The UK’s most stolen cars have been revealed – and it’s bad news for Ford owners.
New data from Confused.com shows that since January 2018, the Ford Fiesta has been the most reported stolen car, with 10,346 thefts. The Volkswagen Golf and BMW 3 Series come in second and third place.
The most stolen cars in the UK
1. Ford Fiesta – 10,346 reported stolen
2. Volkswagen Golf – 9,526 reported stolen
3. BMW 3 Series – 9,148 reported stolen
4. Ford Focus – 6,664 reported stolen
5. BMW 1 Series – 6,286 reported stolen
6. Mercedes-Benz C Class – 5,698 reported stolen
7. Audi A3 – 5,551 reported stolen
8. Range Rover Sport – 5,472 reported stolen
9. Vauxhall Corsa – 4,992 reported stolen
10. Vauxhall Astra – 4,357 reported stolen
Since the Ford Fiesta is one of the UK’s most popular cars, it’s no surprise that it tops the list. However, this data highlights that certain makes and models are more attractive to thieves.
Cars parked on the street outside their owner’s home are the most likely to be stolen (28%), with almost a quarter of cars being hot-wired and 22% having their windows smashed. Surprisingly, 1 in 10 cars were taken after a home break-in to steal the keys.
The good news is that 87% of stolen cars were recovered, with two-thirds being found by the police. However, 87% of those cars came back damaged, with drivers spending an average of £364 on repairs and £671 for a replacement.
London tops the list of car theft hotspots with almost 30,000 stolen vehicles, followed by Birmingham with 27,680 and Manchester with just over 10,000. In total, over 250,000 cars have been reported stolen, and nearly one in five UK drivers have had their vehicle stolen at some point—that’s more than 7.6 million people.
The UK's car theft hotspots revealed
1. London (inner) – 29,683 thefts reported – BMW X6 most stolen
2. Birmingham – 27,680 thefts reported – Ford Fiesta most stolen
3. Manchester – 10,017 thefts reported – Fiat Punto most stolen
4. Sheffield – 9,367 thefts reported – Volkswagen Golf most stolen
5. Romford – 9,321 thefts reported – BMW 3 Series most stolen
6. Ilford – 5,942 thefts reported – BMW 4 Series most stolen
7. Dudley – 5,438 thefts reported – Audi A4 most stolen
8. Coventry – 5,255 thefts reported – BMW 1 Series most stolen
9. Walsall – 4,757 thefts reported – Audi A4 most stolen
10. Chelmsford – 4,699 thefts reported – Vauxhall Corsa most stolen
Interestingly, the most stolen cars vary by city. While the Ford Fiesta leads the way nationally, in London it’s the BMW X6 that gets stolen most, and in Manchester, it's the Fiat Punto.
Rhydian Jones from Confused.com said, "Having your car stolen is a stress on both your life and your living costs too.
"And with general car insurance costs at extreme highs, the impact of having your car stolen is proving to be a burden on drivers and the price they pay for their car insurance.
"That’s why it’s important that drivers do all they can to protect their cars from thieves. And there are many ways to do this.
"Taking measures to protect your car can help ensure that it doesn’t become a target."
New tech is starting to help drivers fight back, with 14% of thefts caught on security cameras and 12% of cars recovered thanks to tracking devices.
Top tips to protect your car:
- Always double-check that it’s locked, especially if you have a keyless system.
- Keep valuables hidden inside.
- Invest in extra security, like steering wheel locks.
- Install a tracking device—it might not prevent the theft, but it could help get your car back.
