What was the most-stolen car last year? [View all]

WASHINGTON — The most stolen car is 20 years old.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau’s “2017 Hot Wheels Report” of the most-stolen cars in the U.S. last year is topped by the 1998 Honda Civic.

Why is a 20-year-old car the most stolen vehicle?

There are many still on the road and thieves want them for parts. But many of the most-stolen vehicles are older models because they predate effective anti-theft technology.

The NICB notes that, while 6,707 1998 Honda Civics were reported stolen in 2017, just 388 2017 Honda Civics were stolen. That means there are 17 1998 Civics were stolen last year for every 2017 model.

Four of the ten most stolen vehicles last year were pre-2005 models. In addition to the ’98 Civic, the 1997 Honda Accord ranks No. 2. The 2004 Chevrolet pickup is No. 4 and the 2001 Dodge pickup is No. 8.

The most stolen 2017 model last year was the Nissan Altima, followed by the Toyota Camry, GMC pickup, Hyundai Elantra and Ford Fusion. It should be noted that those are also some of the top-selling vehicles, meaning they are popular and there are more of them on the road for thieves to choose from.


Read more (Includes photos): https://wtop.com/business-finance/2018/09/the-most-stolen-car-is-20-years-old/slide/1/



The 1998 Honda Civic is the most stolen car overall. Ohio Gov. George Voinovich, right, gets ready to step into a new natural-gas-powered Honda Civic GX in East Liberty, Ohio, Wednesday, April 8, 1998. Voinovich was invited to drive the first of the new cars off the line during a ceremony marking its entry into the North American market. The tailpipe carbon dioxide emissions of the Civic GX are 20 percent less than a gasoline-powered car, and other toxic emissions have been slashed to almost zero, the company said. (AP Photo/Chris Kasson)