Cheaper Hyundais and Kias are now rivaling muscle cars and luxury SUVs, but not in the way that the Korean manufacturers would like. Instead, these cheaper Korean models are being stolen at increasingly high rates, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has released information from 2021 insurance claims that support this.

We already know that Kia and Hyundai models have become infamous for being easy to steal, and it hasn't been helped by a series of social media hacks showing dodgy individuals how to take advantage of this. For 2015-2019 model years, theft claims for Kias and Hyundais as a group were almost twice as high as for all other carmakers.

Using data from the Highway Loss Data Institute analysis, it was found that many Kia and Hyundai models of this age don't have electronic immobilizers. The IIHS reports that among other vehicles of that age, an electronic immobilizer is standard on almost all of them.

"Our earlier studies show that vehicle theft losses plunged after immobilizers were introduced," said HLDI Senior Vice President Matt Moore. "Unfortunately, Hyundai and Kia have lagged behind other automakers in making them standard equipment."

Even as far back as cars produced for the 2000 model year, immobilizers were already standard on 62% of these vehicles. That number increased to 96% in 2015, yet they were only standard on 26% of Kias and Hyundais.

This is a curious omission from the Korean automakers, which are typically not known for skimping on features, be they safety or comfort related. Matters have improved in 2022, though. Even Hyundai's most affordable crossover, the Venue, now comes with an immobilizer as standard equipment. As of November 2021, in fact, every Hyundai has this feature, and all 2022 Kia models do as well.

For model year 2019-2021 cars, the vehicle with the highest claim frequency is the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, followed by the Dodge Charger V8. Muscle cars have for some time been targeted by thieves, so this doesn't come as a great surprise. The first Korean vehicle on this list for these more recent model years is the Kia Rio.

On the other end of the spectrum, vehicles with the lowest claim frequency are the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y - Teslas are not only hard to break into and steal but often have security features that prevent thieves from trying their luck in the first place.

Both Kia and Hyundai have said that their vehicles meet federal standards, and while that may be true, it will come as little consolation to customers of these vehicles who may have avoided a loss had an immobilizer been equipped.

"Our vehicles have been targeted in a coordinated effort on social media," said Hyundai in a statement. Kia emphasized that "criminals are seeking vehicles solely equipped with a steel key and turn-to-start ignition system" and "the majority of Kia vehicles in the United States are equipped with a key fob and push-button-to-start system" that makes them more challenging to steal.

The latest 2022 statistics show that thefts of Korean models have not slowed down, with four thefts or attempted thefts per day in Grand Rapids, Michigan, between May 1 and July 7. If you own an older Korean model without an immobilizer, it may be wise to install an aftermarket unit to prevent the worst from happening. Hyundai is also working with local police departments to safeguard vulnerable models with a security kit - these will be available for purchase next month.