NZ's most stolen cars for 2024 revealed: the usual suspects, but thefts are decreasing

David Linklater
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We call it Prius C as a NZ-new car, it's called Aqua as a used import. Thieves still call it highly desirable.

We call it Prius C as a NZ-new car, it's called Aqua as a used import. Thieves still call it highly desirable.

Third time unlucky? The humble Toyota Aqua hybrid (aka Prius C as a New Zealand-new car) is still the country's most stolen vehicle, according to AMI insurance data for 2024. It claimed the same honour in 2023 and 2022.

Toyota Corolla.
Corolla is number two on the hotlist; Toyota is all over this.

AMI says it has the largest insurance dataset in NZ, with almost 12,000 vehicle claims on record last year. Last year Aqua made up 8% of all stolen vehicle claims, followed by the Toyota Corolla (6%) and Nissan Tiida (5%).

Most thefts were in Auckland, then Canterbury, Waikato, Wellington, and the Bay of Plenty.

However, AMI executive general manager of claims Wayne Tippet says that stolen vehicle claims have actually begun to decrease for the first time in four years, with those related to ram raids down by 50% compared to 2023.

Nissan Tiida.
Nissan Tiidas were not in demand in the mid-2000s. They are now.

“This might suggest that, among unprecedented vehicle theft rates, NZers have put security measures and practices in place, and are being more mindful about where they park their cars,” says Tippet.

The Toyota Hilux ute was the bigger mover on the list, up four spots. Tippet says this indicates its "increasing value, rural and urban appeal, and strong resale value, driven by high demand for its parts.”

About 30% of stolen vehicles were not recovered in 2024, and just 52% of recovered stolen vehicles were repairable.

"It's also important to caution that thefts don't just occur while a vehicle is parked," says Tippet. "Unfortunately, we have seen claims resulting from carjackings at low-speed areas such as intersections, traffic lights, or carkparks too.

“We should always lock our car doors when driving and consider keeping the windows up.”

NZ's most stolen cars in 2024

  • Toyota Aqua (=)
  • Toyota Corolla (+1 place compared to 2023)
  • Nissan Tiida (-1)
  • Mazda Demio (=)
  • Mazda Atenza (=)
  • Toyota Hilux (+4)
  • Toyota Vitz (=)
  • Subaru Impreza (=)
  • Toyota Mark X (-3)
  • Mazda Axela (+1)

Most frequently stolen vehicles in each NZ region

  • Auckland - Toyota Aqua
  • Canterbury - Toyota Aqua
  • Waikato - Nissan Tiida
  • Wellington - Toyota Aqua
  • Bay of Plenty - Mazda Demio
  • Manawatū - Mazda Demio
  • Northland - Toyota Corolla
  • Hawke’s Bay - Mazda Demio
  • Otago - Nissan Tiida
  • Southland - Nissan Tiida
  • Gisborne - Toyota Corolla
  • Taranaki - Toyota Corolla
  • Nelson - Mazda Demio
  • Tasman - Ford Ranger
  • Marlborough - Audi A4
  • West Coast - Nissan Tiida