Lexus tops UK car theft risk rankings despite Ford leading in volume

New DVLA analysis has revealed that while the Ford Fiesta was the UK’s most stolen car in 2024, owners of Abarth and Lexus vehicles were far more likely to fall victim to theft on a proportional basis.

Ford topped the list by total volume, with 4,719 Fiestas reported stolen last year—more than double the Volkswagen Golf, which ranked second. However, when comparing theft rates per vehicle on the road, Abarth topped the list with a 1-in-116 chance of being stolen, followed closely by Lexus.

Although Ford had 9,284 vehicles stolen overall—50% more than BMW in second place—this equates to just 1-in-460 when measured against the brand’s presence of 4.3 million vehicles on UK roads.

In contrast, Lexus models such as the RX450 and ES300 presented much higher risk, with the ES300 topping the model-specific risk chart at 1-in-30. The RX450 also showed a high susceptibility, with 717 thefts and a 1-in-39 theft rate.

Tesla and TVR vehicles were found to be the least likely to be stolen. Only 33 Teslas were reported stolen in 2024, equating to a 1-in-7,031 risk, with most losses involving the Model 3. For TVR, just one vehicle—the T350—was stolen out of nearly 11,000 on the road.

Alex Kefford, head of editorial at automotive PR agency Loop, said: “Last year, the spotlight was on Range Rover as customers struggled to find insurance in the face of soaring theft rates. But when we look at the figures in proportion, we discover that it’s Lexus owners that are at a far greater risk of having their car stolen.”

Kefford added: “Jaguar Land Rover has taken the issue very seriously, developing a software update for existing vehicles, rolling-out new ultra-wideband keys, and even going as far as to provide funding to police units dedicated to cracking down on organised gangs. Now it seems that more brands need to follow their example if they are to reverse this worrying trend.”

He also noted that the Ford Fiesta faces a different challenge: “It has spent much of the last decade at the top of the nation’s sales charts, and with nearly 1.5 million of them on our roads, that creates a huge demand for spare parts. Supply chain issues and the cost-of-living crisis have meant many owners have turned to second-hand parts, but unfortunately not all sources are as genuine as they’d like.”