SUVs top US theft losses
2010-08-03 10:08
The Cadillac Escalade SUV has been voted the top most likely to be stolen once again.
Arlington - The shiny Cadillac Escalade SUV, a favorite of celebrities like Tiger Woods, is once again the vehicle voted most likely to be stolen, according to an insurance industry group.
Almost one in every four Escalade theft claims is for $40 000 or more.
The Highway Loss Data Institute, which is part of the Arlington-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, calculated theft claim rates for vehicles from the 2007-2009 model years.
The data reports thefts per insured vehicles on the road.
Escalades are equipped with antitheft ignition immobilisers that prevent them from being started without a special key, but that doesn't prevent some thieves from hauling them away on flatbed trucks, said Kim Hazelbaker, senior vice president of the Highway Loss Data Institute.
"Thieves are after chrome, power and HEMIs," she said.
Large SUVs like the Escalade have the highest overall theft losses, with large pickups second. Hazelbaker said trucks are targeted for various reasons. In addition to their looks, large pickups can be used for work or they might be carrying valuable tools or cargo.
However they said the frequency of theft claims for cars and SUVS has been declining since 1998. Pickup thefts also had been on the downswing until 2006, when the Institute noticed an uptick in claims.
Two-door minicars are the least likely group to be targeted.
Vehicles most and least likely to be targets, and the average loss payment per claim:
Most likely
• Cadillac Escalade large SUV
• Ford F-250 crew cab pickup
• Infiniti G37 two-door luxury car
• Dodge Charger (with HEMI engine)
• Chevrolet Corvette Z06 sports car
• Hummer H2 large SUV
• Nissan Pathfinder/Armada large SUV
• Chevrolet Avalanche 1500 truck
• Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab pickup
• GMC Yukon large SUV
Least likely
• Volvo S80 large car
• Saturn VUE four-wheel-drive midsize SUV
• Nissan Murano midsize SUV
• Saturn VUE midsize SUV
• Honda Pilot midsize SUV
• Subaru Impreza small wagon
• Toyota Prius small car
• Mini Cooper subcompact
• Toyota Tacoma small pickup
• Toyota Sienna minivan
