Dodge Charger Keeps Crown For America's Most Stolen Vehicle

The muscle car leads this year's Highway Loss Data Institute study on car theft.

Dodge Charger most stolen vehicle in America

Angel Sergeev

By: Angel Sergeev

Aug 31, 2023 at 6:59am ET

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In the realm of automobile theft, the name of the Dodge Charger continues to hold a notorious position, yet again clinching the top spot on the Highway Loss Data Institute's (HLDI) compilation of the most stolen vehicles in the United States for the model years 2020 to 2022. An unexpected viral trend targeting Hyundai-Kia vehicles has propelled four Kia models into the upper echelons of the top 20 list but we will get to that in a minute.

According to HLDI's most recent comprehensive report on vehicle thefts, theft claims involving the Charger in the SRT Hellcat version surpassed the norm by a factor of over 60 times the average for all models from 2020 to 2022. Similarly, the HEMI-powered Charger variant saw theft claims elevated by more than 20 times the average during the same period.

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For more than a decade, the Charger and Challenger models equipped with potent, robust engines have consistently emerged among the top five most-stolen vehicles, a trend that commenced in the model year 2011. However, what stands out is the rapidity with which these theft claims have surged. In the case of the 2020-22 Charger SRT Hellcat models, the incidents of whole-vehicle theft claims escalated to 25 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years, up significantly from approximately 18 claims for the 2019-21 models. A stark comparison to this is the 2017-19 Infiniti Q60, which experienced a mere two thefts per 1,000 insured vehicle years.

While the Charger models retain their notorious status, they are joined by vehicles of other brands in the unfortunate spotlight of frequent theft. Among these are luxury vehicles from manufacturers such as BMW, Infiniti, and Land Rover, along with three full-sized pickups. Notably, the roster also encompasses modestly priced models from Honda, Kia, and Nissan, thus encompassing a comprehensive spectrum of vehicles.

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Below is the list of the Top 20 most stolen vehicles in the US for the 2020-2022 model years:

Make and model Vehicle size/type Relative claim frequency
(100 = average) Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Large car 6,128 Dodge Charger HEMI Large car 2,197 Infiniti Q50 Mid-size luxury car 878 Dodge Challenger Large car 766 Land Rover Range Rover 4WD Large luxury SUV 611 Kia Sportage Small SUV 479 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 4WD Large luxury SUV 460 Kia Sportage 4WD Small SUV 415 Honda CR-V 4WD Small SUV 409 BMW X6 4WD Mid-size luxury SUV 361 Kia Rio Minicar 359 Kia Forte Small car 357 Ford F-350 SuperCrew 4WD Very large pickup 349 BMW X7 4WD Large luxury SUV 338 Ford F-250 SuperCrew 4WD Very large pickup 337 Honda Accord Mid-size car 306 Ram 3500 crew cab long-wheelbase 4WD Very large pickup 306 Infiniti Q50 4WD Mid-size luxury car 287 Nissan Maxima Mid-size car 284 Honda CR-V Small SUV 270

As mentioned above, theft reports reveal a big surge in the pilfering of Hyundai and Kia vehicles, attributed to the discovery that a significant number lacked advanced electronic immobilization systems, rendering them vulnerable to thieves. This realization has thrust four Kia models into the upper ranks of HLDI's list. Meanwhile, 6 out of the 20 models with the lowest claims for whole vehicle theft belong to the electric vehicle segment, while an equal number hail from the General Motors stable.

Source: IIHS

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