NZ’s most stolen cars
Mazda’s Demio has been named New Zealand’s most stolen car after finishing ahead of the Mazda Atenza and Nissan Tiida respectively, according to new figures.
Insurance company AMI compiled the list of vehicles most targeted by criminals after analysing 12,000 claims for vehicle thefts over the three years from 2019 to 2021.
It says the Demio, pictured, accounted for 10 per cent of claims despite only making up 1.5 per cent of the country’s fleet.
Completing the top 10 was the Atenza, also known as the Mazda6, the Tiida, Subaru Legacy, Mazda Familia, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Hilux, Ford Courier, Subaru Forester and Honda Civic.
Across the regions, Auckland had the highest number of vehicle thefts with 39 per cent of all claims. Its 4,489 incidents over the three-year period were almost twice the amount of vehicle thefts seen in Canterbury, which was the second worst-hit area with 2,074 claims.
The Demio was the most frequently stolen vehicle in seven of the country’s 15 regions, while the Hilux and Atenza came top in three apiece.
The latest findings are not all bad news for the Demio because the car is also the most likely to be recovered.
Between 2019 and 2021, AMI’s figures show 94 per cent of stolen Demio cars were recovered, the highest rate out of the top 10 stolen vehicles and above the average of 70 per cent for all vehicle models. The Toyota Hilux had the lowest rate of recovery at 30 per cent.
Wayne Tippet, AMI’s executive general manager, says the data serves as a reminder for motorists to take security precautions and make sure their insurance details are up to date.
“Our claims data shows that many cars are parked out on the street or outside someone else’s property for the night when they are stolen,” he explains.
“Where possible, park down a driveway or inside a garage, and double check your car is locked. If there isn’t any off-street parking available, try to park your car in a well-lit area, like under a streetlamp.”
He also recommends vehicle owners check if their car has a factory-fitted immobiliser, or if they can install other preventative security measures.
NZ’s top 10 most stolen vehicles
1. Mazda Demio – 1,176 claims
2. Mazda Atenza (also known as Mazda6) – 774 claims
3. Nissan Tiida – 700 claims
4. Subaru Legacy – 458 claims
5. Mazda Familia – 456 claims
6. Subaru Impreza – 387 claims
7. Toyota Hilux – 384 claims
8. Ford Courier – 264 claims
9. Subaru Forester – 237 claims
10. Honda Civic – 187 claims
Most stolen vehicle by region
• Northland – Toyota Hilux
• Auckland – Nissan Tiida
• Waikato – Mazda Atenza
• Taranaki – Mazda Demio
• Bay of Plenty – Mazda Demio
• East Coast – Mazda Atenza
• Manawatu – Mazda Atenza
• Hawke’s Bay – Mazda Demio
• Wairarapa – Ford Courier
• Wellington – Mazda Demio
• Nelson – Mazda Demio
• West Coast – Toyota Hilux
• Canterbury – Toyota Hilux
• Otago – Mazda Demio
• Southland – Mazda Demio
