figures. His research also covers vehicle pricing trends across the U.S. new car market, summer traffic fatality rates by state, homeowner underinsurance ratios using mortgage and policy data, and housing affordability across all 50 states.

His research has been cited by Bloomberg, the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Fast Company, the San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today and NBC Los Angeles. Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Yale have also referenced his work.

Career

Growing up, Paulus developed an early interest in personal finance through his grandmother, who emphasized saving over earning as the foundation of financial stability. Her framing still shows up in how he writes about money for people without a financial background.

Paulus joined MoneyGeek in July 2020 as Director of Content Marketing. In that role, he led the content team and directed data journalism production across insurance and personal finance verticals. He was promoted to Head of Marketing and Communications in December 2023, where he took on digital PR and communications strategy. He has held his current role as Head of Content and SEO since January 2025.

Before MoneyGeek, he served as Director of Content Marketing and SEO at Ventrix Advertising. There, he helped build two content sites from scratch, contributed to link-building programs that secured more than 1,500 unique referring domains within a year, and co-managed a marketing team of more than 20 people. Earlier, he spent two and a half years at ABUV Media, moving up from Marketing Research Analyst to Senior Marketing Tactics Analyst, where he built his grounding in audience research, content strategy and SEO.

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Sources

National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). "New Report: Imports Top List for America’s Most Stolen Vehicles." Accessed May 4, 2026.
NICB. "Vehicle Thefts Surge Nationwide in 2023." Accessed May 4, 2026.