By Shawn Henry 
New vehicle theft data from 2025 shows a clear pattern: the cars stolen most often were either extremely common on American roads or known to have exploitable security weaknesses. In many cases, thefts were described as crimes of opportunity rather than carefully planned operations.
The most stolen vehicle of 2025 was the Hyundai Elantra, with 11,329 thefts reported during the first two quarters of the year. It was the only model to exceed 10,000 thefts in that six-month span. The Elantra’s appearance at the top of the list stood out because it was not among the best-selling vehicles in recent years. Older versions without engine immobilizers played a major role, and theft levels remained elevated even after security upgrades became available. Despite that, thefts were trending downward compared to 2024.
The Hyundai Sonata followed with 9,154 reported thefts. Like the Elantra, it was affected by a broader theft trend tied to base-model security vulnerabilities that gained attention through social media demonstrations beginning in 2022. That same trend continued to influence theft patterns years later.
Honda models also ranked high. The Accord placed third with 8,531 thefts, largely due to the sheer number of vehicles still in circulation, many lacking modern theft deterrents. The Civic ranked fifth with 6,396 thefts, driven in part by older models produced before immobilizers became standard equipment.
Pickup trucks remained frequent targets. The Chevrolet Silverado ranked fourth overall with 8,006 thefts, overtaking the Ford F-150, which recorded 4,996 thefts and ranked seventh. The Silverado’s rise coincided with concerns about keyless-entry vulnerabilities, while thefts of F-Series trucks appeared to decline following new security technology.
Other vehicles rounding out the top 10 included the Kia Optima, Toyota Camry, Honda CR-V and Kia Soul. In several cases, high theft totals were linked more to long-term popularity than to specific design flaws.
Separate insurance-based data showed a different picture, focusing on theft rates relative to how many vehicles exist and highlighting certain high-performance trims as especially targeted. That analysis underscored that raw theft totals only tell part of the story in understanding vehicle theft trends.
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