Stay Safe: Here Are The 20 Hardest Cars to Steal

Shopping for a new car or even a pretty lightly used one? It might be important to consider how frequently your future dream car is stolen while you're kicking the tires and trying out the heated seats. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) reports that over a million cars were stolen yearly in both 2022 and 2023, and that number has been rising steadily since 2019.

The category of vehicle least likely to be stolen are SUVs, followed by pickup trucks, but there are specific vehicles with higher and lower risk in every category. Knowing where your future car stands can not only ensure you don't get surprised by high insurance rates but also that you don't go to get in your vehicle one day and it's simply not there.

Cars that are hardest to steal

Having been a victim of grand theft auto myself once, I can tell you it's both unsettling and incredibly violating to discover your car has just...vanished. In my case, it was a beloved cherry-red short bed Chevy pickup that I had driven for years. Fortunately, my ride was recovered a week later, like approximately 85% of stolen passenger vehicles.

Still, you never want to have to deal with that if you can avoid it by simply choosing a car that's harder to steal. The chart below shows the 20 cars least likely to be stolen, according to the most recent HLDI report. Because of their lack of serious claims, these cars are also relatively cheap to insure.

As you can see, the most frequently stolen of these unlikely-to-be-swiped cars are stolen at a rate of less than seven times the national average, which is, frankly, where you want to be if you own a car that you don't want to lose.

What makes cars hard to steal?

So what is it about these cars that's keeping them safe from criminals? It's certainly not their looks, even though some are definitely cuter than others (shoutout to the adorable Nissan Leaf electric).

For many of these cars, simply being an electric car makes them less likely to be stolen. Electric cars are generally charged at night, kept indoors or in a well-lit place outside near a charger, and often have external cameras on them due to that. Six of these cars are electric and, for now at least, these are relatively conspicuous options for thieves.

Volvos, of which there are four on the list, have amazing security systems that include both standard audible alarms for anybody breaking into the car, as well as movement sensors for anybody who might be inside the car without a key. They're also relentless noisemakers, with alarm cycles that may repeat 10 times if not shut off. The alarm sounds for 30 seconds during each cycle, and the hazard flashers start a disco party for five full minutes. That's one heck of a theft deterrent.

Fortunately, these are common security systems in all the cars mentioned above, making them just really not worth the effort should a thief come upon one unattended and vulnerable. That also makes them beloved of the best insurance companies out there, which is great for your wallet, too. Peace of mind, piece of cake.

Choose a hard car to steal and be happy for the rest of your life

Well, I can't actually guarantee that you'll be happy for the rest of your life with a hard-to-steal car, but I can assure you that you'll never walk out of your apartment to a sinking feeling because you know you left your vehicle right there, and now it's gone.

I got lucky -- my pickup was recovered whole, and it wasn't crashed into a tree or in a ditch somewhere. But you never know. If you really are in love with the popular sports car, by all means, live your joy. But if you want something that you don't have to worry about as much, check out these cars and see if any spark your imagination.