AMI Insurance has released its list of New Zealand's top 10 most stolen cars in 2022 amid a spike in car thefts, with the Toyota Aqua edging past the Mazda Demio for the top spot.
The Aqua, also known as the Toyota Prius C, accounted for 11% of AMI's 8492 vehicle theft claims, despite making up just 1.47% of the country’s fleet, AMI executive general manager claims Wayne Tippet said in a statement.
It was followed by the Mazda Demio, which has held the top spot in recent years, with the Nissan Tiida hot on its heels.
The remaining vehicles include the Mazda Atenza (Mazda 6), Toyota MarkX, Toyota Vitz, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza and Mazda Familia.
Meanwhile, theft claims last year soared to new highs, spiking 43% on the year prior and 54% from 2019.
Theft claims for the Toyota MarkX surged in recent years from 21 claims in 2020 to 441 in 2022 – a 2000% increase in three years.
Tippet gave some top tips to "make your car less attractive to thieves", including removing any valuables and parking in well-lit areas.
"Immobilisers are good, but if your car doesn’t have one installed, steering locks are effective deterrents too," he said.
He also urged people to "check the sum insured on their insurance policy is up to date".
"Second-hand cars are generally holding their value better than they used to, due to supply chain delays, parts shortages, and other factors," he said.
"So, if the worst happens and your car is stolen and written off, you want to make sure that your sum insured is at an appropriate level for your car."
Regionally, Auckland had the most vehicle theft claims with almost 3000 claims last year, compared to runner-up Canterbury's 1214 claims.
Recovery rates remained high, however, with 94% of all Aquas, 93% of Demios and 91% of Vitzes being recovered.
Tippet said the findings suggested the majority of cars are being stolen for joyrides.
"Virtually all of these cars are recovered, so it’s likely they’re being stolen for joy rides or to commit other crimes, such as burglaries."
SHARE ME