New data reveals that Ford Fiestas are the most stolen cars in the UK. But in terms of percentages, Toyota and Lexus hybrids top the Top 10 list, followed by the Range Rover Evoque and Sport models.
The Top 10, which has been produced by vehicle history check and valuation specialists Cap HPI reveals that with more than 1.2 million examples on the road, the Ford Fiesta is easily the most stolen car in terms of outright numbers. In 2023, Cap says that 5,360 (or 430 per 100,000 examples on the road) Fiestas were stolen across the UK in just 12 months. In number two, and a long way back, comes the Ford Focus, with 1,388 (or 244 per 100,000) thefts during the same year.
But the big news from this list is what’s happening to Toyota and Lexus models. Reporting a sharp rise in thefts of these vehicles, Essex Police Stolen Vehicle Intelligence Unit, recently recovered four containers stuffed with stolen parts – including several vehicle front ends – heading overseas. The numbers reported by Cap HPI reflect this, with a whopping 926 Lexus RXs reported stolen (or 2,396 per 100,000 registered examples). The RAV4 isn’t too far behind with 1,044 stolen (1,618 per 100k).
The third most stolen are the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport, with 1,091 thefts each (672 and 928 per 100,000 respectively). However, the likelihood of a Land Rover owner suffering from their car being nicked is much more likely than the bigger-selling Fords.
Unsurprisingly, Ford also tops the most stolen makes of vehicles for all cars, followed by Land Rover, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. Vehicles by Audi, Vauxhall, Toyota, Nissan and Kia make up the remainder of the top 10 most stolen makes by volume.
HPI says 109 cars are flagged as stolen every day. Unfortunately for consumers, cars with hidden secrets are often offered for sale by unscrupulous sellers who won’t always declare to unsuspecting buyers that the car is stolen/recovered or even an insurance write-off.
Jon Clay, identification director at Cap HPI, says: ‘We always advise that buyers considering buying a used car conduct a comprehensive vehicle history check. HPI Checks reveal some shocking statistics that can affect the value of a car, including 2,205 cars being identified as write-offs, one in three cars having a hidden history, and one in three cars on sale still having outstanding finance.’
Top 10 cars stolen in the UK
| Make and Model | Number on Road | Number Stolen | Stolen per 100,000 |
| Ford Fiesta | 1,245,766 | 5,363 | 430 |
| Ford Focus | 569,860 | 1,388 | 244 |
| Range Rover Evoque diesel | 162,381 | 1,091 | 672 |
| Range Rover Sport diesel | 117,544 | 1,091 | 928 |
| Volkswagen Golf | 440,176 | 1,090 | 248 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 64,521 | 1,044 | 1,618 |
| Lexus RX | 38,653 | 926 | 2,396 |
| Vauxhall Corsa | 663,882 | 902 | 136 |
| Volkswagen Golf diesel | 406,321 | 850 | 209 |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport diesel | 104,079 | 817 | 785 |
What this means for you
Twenty years ago, we all assumed that cars were becoming harder to steal and that joyriding or stealing to order would soon be a thing of the past. How wrong we were. With keyless technology being so widespread, thieves have found ingenious ways of navigating these systems, and can often steal your car from your driveway or garage without causing any damage at all.
You can fight back, and we’ve produced a guide on how to stop your car getting stolen. Top tips from us would be to secure your garage if you have one, and if you have a keyless car, to use a Faraday pouch to protect your fob at all times. Physical devices like a wheel lock are also a highly visible deterrent.
But don’t ever assume your car is impossible to steal – because the technology designed to protect it can have vulnerabilities.
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