Thieves increasingly targeting Hyundai and Kia models, IIHS study finds

Motorists who drive a Hyundai or a Kia should be extra careful about where they park. Some late-model cars built by the South Korean companies are "easy targets," according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and theft claims are consequently increasing.

Data analyzed by the organization shows that whole vehicle theft claims involving Hyundai and Kia models built from 2015 to 2019 are nearly twice as common as claims for cars made by all other manufacturers during that time period. The total number of thefts reported increased during the pandemic, and the IIHS concluded that Hyundai and Kia vehicles are being targeted because they're "easy to steal."

Many of these cars are not equipped with an electronic immobilizer that prevents thieves from bypassing the ignition system.