Do Tesla cars scare car thieves?

An American study among insurers shows that Tesla vehicles are much less stolen than their competitors. But why?

Having a hyper-technical image is not a disadvantage when it comes to warding off thieves. It must be said that Tesla models are ultra-connected, which we recently reminded by recalling what a car films when parked.

Thieves therefore know: “Big Brother is watching you!” A study published by The Highway Loss Data Institute reveals the ranking of the most stolen cars in the United States between 2020 and 2022… but also the least stolen. It should be clarified that the ranking is based not on quantity but on the relative volume compared to the number of units in circulation. In other words, we are talking about theft rates. Finally, to avoid paranoia, know that the theft rate in the USA is 0.41 cars per 1,000 insured vehicles, with an average theft value of $45,068 per vehicle. To sum up, luxury vehicles are mostly the ones…

Let’s start with the victims: the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has a theft frequency 60 times higher than the average insured vehicle. The American muscle car, sold for around $84,000 (78,000 euros), attracts desire despite its “look-at-me” attitude, but also suffers from significant security flaws that make it highly vulnerable.

In the list of prime targets, second place goes to another Dodge Charger Hemi, then the Infiniti Q50 (3rd), another Dodge (Challenger, 4th), the Range Rover (5th), and the Kia Sportage (6th). The BMW X6 ranks 10th. Kia and Honda are often mentioned, with the Korean company admitting four models in the Top 20, and the Japanese three.

At the other end of the ranking, there are the high performers who are almost impossible to steal. In 1st and 2nd positions, we find the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, with theft reports 97% less frequent than the average insured vehicle.

In 3rd position is the Volvo XC90, followed by the GMC Acadia. In 5th place is the Tesla Model X, and 20th is the Model S. In this “virtuous” Top 20, we find all four variants of Tesla, four Volvo, two Chevrolets, two Buicks, one Nissan, one Mercedes, one Subaru, one Lexus, one Cadillac, and one Land Rover.

And what if car theft was a profession on the decline?

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