News

Honda CR-V Once Again Leads Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada

by The Car Guide
2020 Honda CR-V 
Photo: Guillaume Rivard

Bad news for Honda CR-V owners: the Japanese compact SUV ranks number one on the list of the most stolen vehicles in Canada for the second year in a row according to the latest annual report by Équité Association, a not-for-profit representing the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry.

Auto thefts in 2022 reached historical highs, with Ontario increasing by 48 percent and Quebec up 50 percent, putting Canada in the spotlight internationally as a source country for illegal trade.

Notably, nine of the most popular model years stolen are 2019 or newer as criminals aim to maximize their profits by stealing newer vehicles to sell overseas or by re-VINing them to deceive unsuspecting Canadian buyers domestically.

The 2020 Honda CR-V was by far the most stolen vehicle in Canada last year with 5,620 reported thefts. A distant second and third are the 2022 Ram 1500 and 2020 Ford F-150 with 2,600 thefts and 1,833 thefts, respectively.  

The CR-V also ranks first in Ontario and Quebec, while the Ram 1500 tops the list in both Alberta and the Atlantic provinces.

Photo: Dominic Boucher

“The auto theft problem in our country is only getting worse,” said Bryan Gast, VP, Investigative Services at Équité Association. “Organized crime continues to look to Canada as a source nation for stolen vehicles where the financial reward is high and the risk of prosecution is low.”

For the first time in history, Canada’s private auto insurers paid out $1.2 billion in theft claims in 2022. At a time when inflation and affordability are putting excess strain on consumers, Canadians are paying more to cover the costs associated with auto theft.

“This problem will not be fixed in isolation. We need meaningful change and collaborative solutions adopted by auto manufacturers, all levels of government, and law enforcement,” said Terri O’Brien, President & CEO of Équité Association.

Share on Facebook
GalleryNews, reviews, videosAcura dealersUsed vehiclesAcura

More on the subject

News556 Stolen Vehicles Recovered as Part of Toronto Police’s Project Stallion
Project Stallion, an ongoing investigation into vehicle and catalytic converter thefts in Toronto’s west end, has so far resulted in the recovery of 556 stolen vehicles worth more than $27 million and 314 charges laid against 119 people, Toronto Police announced on Wednesday. “Vehicle thefts in Toronto have more than …
NewsCalgary Introduces Catalytic Converter Engraving Program to Prevent Theft
Catalytic converters always become more attractive to thieves when the price of minerals rises. The emissions control component located in the exhaust system contains elements like rhodium, palladium and platinum which can be sold to recycling centres or on the black market. What makes things easy for thieves (and worse …
Pre-owned vehiclesProtecting Your Vehicle From Electronic Car Theft
Electronic vehicle theft is on the rise. Carjackers are taking advantage of the fact that more and more models are equipped with electronic key fobs. From outside your home, they simply use a wave scanner to detect the signal from the key, then create a copy in seconds. In other …
News10 Vehicles Most Often Targeted by Catalytic Converter Thieves
Catalytic converter thefts continue to be a major problem across North America, and this extends beyond private driveways. Parking lots, even ones that were well-lit, are getting hit now. So do car dealerships on a regular basis. Thieves are attracted to catalytic converters due to the precious metals they contain, …
Test Drives2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid: Good, But Not the One You Should Buy
Looking at the latest sales numbers, the Honda CR-V is still well short of the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 , but it outsells the Nissan Rogue , Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-5 by about two to one. Considering it’s more expensive than those three, we’re a bit surprised by that, especially …
NewsOntario Gets $121 Million From Ottawa to Fight Crime Including Car Theft
Ahead of the planned auto theft summit in Ottawa on February 8, the Canadian government today announced a federal investment of $121 million to help prevent gun and gang violence in Ontario, including auto theft through the Initiative to take Action Against Gun and Gang Violence (ITAAGGV). “Too many families …
NewsOttawa to Combat Car Theft at Border, Ports and Online
Leaders from all orders of government, industry and law enforcement are meeting today in Ottawa for the National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft, looking to take stock of the scope and scale of the auto theft issue in Canada. It will be interesting to see the various solutions they come …
NewsOttawa Adds Another $15 Million to Car Theft Prevention Efforts
The federal government will invest an additional $15 million over three years to support law enforcement agencies’ work to combat auto theft across the country. The announcement was made in Montreal on Wednesday by Canadian Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc, along with Montreal police chief Fady Dagher and RCMP …
NewsToronto Police Clarifies Controversial Car Theft Prevention Advice
The situation with car thefts has never been as bad as it is now, especially in Quebec and Ontario, and authorities are scrambling to find real answers. One member of the Toronto Police Service raised many eyebrows at a community safety meeting in Etobicoke last month, telling people to basically …
NewsOntario Driver Wants Automakers to be Accountable for Easily Stolen Vehicles
Drivers across the country are heavily affected by car theft, which was up 48.2 percent in Ontario and 58 percent in Quebec in 2022 alone according to the latest numbers posted by insurance group Équité Association. The Canadian government announced a series of measures and investments following its national summit …