Guess which vehicle was most frequently stolen in Canada last year

SUV's continue to be frequent targets of theft, but one in particular takes the cake.

According to the Équité Association, an insurance crime and fraud prevention group, the Toyota Highlander was the most frequently stolen vehicle in 2023 across Canada.

The Honda CR-V, which topped the list for two straight years, dropped to fourth with 2,988 reported thefts.

The Dodge Ram 1500 series was second with 3,078 and the Lexus RX series is third with 3,037 thefts reported.

The Toyota RAV4, with 2,690 thefts, rounds out the top five.

The Équité Association said the Highlander is a popular model in Canada and has a high resale value both domestically and internationally.

It said the vehicle has similarities to others on the list, being 2019 models or newer and have "vulnerabilities that come with keyless ignitions, particularly as these vehicles do not come equipped with anti-theft devices aligned to the ULC 338 Anti-theft Standards."

A report in February noted auto theft was up slightly in 2023, with Ontario showing a 7.1 per cent increase year-over-year.

According to Ministry of Transportation data acquired by Village Media in February, there were 301 vehicles stolen in Guelph between Nov. 1, 2021 and Jan. 19, 2024. Of that, there were 11 Toyota Highlanders taken, the third most frequent locally.

The Honda CR-V and Ram 1500 were tied for top spot on the local list in that two-year window, with 13 such vehicles taken.

Guelph police have reported about 120 vehicle thefts or attempts this year locally.

Of that, there were 16 reports involving a GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado. Toyota Tundra's were second (11), and Ram pickup trucks were third (10).

Looking into the top five, only one report involved a Highlander, three involved the Lexus RX series, one Honda CR-V and none involving a Toyota RAV4.

For comparison, there were 194 vehicle thefts in Guelph in 2023.

"The Guelph Police Service encourages residents to take steps to protect themselves from auto theft," said police spokesperson Scott Tracey.

"This can include parking indoors when possible or in well-lit areas, ensuring vehicle doors and windows are closed and locked, employing anti-theft devices to prevent vehicles from being started or steered and using devices to block signals from electronic keys. Please report suspicious activity around unattended vehicles, especially during overnight hours."

The Équité Association's national top 10 list for 2023 is below: