If you own a Dodge Challenger or Charger, you might want to keep an eye on it as Highway Loss Data Institute says they have a theft rate that is more than five times higher than average.
According to their study, which looked at claims from the 2016-2018 model years, the Hemi-powered Dodge Charger is a favorite with thieves as it gets stolen 5.4 times more than average. The Challenger SRT Hellcat wasn’t far behind as its theft rate was nearly 5.3 times higher than average.
Rounding out the top five is the Infiniti Q50 (5.25x), Infiniti QX80 (4.22x) and GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab (3.93x). The top 20 list also included less powerful versions of the Challenger and Charger as the all-wheel drive sedan was stolen 2.74 times more than average, while the basic model was taken 2.66x more than average. Those numbers aren’t great, but they’re less than the standard Challenger which was stolen 3.58 times more than usual.
On the luxury side, the top 20 list included the all-wheel Mercedes S-Class (2.91x), Land Rover Range Rover (2.71x) and Audi A7 (2.39x). Last but not least, the Infiniti QX80 made a second appearance as its four-wheel drive variant was stolen 2.36 times more than average.
Shockingly, some of the cars with the lowest theft rates were the BMW 3-Series, Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X. They had theft rates so low that thieves were almost twice as likely to steal a Volkswagen Beetle.
Other unpopular models include the Chevrolet Equinox, Buick Encore and Subaru Legacy. They were followed by the GMC Acadia and Subaru Forester.
While the list is different than those put out by other groups, there’s a reason for it. The Highway Loss Data Institute was looking to compare the relative theft risk of different vehicles. The organization says most traditional lists focus on raw theft data and are “therefore dominated by the most common vehicles on the road.”
Also Read: Nissan Altima Becomes Most Stolen New Car In America
The HLDI is encouraging automakers to improve security features to help reduce thefts. As the group noted, the Cadillac Escalade used to be hugely popular with thieves but it didn’t make this year’s top 20 list. Part of the reason is increased competition, but the group also noted Cadillac installed additional anti-theft features in 2015. These included glass breakage sensors, motion detectors and an inclination sensor.
That being said, HLDI Senior Vice President Matt Moore acknowledged vehicle theft is a crime of opportunity. Of course, one the easiest ways to prevent being a victim is to not leave your keys inside a vehicle.
Click here to see the complete list of vehicles with the highest claim frequencies for theft
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