According to the latest car theft statistics, the Honda Civic is the most stolen car in the United States for 2022. However, the fact also remains that the Civic is one of the best-selling cars in the US too, so it tends to be stolen more than other cars.
But, as an owner, or prospective buyer of a Honda Civic, the fact Honda Civics do get stolen and appear high up on theft rates, will be a concern. In this guide, let me explain the truth about why the Honda Civic is the most stolen car… here’s the short answer first.
Why is the Honda Civic the most stolen car? The Honda Civic is the most stolen car because firstly it’s one of the best-selling so exists in large numbers. Civics also get stolen as the parts have a high resale value, and because they are so reliable, making them top vehicle theft rates.
The bottom line is this: Honda Civics do get stolen, and sometimes will be stripped down before you even get a chance to file a police report. As one of the most popular vehicles on the market, keep in mind that thieves could also be interested in it.
You might also think that just because your Civic is an older model, you will be safe from car theft. The truth is that older models are more appealing to car thieves because they are easier to steal and bring in more money than newer models.
Below I will explain why they get stolen so much, what the Honda Civic theft rate is, what year Honda Civic gets stolen the most, and some short notes on how you can prevent yours from being a target for thieves.
Why is Honda Civic the most stolen car?
The popular Honda Civic has always been at the top of the list of most stolen cars for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the reasons why crooks are after your Honda Civic in more detail.
1. The high demand for replacement parts and resale values
Due to the long life of Honda parts (they are built very, very well), especially on older models, there is a high demand for Honda Civic replacement parts. Honda Civics are very profitable to thieves because the car’sindividual components are worth a lot more than the entire vehicle.
A car confessed car thief said this on a popular online car forum about why Honda Civics are likely to get stolen compared to other vehicles.
“Honda Civics get stolen a lot as the parts are very popular with people who want to make aftermarket changes. There’s a large community of enthusiasts who will pay top dollar for parts. As an example, a lucky car thief could steal a Civic with parts worth more than $7,000 even if the car’s value may only be $3,000.”
To follow that on, the high resale value of Civic parts is what makes them so appealing. If a 1990s Honda Civic is stolen, the thief may be able to make thousands of dollars by selling the parts or swapping the engine.
A Civic with a transmission, a K series swap, an engine, axles, and other components can fetch upwards of $4,000.
If the Civic has nice wheels, you can make an extra $1,000. Cars with nice steering wheels, such as Mugen and Momo, can be sold for $200 to $600. A well-balanced turbo kit and the fuel pump can cost anywhere from $600 to $2,000.
2. They are reliable and long-lasting
Another reason why the Honda Civics is the most stolen car is that they are long-lasting and very reliable motors. This puts the near the top of sale statistics for vehicles in the United States, but also means people want them.
It’s not unheard for stolen cars to be put into shipping containers and then taken to West Africa as this news report states:
“Cars can be loaded onto shipping containers and be en route within hours, he said. Police in Peel Region, west of Toronto, say that 80 to 85 per cent of stolen vehicles are tied to organized crime and destined to be shipped overseas, many to West Africa.”
3. The “push to start” button security risk
The latest Civics come with the push button ignitions. Whilst these make things easier for us owners, they also mean cars might be easier to steal – pushing the Honda Civic theft rate up.
A thief can buy a 60-dollar lock pick on the internet and get into the door of the Civic. Once inside the vehicle they can then plug a key programmer into the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port.
This then lets the thief program a blank key fob that matches the code on your vehicle, letting them quickly steal the Honda Civic.
Handy Hint: If the battery on your key fob ever dies and you can’t replace it, here’s how you can still start your Civic without it.
4. More flaws in the Civic security system
Always be cautious where you park your Civic and consider using a lock on the steering wheel (view on Amazon), particularly with older model. Prior to anti-theft technology, car thieves targeted Hondas that were manufactured in the 1990s.
Although newer models are more difficult to steal, this does not mean they are no longer a target because car thieves are no longer attempting to break into your car or carjack you.
Professional car thieves no longer do that. Your car will be towed away in 15 seconds with the help of a tow truck. Your car could be taken to pieces and sold part by part in an hour, or they could make and program keys to your car if they have the right connections.
As much as newer cars aren’t immune to theft, older ones are still the most targeted by thieves because they are easier to steal as they lack some of the security features that modern cars have.
I would advise any Civic owner to invest in an alarm and security system if they put any serious money into the car.
Handy Hint: Here’s how low to the ground your Civic is, and how low you can go before creating a problem.
5. By virtue of being a best seller
One of the main reasons why the Civic is most stolen is often overlooked, but it’s the simplest answer… there are so many Civics on the road.
The Honda Civic consistently appears near the top of best-selling car lists year on year. In 2021, the Car and Driver website reported that Civic’s were number 10 on the list.
Whilst you might not think that’s high up the list, you need to consider that almost everything in the top 10 was either an SUV or pick-up… so the Civic was the best-selling car with 263,787 sold in the United States that year alone.
Honda Civic theft rate statistics
When considering how likely a Honda Civic is to get stolen, you should look at the theft rates, and compare those against other vehicles. The data table below shows car theft statistics in 2022 compiled by BankRate.com.
| Car Brand & Model | Model Year Stolen Most | Amount of Thefts |
| Ford Pickup, Full Size | 2006 | 38,938 |
| Honda Civic | 2000 | 33,220 |
| Chevrolet Pickup, Full Size | 2004 | 32,583 |
| Honda Accord | 1997 | 30,745 |
| Toyota Camry | 2007 | 15,656 |
| Nissan Altima | 2015 | 13,355 |
| Toyota Corolla | 2018 | 12,137 |
| Dodge Pickup, Full Size | 2001 | 11,292 |
| GMC Pickup, Full Size | 2018 | 11,164 |
| Honda CR-V | 2001 | 10,094 |
The data above shows that Honda Civics are the most stolen car, as it’s a pickup truck in position one, closed followed by the Civic car in second position.
What year Honda Civics get stolen most?
The Honda Civic that gets stolen most is the year 2000 model. It’s closely followed by the year 1998 Civic.
How often do Honda Civics get stolen?
Given that 33,220 were stolen in 2022, I can calculate that Honda Civics get stolen as often as 91 times a day, or 3.8 thefts per hour. That’s a lot of cars being stolen so it’s no wonder the theft rate is so high.
The most stolen Honda Civic year
We all know that the Honda Civic has always been one of the most stolen vehicles, and it is still in the top ten this year. But there’s one question we’re all curious about: which Honda Civic model is the most stolen?
The most stolen Honda Civic model year was the 2000 Civic. That’s a clear indication of how many models are still on the road today. In 2018, approximately 5,290 Honda Civics from the 2000 model were reported stolen.
Are Hondas hard to steal?
I would not say that Honda are easy to steal, far from it. In fact, Hondas are hard to steal, just like any modern car. It’s just the desirability that makes thieves want to get them.
But the older Civics and Accords are easier to steal, and the theft rates back that up.
How to protect your Honda Civic from theft
I hope this article hasn’t alarmed you too much. It pays to make sure your car is secure as you can make it, so here are some tips on protecting your Civic from theft.
- Create a kill switch for your fuel pump.
- Add a two-way paging alarm.
- Connect your alarm properly so it doesn’t trigger randomly.
A kill switch is one of the simplest ways to keep your car safe from theft. This protects your vehicle from theft rather than break-ins. It is preferable to make a fuel pump kill switch rather than an ignition kill switch, as most noobs do.
Handy Hint: Here are my 11 tips on how to secure your Honda Civic from theft with preventative measures and strategies.
This means they’ll be able to start your car and drive it around for a while before the gas lines run dry. They will almost certainly abandon your vehicle if this occurs.
Two other options are a two-way paging alarm and a garage for your car. You can also obtain the brake pedal locking device. A wheel lock is a little extreme, but it works well.
You can also protect your Honda Civic from theft if you:
- Pull a relay.
- Put a lock on a wheel.
Pull a relay
Pulling one of the fuses or relays that connect to the starter, or the fuel pump is one of the most effective ways to protect your Honda Civic from being stolen. If you’re unsure which fuse to pull, simply open the hood of your car and look for the fuse box.
After that, remove the cover from the fuse box and look beneath it; each fuse should have an illustration.
Remove the fuse and any other fuses connected to the fuel pump or starter. Your best bet is to pull the fuse that powers the ECU, ensuring that the car will not start.
They might be your best option. Most thieves don’t know how to check for missing fuses in the fuse box, and they’re unlikely to have spare fuses on hand, so they won’t be able to start the car.
Lock a wheel
Putting a wheel lock on your car (view on Amazon) is another effective method of ensuring that your car is safe.
When you don’t pay your parking ticket on time, a lock like this is basically the same device that parking maids and law enforcement use to put on your car.
Even though this method is ineffective because the thief could cut the devices off, it would take them a long time to complete, and time is the enemy when it comes to car theft.
Car theft statistics
To wrap up, I wanted to share with statistics on car thefts, courtesy of the BankRate.com website I linked to earlier. They say the following:
“Car theft rates spiked in 2020, according to data released by the FBI. 810,400 vehicles were stolen in 2020, compared with 721,885 vehicles stolen in 2019. That means car thefts have increased by 11.8% from 2019 to 2020, with an eye-popping 88,515 more motor vehicles stolen in 2020.”
And here’s a graphic from their website.
Conclusion
The Honda Civic is still among the top ten most stolen cars in the United States. Make sure you take precautions so that you don’t come back to an empty parking spot or a pile of broken glass where your car was parked.
