Hyundai and Kia Thefts Surge Over 1,000% Since 2020

Particular Hyundai and Kia models have experienced a tenfold spike in thefts over the past three years, which is a substantial rise correlated to social media posts giving information on ways to steal these cars, according to CNN.

During the first half of 2020, “roughly 1.0 out of every 1,000 insured Hyundais and Kias were reported stolen. That was about the same as for all other makes of cars.” However, in the first half of 2023, that figure rose to 11.2 out of every 1,000. At the same time, the figures for other car makes remained the same.

According to the HLDI, Hyundai and Kia theft claims were over seven times higher than for vehicles produced by other automobile companies in the first half of 2023.

The older and more affordable models of both Hyundai and Kia, which were made from 2015 to 2019, are at higher risk of being stolen. The Hyundai Tucson and Santa Fe and the Kia Sportage and Forte require a physical key to turn on the ignition — compared to cars that only need the press of a button to get started — which makes them more vulnerable to theft in comparison to other cars of the same age.

According to the HLDI, a lot of these cars don’t have the fundamental technology to prevent theft, such as electronic immobilizers, which rely on a computer chip in the car and another in the key that interact to confirm that the key is authentic and really belongs to that particular car.

Hyundai Motor Group owns a large portion of Kia, and although the two makes operate as their own independent companies in the U.S., they share a lot of the same engineering. Some of their most recent models are more theft-proof.

According to HLDI data, some states, including New York, Delaware, and Washington, reported a rise in theft claims for both makes at the start of 2023. For example, claims rose from 4 out of 1,000 insured vehicles in the last part of 2022 to 14 out of 1,000 in the first half of the following year.

HLDI senior vice president, Matt Moore, says this rapid rise in thefts is linked to more awareness and information circulated and available about the techniques that can be used to target these vehicles. Specifically, the theft involves starting cars using the metal tip of a USB cable.

As the trend began to spread on social media, most notably TikTok, traditional news media stories also transferred information about how vulnerable these vehicles are. But media coverage can also serve as valuable information to inform people on ways they can safeguard their cars.

“I think at this point, it’s important to help consumers understand, the folks who own these vehicles that have the vulnerability, that there is a remedy that is available,” said Moore.

In May 2023, both Hyundai and Kia agreed to a $200 million settlement for around 9 million owners of their vehicles following claims that they didn’t have sufficient measures in place to ensure vehicles were secure. As well as payments for vehicles that were subjected to theft and damage, the settlement also provided installation of anti-theft software and the costs to cover theft-preventative functionality.