Thieves removed far more devices in 2022 than previously estimated; View lists of top targeted vehicles nationwide and by U.S. region
Centreville, Va.—Recent media reports “vastly” undercounted catalytic converter thefts in the U.S., new CARFAX data shows. Thieves removed the devices from as many as 153,000 vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, far more than earlier estimates. CARFAX data scientists reviewed catalytic converter replacements from millions of service and maintenance records to arrive at this number.
Top Cars Targeted Nationwide
There’s a wide range of vehicles in play. Not surprisingly, some of the most popular nameplates of the past two decades are top targets. What’s surprising is that it’s not just one type of car — targeted vehicles range from family sedans such as the Honda Accord, to SUVs such as the Chevrolet Equinox, all the way up to full-size pickup trucks from Ford and GM. The list of most-targeted vehicles remained fairly consistent from 2021 to 2022, with the exception of the popular midsize pickup truck, the Toyota Tacoma, and the Ford Explorer SUV, both of which saw a large increase in thefts last year.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | — |
| 2 | HONDA | ACCORD | — |
| 3 | TOYOTA | PRIUS | +4 |
| 4 | HONDA | CR-V | +2 |
| 5 | FORD | EXPLORER | +9 |
| 6 | FORD | ECONOLINE | -2 |
| 7 | CHEVROLET | EQUINOX | +1 |
| 8 | CHEVROLET | SILVERADO | -3 |
| 9 | TOYOTA | TACOMA | +15 |
| 10 | CHEVROLET | CRUZE | +5 |
Top Cars Targeted in the West
The West has many of the same top targets as the national list, but the Prius is the most-targeted vehicle instead of the Ford F-Series pickup. This list covers cars in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TOYOTA | PRIUS | — |
| 2 | HONDA | ACCORD | — |
| 3 | HONDA | CR-V | — |
| 4 | TOYOTA | TACOMA | +1 |
| 5 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | -1 |
| 6 | SUBARU | FORESTER | — |
| 7 | TOYOTA | CAMRY | +1 |
| 8 | FORD | ECONOLINE | -1 |
| 9 | FORD | EXPLORER | +1 |
| 10 | NISSAN | NV | +12 |
Top Cars Targeted in the Southwest
Compared to 2021, the Tacoma was targeted more often in 2022, as was the Ford Expedition SUV. This area includes Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | — |
| 2 | TOYOTA | TUNDRA | +5 |
| 3 | TOYOTA | TACOMA | +11 |
| 4 | CHEVROLET | SILVERADO | -2 |
| 5 | TOYOTA | PRIUS | -2 |
| 6 | HONDA | ACCORD | — |
| 7 | FORD | EXPEDITION | +14 |
| 8 | HONDA | CR-V | +5 |
| 9 | MITSUBISHI | OUTLANDER | +6 |
| 10 | FORD | EXPLORER | +2 |
Top Cars Targeted in the Plains
Pickup trucks top this list of targeted vehicles from the Plains states, but the biggest gainer was the Kia Soul compact SUV. This list covers cars in Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | — |
| 2 | CHEVROLET | SILVERADO | +1 |
| 3 | CHEVROLET | EQUINOX | -1 |
| 4 | FORD | ECONOLINE | — |
| 5 | HONDA | CR-V | +1 |
| 6 | FORD | EXPLORER | +9 |
| 7 | HONDA | ACCORD | +4 |
| 8 | CHEVROLET | CRUZE | — |
| 9 | KIA | SOUL | +21 |
| 10 | JEEP | PATRIOT | — |
Top Cars Targeted in the Midwest
In the Midwest, the Ford Explorer SUV made a big leap up the list compared to 2021. This list covers cars in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | +1 |
| 2 | CHEVROLET | EQUINOX | -1 |
| 3 | HONDA | CR-V | — |
| 4 | TOYOTA | PRIUS | +1 |
| 5 | FORD | ECONOLINE | -1 |
| 6 | FORD | EXPLORER | +8 |
| 7 | BUICK | ENCORE | -1 |
| 8 | CHEVROLET | CRUZE | +4 |
| 9 | CHEVROLET | TRAX | +4 |
| 10 | HONDA | ACCORD | -1 |
Top Cars Targeted in the Northeast
This list covers cars in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HONDA | CR-V | +1 |
| 2 | HONDA | ACCORD | -1 |
| 3 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | +1 |
| 4 | TOYOTA | CAMRY | -1 |
| 5 | SUBARU | FORESTER | — |
| 6 | FORD | EXPLORER | +2 |
| 7 | CHEVROLET | EXPRESS | +2 |
| 8 | SUBARU | OUTBACK | -2 |
| 9 | TOYOTA | PRIUS | +9 |
| 10 | FORD | ECONOLINE | — |
Top Cars Targeted in the Mid-Atlantic
In this region, the affordable Mitsubishi Outlander saw a big increase in catalytic converter thefts compared with 2021. This list covers cars in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HONDA | CR-V | +2 |
| 2 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | — |
| 3 | HONDA | ACCORD | -2 |
| 4 | FORD | EXPLORER | +1 |
| 5 | MITSUBISHI | OUTLANDER | +17 |
| 6 | TOYOTA | CAMRY | -2 |
| 7 | FORD | ECONOLINE | +4 |
| 8 | CHEVROLET | EQUINOX | -2 |
| 9 | CHEVROLET | CRUZE | -2 |
| 10 | TOYOTA | PRIUS | -1 |
Top Cars Targeted in the Southeast
In the Southeast, the list remains fairly consistent with 2021’s rankings. This area includes Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | — |
| 2 | HONDA | ACCORD | +1 |
| 3 | FORD | ECONOLINE | -1 |
| 4 | TOYOTA | PRIUS | +1 |
| 5 | HONDA | CR-V | +5 |
| 6 | CHEVROLET | EXPRESS | -2 |
| 7 | CHEVROLET | SILVERADO | — |
| 8 | CHEVROLET | EQUINOX | -2 |
| 9 | CHEVROLET | CRUZE | -1 |
| 10 | KIA | SOUL | +5 |
Top Cars Targeted in the South
In the South, the Mitsubishi Outlander, Ford Explorer, and Kia Soul saw large jumps in thefts compared to 2021. This area includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
| Rank | Make | Model | Rank Change from 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FORD | F SERIES TRUCK | — |
| 2 | MITSUBISHI | OUTLANDER | +57 |
| 3 | HONDA | ACCORD | +2 |
| 4 | KIA | SOUL | +10 |
| 5 | FORD | ECONOLINE | -2 |
| 6 | FORD | EXPLORER | +10 |
| 7 | CHEVROLET | SILVERADO | -1 |
| 8 | CHEVROLET | TRAVERSE | +7 |
| 9 | FORD | EXPEDITION | +18 |
| 10 | TOYOTA | TACOMA | +8 |
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