Over the past three years, specific models manufactured by Hyundai and Kia have experienced a staggering tenfold surge in thefts, attributed to a trend sparked by online content demonstrating how to steal these vehicles.
Insurance claims related to theft for vulnerable Hyundai and Kia models skyrocketed by over 1000% between the initial half of 2020 and the corresponding period in 2023, as per data sourced from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), an organization monitoring insurance statistics within the industry.
In early 2020, approximately 1.0 out of every 1,000 insured Hyundais and Kias were reported stolen, on par with the theft rates for other car brands. By the first half of 2023, however, this figure surged to 11.2 per 1,000 for these specific models, while the theft rates for other car manufacturers remained relatively consistent.
Throughout the first half of 2023, theft claims for Hyundai and Kia vehicles surpassed those for cars from other manufacturers by more than sevenfold, according to HLDI findings.
Specific older models of Hyundai and Kia produced between 2015 and 2019 have been identified as particularly susceptible to theft. Lower-cost variants of vehicles like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Tucson, along with the Kia Forte and Sportage, equipped with turn-key ignitions – as opposed to models that initiate via a push-button start – are roughly twice as prone to theft compared to vehicles of similar age.
The absence of fundamental anti-theft technology, such as electronic immobilizers, in many of these vehicles stands out. The HLDI notes that electronic immobilizers, present in most other vehicles during those years, rely on a communication link between a computer chip in the car and one in the key to validate the key’s authenticity and its connection to the specific vehicle.
While Hyundai and Kia function as distinct entities in the United States, Hyundai Motor Group owns a significant stake in Kia, and several models from both brands share much of their engineering. More recent models, however, exhibit decreased vulnerability to theft.
Certain states like New York, Washington, and Delaware witnessed considerable upticks in Hyundai and Kia theft claims during the initial half of the past year, according to HLDI data. For instance, in Maryland, theft claims surged from four per 1,000 insured vehicles in the latter half of 2022 to 14 in the first half of 2023.
The modus operandi for theft, involving the use of the metal tip of a USB cable to initiate the car, was disseminated widely via social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
