10 Cars Thieves Target Most Often in America

They say the best defense is knowing what the enemy wants and for car thieves, some models are simply too tempting to pass up. From ubiquitous commuter sedans to desirable SUVs with easy access and resale value, these ten vehicles end up on chop-shop lists and joyride wishlists far more often than others. In this piece we’ll break down which cars get targeted most, why thieves pick them, and quick steps you can take to make your ride a harder score. Read on your next parking decision might just save you a headache (and an insurance claim).

Honda Civic

Oh man, the Honda Civic. It’s like, the king of this list, and has been for… forever, it feels like. It’s just everywhere, you know? And they’re so reliable, they run forever, which is great for owners but also means there’s a massive, massive market for their parts. A thief can strip one down in an hour and sell everything. It’s crazy. I had a friend in college with one, a 2001 model, and he never locked it because he said, and I quote, “nobody would want this piece of junk.” But they totally would! For the engine, the catalytic converter, the airbags… ugh. A new one is, what, like starting around $25,000? But the older ones from the 90s and 2000s are the real targets. They’re easier to steal, no fancy immobilizers or anything.

Honda Accord

Wait, is this just the Honda show? Seriously, the Accord is right up there with the Civic. Same story, different body style. It’s the family sedan, the commuter car, the… you know, the default. And because there are millions of them on the road, finding a buyer for a used Accord fender or a set of wheels is no problem at all. It’s like stealing… I don’t know, a staple. It’s not glamorous, but it’s always in demand. A new Accord is actually really nice now, kinda sleek, starts around $28,000. But again, the older ones are sitting ducks.

Ford Pickup (Full-Size)

Okay, shifting gears—ha—to American muscle. But truck muscle. The Ford F-Series, like the F-150. It’s the best-selling vehicle in America for like, 40 years straight, so of course it’s a target. These things are workhorses, and their parts are worth a fortune. Also, and this is a big one, a lot of them are left running outside convenience stores or with the keys in them on job sites. It’s just… too easy for thieves. And a brand new one can easily climb past $60,000 or even $80,000 for a fancy trim, so it’s a huge score.

Chevrolet Pickup (Full-Size)

And right behind Ford is Chevy, the Silverado. Same deal. It’s like the other side of the same coin. Powerful, ubiquitous, and their catalytic converters are… I think they’re particularly valuable because of the metal content? Something like that. So they get targeted for that a lot. You see one on blocks in a parking lot and you know exactly what happened. It’s a shame because a well-kept Silverado is a beautiful thing. Price is similar to Ford, starts in the $30,000s but good luck finding one that cheap, they’re usually way more.

Toyota Camry

Back to the sedans. The Camry is the… the beige wallpaper of the car world. And I mean that in the best way! It’s dependable, it’s comfortable, it just works. But that also makes it a prime target for theft. It’s the same parts-economy thing as the Hondas. There’s a Camry in every other driveway, so the demand for its components will never dry up. It’s just a smart, if totally boring, steal for a thief. A new one is, uh, probably around $27,000-ish? See, even the price is forgettable. But in a good way!

Nissan Altima

Oh, the Altima. You know, this one is interesting because it’s not always at the very top of reliability lists, but it is always near the top of theft lists. I think part of it is that some of the older models had… let’s say, less-than-great security features. And they’re a really common rental car, which means they’re everywhere. They’re not a bad car, honestly, but they just seem to have a magnet for trouble. A new one starts around $25,000. Not bad for what you get, but maybe get a good alarm system, you know?

Toyota Corolla

We can’t forget the Corolla. It’s the Camry’s little sibling, and the best-selling car of all time globally. That’s a huge statistic. So, you know, if you’re a thief looking for a guaranteed payday, you just find a Corolla. Any year, any color. The parts are interchangeable across so many model years, it’s a goldmine. They’re practically legos. And they’re so inexpensive to begin with—a new one is like $22,000—which makes the used parts market even hotter.

GMC Pickup (Full-Size)

This is basically the fancier cousin of the Chevy Silverado, the Sierra. Same platform, same mechanics, often a higher price tag. So for a thief, it’s the same payoff but maybe with some nicer interior bits to sell. It’s a status symbol truck for a lot of people, which unfortunately also makes it a status symbol for thieves to nab. You’re looking at maybe $37,000 to start, but they get pricey fast.

Hyundai Elantra

Okay, so this one has been in the news a lot lately. Some Hyundais and Kias from, like, 2015 to 2021, they didn’t have engine immobilizers. Which is a standard anti-theft thing. And it made them ridiculously easy to steal with just a USB cable—it became a whole TikTok challenge, which is just the worst. So the Elantra shot up the theft lists not because of its parts, but because of pure vulnerability. It’s a shame because it’s a decent, affordable car, starting around $21,000. But that whole situation was a massive oversight.

Jeep Cherokee (SUV)

Finally, an SUV. The Jeep Cherokee, specifically the older ones from the 90s and early 2000s. They’re super simple mechanically, which makes them easy to hotwire, and they have a cult following. People are always fixing them up, so there’s a constant demand for parts. The new ones are way more secure, but the classic boxy ones? Thieves love ’em. A new Cherokee is… hmm, probably starts in the low $30,000s now.