Hyundai and Kia thefts have been in the news more than once over the last few years because of how easy some models are to steal. The problem has led to social media trends, class action lawsuits, insurance blacklisting, and dramatic countermeasures by owners. New analysis from the IIHS indicates that immobilizer software updates are working, but not every car is eligible, and not every owner is doing updates.
An epidemic of Hyundai and Kia thefts went crazy in 2021 and 2022. The “Kia Boys” were posting about stealing these cars on TikTok, and people figured out you could rip one off with nothing more than a USB cable. The automakers tried to blame cops, but the fact is, the cars were being sold without electronic immobilizers, which left them susceptible to being easily stolen.
The Korean car companies issued some updates, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) have been tracking their effectiveness. If you’re driving a newer Hyundai or Kia, it’s kind of a good news/bad news situation:
“HLDI has been tracking the campaign’s impact since it began in February 2023. The latest analysis shows that the frequency of theft claims of all kinds was 46% lower for eligible Hyundai and Kia vehicles that received the upgrade than for those that didn’t. Whole-vehicle theft claims were 52% less frequent for vehicles with the upgrade.”
“Another signal that the software is working is an increase in the frequency of vandalism claims, many of which likely reflect damage that occurred during thwarted theft attempts.”
So, 2022 to 2024 model-year Hyundais and Kias with anti-theft software updates are being stolen more than 50% less, but they’re still being targeted and getting vandalized as people attempt to steal them. Having your car broken into is, I guess, not as bad as getting the whole thing taken, but it still sucks.
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What’s worse is that older Hyundais and Kias are still being stolen a lot. And I don’t mean old-old, just 2011 to 2022 model year cars that the companies haven’t figured out how to update. From the HLDI again:
“Despite the improvements, however, in December 2024, the most recent month that the analysis covers, theft claim frequencies for the eligible model year 2011-22 vehicles remained high, at nearly 10 and 11 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years for Kia and Hyundai, respectively. In contrast, theft claim frequency for 2011-22 vehicles from all manufacturers was less than two claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years. Only 41% of the eligible Hyundai vehicles and 40% of the eligible Kia vehicles had received the upgrade as of December, so it’s not surprising that they continue to be targeted.”
If you’re driving a Kia or Hyundai, you’ll definitely want to get any available software updates completed as soon as you can. But I might still recommend a visual deterrent like a steering-wheel club or a boot if you’re parking somewhere where car theft is common. Yes, they can be cut through, but thieves will be looking for the path of least resistance, and the inconvenience of dealing with one of those tools might be enough to save your car.
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