5 Cars That Are The Least Likely To Be Stolen

When buying a vehicle, you probably focus on things like affordability, reliability, safety, color, and style. You might consider the things you should never say when buying a car at a dealership (because you want to keep your emotions in check while seeking a good deal). You may also want to focus on buying cars that aren't frequently stolen, as you could pay higher insurance premiums or end up with unexpected out-of-pocket expenses for deductibles for damage after someone steals the vehicle.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, more than 850,000 vehicles were stolen in the United States in 2024, so this is a significant problem and worth considering when buying certain models. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) has researched which newer model cars are most likely to be stolen and which are rarely stolen. (HLDI is a non-profit research organization that serves as an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), which was founded in 1959 and performs research on safe driving.)

According to research from HLDI, three of the five models that are stolen the least often are Tesla models, including the Model 3, Model Y, and Model S vehicles. Other vehicles on the list are the Toyota RAV4 Prime and the Volvo XC90. HLDI studied vehicles of the 2022 to 2024 model years and focused only on whole-vehicle theft numbers, based on the frequency of insurance claims for each model.

While it's not impossible to steal a Tesla, it requires determination and some hacking skills, which helps to make these electric vehicles (EVs) more difficult to steal than gas-powered cars. These factors contribute to making the Tesla Model 3 the most difficult car to steal currently, according to the HLDI research. The Model 3 actually appears near the top of the list twice. The Model 3 all-wheel drive ranks first on the list with a relative theft claim frequency score of 1. (The score is based on the HLDI scale, where an average vehicle has 100 claims.) The Model 3 two-wheel drive vehicle ties for second on the list with an HDLI score of 2.

The Tesla Model 3 sold more than 476,000 units in 2024, making it the manufacturer's second-most popular EV. Despite its popularity, it remains extremely difficult to steal because of its advanced security features. The Model 3 uses multiple alarm systems that measure for movement inside the cab, an open trunk, or open doors without an authorized key or smartphone in the vicinity. It can also sound if the vehicle gets moved without a nearby key, such as with a tow truck.

A new Model 3 has a typical MSRP range of about $42,500 to $55,000, but it could be as low as about $37,000, making it the cheapest Tesla car to hit the market. The 2026 Tesla Model 3 received a "CR Recommended" designation from Consumer Reports.

On the HLDI scale, the Tesla Model Y all-wheel drive SUV ties with the Model 3 two-wheel drive for second on the latest list of most difficult cars to steal. It has a relative theft claim frequency score of 2, where a score of 100 is a vehicle with an average number of thefts. 

Like the Model 3, the Y has several advanced security features, including multiple alarms and a PIN-to-drive feature that requires you to enter a four-digit number before you can drive away. You can also activate Sentry Mode on most Tesla models, which allows you to access the vehicle's cameras and watch for suspicious activity near the car. Both the Tesla Y and 3 require you to use a smartphone or a key card to open and operate the car. Because these devices don't have wide fields of communication, they are far more complicated for a hacker to replicate than the standard key fob signals commonly used with other newer cars.

Consumer Reports gives the Tesla Model Y a "CR Recommended" designation. The 2026 all-wheel drive Y has a recommended price range of about $50,600 to $61,600. The Model Y is easily Tesla's most popular vehicle, as it recorded more than 1.18 million units sold in 2024, which is more than every other Tesla car combined.

You might be a little surprised to see the Toyota RAV4 Prime appear on the HLDI's list of the most difficult vehicles to steal. It's tied for fourth on the list with a score of 5 for relative theft claim frequency. It's surprising to see it on the list because the Toyota RAV4 and Toyota vehicles in general have been frequent targets of thieves over the past several years. Canada's Équité Association named the RAV4, which is the gas-powered version in this model family, as the country's most-often stolen vehicle during 2024. (The RAV4 Prime is a plug-in hybrid model.) In the United States during the decade of the 2010s, the Toyota Camry and Corolla models ranked among the eight most-stolen vehicles, according to a study by The Zebra.

According to the HLDI list, which studied model years 2022 to 2024, the RAV4 Prime changed that narrative. (Toyota renamed the RAV4 Prime as the RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid, or PHEV, beginning with the 2025 model year.) It uses a Smart Key System, where you need the key in your pocket to unlock the doors or push the start button. Toyota designed the Smart Key System to be difficult to clone, hoping to thwart would-be thieves. The 2025 RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid has an MSRP of $44,800 to $48,700. Consumer Reports gave the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid a "CR Recommended" designation.

The Tesla Model S all-wheel drive vehicle is tied for fourth on the HLDI list, producing a relative theft claim frequency score of 5. Like the other Tesla vehicles on this list, the Model S focuses on security, offering several different features aimed at thwarting thieves. Tesla EVs are notoriously difficult to steal, even if the thief manages to steal the owner's PIN and thwart the vehicle's cameras and other security features. Without a gas tank, a thief can't anonymously fill the Tesla Model S with fuel and pay with cash. Hooking the S to the grid or using a public charging station makes the vehicle easy to identify and find for law enforcement officers. Thieves may simply skip these cars and look for easier targets.

The 2026 Tesla Model S is a pricey alternative to the Tesla 3 and Y, carrying an MSRP range of about $96,600 to $111,600. The S is considered a luxury sports car, which partially explains its significantly higher price than the other Tesla models on this list. It offers premium interiors and exceptional speed.

The all-wheel drive Volvo XC90 ranks as the sixth-most difficult vehicle to steal, according to the HLDI research. Its relative theft claim frequency score on the HLDI scale is 6. Its design has included standard anti-theft capabilities for years, but the latest models also contain advanced alarm systems that sound if unexpected movement is detected in the cabin or a door is unexpectedly opened. If a thief gains access to the SUV, the vehicle will sound an alarm and the owner will receive a smartphone message and an app notification. If the vehicle begins moving, Volvo can track the car through the on-board software, contacting the owner and law enforcement officers about the SUV's current location. Additionally, the XC90 has an immobilizer feature that can shut down the vehicle until a valid key is present.

The 2026 Volvo XC90 holds a "CR Recommended" designation from Consumer Reports. The XC90 has an MSRP of between $62,300 and $75,200. The XC90 is a "mild hybrid" vehicle, meaning it's primarily a gas-powered car, but it also has a small electric engine that assists that gas engine, rather than powering the car alone. Volvo also offers a plug-in hybrid design of the XC90. The hybrid design has a relative theft claim frequency score of 13 in the HLDI research.