These 10 vehicles are stolen the most in NC, report says. Is yours on the list?

A recent report shows that car thefts aren’t happening as often as they have in recent years, but the most popular makes and models to steal have remained unchanged.

After a recent surge in thefts peaked in 2023, stolen vehicle rates are beginning to trend downward, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

Despite the shift, North Carolina’s stolen vehicle total has already surpassed 10,000 this year, putting the state at No. 7 among states with the highest rates of vehicle thefts per 100,000 people, the NICB told The Charlotte Observer in an email.

NICB data also show that nearly half of the most commonly stolen vehicles in the state were part of a TikTok trend that went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But which ones? Here’s what you need to know.

What are the most stolen vehicles in NC?

According to data from the NICB, these were the 10 most stolen vehicles in North Carolina during the first half of 2025 and the number of thefts that occurred during that period:

• Hyundai Elantra: 465 
• Hyundai Sonata: 358 
• Honda Accord: 292 
• Kia Optima: 266
• Dodge Charger: 214 
• Toyota Camry: 175 
• Honda Civic: 175 
• Nissan Altima: 174 
• Ford F150 Series: 168 
• Kia Soul: 164

Data from the NICB show nine of these vehicles were among the most stolen in 2024 – the only one that wasn’t on the list last year was the Ford F150.

Are Hyundai, Kia vehicles still vulnerable to theft?

Some are, in part, due to a viral TikTok challenge.

The “Kia Challenge” was a TikTok trend that showed how thieves were stealing certain older Kia and Hyundai models (typically from around 2011-2021) by bypassing the ignition system using USB cables or screwdrivers instead of keys, the Observer reported.

In Charlotte, thefts of Kia and Hyundai vehicles rose dramatically and made up more than half of thefts in a period, according to a 2023 news release from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Raleigh saw a 26% increase in vehicle thefts during the first few months of 2023 due to the challenge, the News & Observer reported.

Police departments and car manufacturers have since held free events for Kia and Hyundai drivers to distribute steering wheel locks, offer software updates and raise awareness about how to protect vulnerable vehicles, the Observer reported.

A 2023 study found that these events led to 53% drop in theft claim frequency for these makes, but other data suggests that a significant portion of vehicles still have not received the necessary software upgrades to protect them, leaving them susceptible to theft.

Research also found that even vehicles with the upgrade still showed higher theft or vandalism claim rates compared to many other brands, because thieves may attempt break-ins even if full theft isn’t successful, according to IIHS Crash Testing.

What can I do to protect my Hyundai, Kia vehicle?

If you own a Hyundai or Kia model from around 2011-2022, you should:

• Contact your dealership and ask if your vehicle identification number (VIN) is eligible for the free upgrade.
• Use physical deterrents like a steering-wheel lock or park in well-lit, secure places.
• Ensure you always lock your vehicle.

Top 10 states with the highest rates of stolen vehicles

Here are the 10 states with the highest rates of stolen vehicles per 100,000 people, according to the NICB:

• California
• Texas
• Florida
• Illinois
• New York
• Ohio
• North Carolina 
• Pennsylvania
• Washington 
• Georgia 

Top 10 most stolen vehicles in the US

These were the 10 most stolen vehicles in the U.S. during the first half of 2025, according to the NICB:

• Hyundai Elantra 
• Hyundai Sonata 
• Honda Accord 
• Chevrolet Silverado 1500
• Honda Civic
• Kia Optima
• Ford F150 
• Toyota Camry 
• Honda CR-V 
• Kia Soul

Inspired by a story from the Belleville News-Democrat in Illinois.

This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 12:01 PM with the headline "These 10 vehicles are stolen the most in NC, report says. Is yours on the list?."

Evan Moore

The Charlotte Observer

Evan Moore is a service journalism reporter for the Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina, where he previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizen, and is a UNC Charlotte graduate.