Four Cadillac Escalade models combined share the dubious honor with numerous pick-ups trucks as the vehicles in the United States with the most and most expensive theft claims during the past three years, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).
The group’s latest study shows Escalades combine to have the most theft claims and the highest average amount ($114) per theft. That’s 10 times more than the average amount lost per car.
According to HLDI, the theft data in compiled from insurance companies representing about 80 percent of all privately owned vehicles.
Pickup trucks, including the Escalade EXT, had higher dollar amounts of theft loss ($24), compared with SUVs ($12) and cars ($9). The HLDI suggests it’s because fewer pickup trucks have ignition immobilizers, and owners may keep property in the bed of their trucks, making it easy to steal.
Outside of trucks and luxury cars, the Chrysler 300 has the highest theft rates of any passenger car, HLDI says. The Audi A6 with all-wheel drive saw the fewest claims, while the Mini Cooper Clubman saw average theft losses of just $1.
Here’s the Top 10 by frequency of claims:
Cadillac Escalade
Ford F-250 crew cab four-wheel-drive
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Ford F-450 crew four-wheel-drive
GMC Sierra
Chrysler 300
Ford F-350 crew cab four-wheel-drive
Chevrolet Avalanche 1500
GMC Yukon
Chrysler 300 Hemi
Article Last Updated: August 31, 2011.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
