New analysis of DVLA data has revealed the car models most likely to be stolen in the UK, with Lexus and Range Rover models dominating the top spots. The data, obtained by LeaseLoco and analysed by MailOnline, shows that the Lexus RX was the most stolen popular car model in 2023 as a proportion of vehicles on the road, with more than one in 50 taken.
The Range Rover Velar came second, with 560 out of 38,286 vehicles stolen – a rate of one in 68. Overall, across all Range Rover models, approximately one in 100 were stolen last year, totalling 4,451 thefts out of 456,139 vehicles. This has led to insurance difficulties, with some owners facing quotes of £14,000 a year or being unable to obtain cover from Jaguar Land Rover's own insurance firm.
JLR boss Adrian Mardell has disputed the characterisation of Range Rovers as 'Britain's most stolen vehicle', noting that thefts fell by 27 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022. He stated that only 11 out of 12,800 of the most recent model were stolen, according to police data, and argued that insurers should readily cover new vehicles. However, insurance expert Daniel Lloyd-John said the figures reflect underwriters' views that insuring certain cars is 'uneconomic' due to theft frequency.
The full top ten list includes: Lexus RX (1 in 46), Range Rover Velar (1 in 68), Range Rover Sport (1 in 82), other Range Rovers (1 in 111), Toyota Rav4 (1 in 123), Range Rover Evoque (1 in 133), Land Rover Discovery (1 in 146), Ford Fiesta (1 in 241), and others. The Ford Fiesta was the most stolen car in absolute terms, with 5,976 thefts, but its large number on the road lowered its theft rate.
