Hey, Victoria — is your vehicle on Canada’s top 10 most stolen list?
If you drive a Toyota Highlander, you might want to double-check your security measures.
The Highlander has taken the top spot on Équité Association’s annual list of Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada for 2023, dethroning the Honda CR-V, which held the title for the previous two years.
The Dodge Ram 1500 Series and the Lexus RX Series claimed second and third place, respectively.
The Toyota Highlander is one of Canada’s most popular models, but its appeal to car thieves extends beyond local demand. The report highlights that nearly all vehicles on the 2023 list, including the Toyota Highlander, are 2019 or newer models with keyless ignition systems.
These systems, while convenient, have vulnerabilities that make them a prime target for theft, particularly when anti-theft devices meeting ULC 338 standards are absent.
For 2023, 487,962 vehicles were registered, with 2,988 reported stolen, equating to 0.61%. By comparison, the Highlander had 123,532 units licensed, but 3,414 were stolen, making up 2.76%.
“One of the most common trends we’re seeing on the Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles list includes newer vehicles with keyless ignitions,” said Bryan Gast, Vice President of Investigative Services at Équité Association.
Auto theft has been on the rise across the country, with recent years showing dramatic increases. Between 2021 and 2023, theft rates surged 48.2% in Ontario, 57.9% in Quebec, 34% in Atlantic Canada, and 5.5% in Alberta.
Although British Columbia-specific statistics were not provided in the report, the national trend reflects the need for greater preventative measures, including updated vehicle safety regulations.
Here’s the full breakdown of the top 10 highest-theft vehicles in Canada for 2023 (BC stats not included):
- Toyota Highlander — 3,414 thefts
- Dodge Ram 1500 Series — 3,078 thefts
- Lexus RX Series — 3,037 thefts
- Honda CR-V — 2,988 thefts
- Toyota RAV4 — 2,690 thefts
- Honda Civic — 1,654 thefts
- Jeep Wrangler — 1,641 thefts
- Land Rover Range Rover Series — 1,533 thefts
- Chevrolet/GMC Suburban/Yukon/Tahoe Series — 1,488 thefts
- Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 1500 Series — 1,383 thefts
When it comes to theft frequency — calculated as a percentage of all insured vehicles on the road — the Land Rover Range Rover Series ranks highest, with a startling 4.43% theft rate.
“In order to sustainably address the auto theft crisis in Canada, solutions must evolve from focusing on the recovery of stolen vehicles to preventing vehicles from being stolen in the first place, starting with updating Canada’s outdated Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations,” said President and CEO of Équité Association President and CEO Terri O’Brien.
