Car thieves have different preferences depending on the area. For example, carjackers in the US often target large pickup trucks or Hyundai/Kia vehicles, while thieves in the UK go for Range Rovers. What about Japan?
The answer is Toyota or Lexus, as 9 out of 10 most stolen cars in Japan in 2023 belong to these two brands.
The Toyota Land Cruiser continues to hold the number one position for the most stolen car in Japan for the third consecutive year. It seems that thieves are also impressed by its spacious interior, excellent off-road capabilities, and reliable performance. The next two names on the list are the Toyota Alphard MPV and the Toyota Prius hybrid.
Among the top 10 most stolen cars, 7 belong to Toyota, 2 belong to Lexus, and only 1 belongs to a non-Japanese brand – Mercedes-Benz.
This list was compiled by the Japan Insurance Association, based on nationwide car theft surveys. The data was collected from 21 insurance companies operating in Japan, and these 10 models accounted for 55.7% of all car theft cases in the country. In 2023, there were 2,597 car theft cases recorded in Japan, a decrease from the 2,656 cases in 2022 but higher than the 2,452 cases in 2021.
According to the victims, more than half of the car thefts (58.5%) occur at night, taking advantage of the darkness and quiet conditions.
