Most Stolen Cars List Includes Dodge Charger, Ford F-250

The most stolen vehicles on the market include the Dodge Charger and Ford F-250, with each model topping rivals lists released yesterday.

The Charger was followed closely by the Mitsubishi Gallant and Cadillac STS on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s list, which details thefts per 1,000 cars (according to police reports) produced for the 2011 model year.

Contradicting those results are ones released by the Highway Loss Data Institute, which compiles data based on insurance claims per 1,000 years of insurance coverage. According to the HLDI, the F-250 is followed by the Chevy Silverado 1500 and Chevy Avalanche pickup trucks. In fact, trucks dominate the HLDI list with six of the 10 vehicles being pickups, while the remaining four are all SUVs.

Notable on the list is the Cadillac Escalade, which sits in sixth spot, a sign that theft-prevention measures taken by General Motors have worked. After finishing as the most stolen vehicle for four consecutive years, Cadillac added theft prevention measures.

HLDI’s list is made up of model years from 2010 to 2012.

Equally interesting data is what cars are least popular with thieves. According to NHTSA the list-toppers include the BMW X5, Lexus SC and Volvo XC70, while HLDI says you’re least likely to have your car stolen if you drive a Dodge Journey, VW Tiguan 4WD or Audi A4.

While there’s plenty of differentiation between the lists, one commonality is the decrease in thefts overall with NHTSA’s data revealing that car theft in the 2011 calendar year was 91 percent lower than in 2010, dropping from 1.17 thefts per 1,000 cars in 2010 to 0.1 thefts per 1,000 cars in 2011.

In total, the rate of car theft has gone down an average of 13 percent each year since 2006.

See below for a complete list of the most stolen (and least stolen) models according to HLDI and NHTSA: