Pickups, Hondas top list of stolen vehicles in Washington, report finds

While the thefts of Hyundais and Kias have gotten the lion's share of attention recently, full-sized pickups and Hondas were actually the most stolen vehicles in Washington last year, according to a new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

By the numbers: According to the insurance bureau's analysis, the four most stolen vehicles in our state were full-size Ford and Chevrolet pickups, Honda Civics and Accords.

• Rounding out the top 10 were Honda CR-Vs, small-size Ford pickups, Toyota Camrys, Subaru Legacys, full-size Dodge pickups and Hyundai Elantras

Driving the news: Nationally, full-size pickups were the most stolen vehicles, making up more than 25% of the thefts reported in 2022, according to the report.

• Vehicle theft rates for sedans, including Honda, Hyundai and Kia, followed those of full-size pickups.

Catch up quick: Social media trends were a likely factor in the high theft rankings of Kias and Hyundais in 2022, NICB reported.

• Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison filed a federal lawsuit in January against Kia and Hyundai, alleging their failure to install available anti-theft technology contributed to an increase in car thefts and police costs.
• Other cities that have filed similar lawsuits include New York City, Baltimore, Cleveland, Milwaukee and San Diego.

Yes, but: While vehicle theft rates have been soaring since the start of the pandemic, recovery rates have also risen, according to NICB.

• Last year, more than 85% of stolen passenger vehicles were recovered and 34% were recovered within one day of having been reported stolen.