Illinois has seen vehicle theft fall from its recent peak, but the problem remains unusually large. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported 28,327 vehicle thefts in Illinois during 2025, the third-highest state total in the country.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area alone recorded 24,299 thefts, ranking third among U.S. metropolitan areas. That means owners still have good reason to pay attention to which vehicles attract the most unwanted attention.
For the model ranking below, the latest Illinois-specific top-10 list I could verify is based on NICB’s 2024 data, published in 2025. It places the Jeep Grand Cherokee first, followed by a heavy concentration of Hyundai and Kia products, then the Dodge Charger and Infiniti Q50.
Illinois also reported a major year-over-year drop in thefts during 2024, showing that anti-theft upgrades and enforcement are helping, even though these ten models remained frequent targets for thieves throughout the Prairie State.
1. Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee sits at the top of Illinois’ 2024 list, making it the state’s most frequently targeted vehicle in the latest model-specific ranking I could verify. That position is especially notable because the national top five for 2024 was dominated by Hyundai sedans, a Chevrolet pickup, a Honda Accord, and a Kia Optima.
Illinois therefore has a distinctly local pattern, with the Grand Cherokee standing out ahead of the Korean models that drove much of the nationwide theft surge.
One reason the Grand Cherokee attracts attention is simply its combination of popularity, value, and usefulness. It is common enough that thieves can find examples throughout the Chicago area and elsewhere in the state, yet desirable enough to be worth stealing intact or stripping for parts.
Chicago police have also reported growing theft activity involving Jeeps, with CBS Chicago’s analysis showing more than 1,700 Jeeps stolen in the city during 2024, up 28 percent from the previous year and the highest total in more than a decade. Police said SUV models from Jeep and Dodge were particularly targeted and sometimes used in other crimes after being stolen.
For owners, the practical response is layered security rather than assuming the factory system alone is sufficient. NICB recommends parking in well-lit areas, locking doors and windows, taking keys or fobs with you, and adding visible or electronic anti-theft devices. A steering-wheel lock, alarm, kill switch, or tracking device can add another obstacle and improve the odds of recovery if a theft occurs.
2. Hyundai Elantra
The Hyundai Elantra ranks second among the vehicles thieves targeted most in Illinois in 2024, and its position is not surprising when compared with national data. NICB ranked the Elantra as the most stolen vehicle in the United States in both 2024 and 2025, with 31,712 thefts in 2024 and 21,732 in 2025. Even as theft totals declined, the compact sedan remained a leading target because a large number of older examples were already on the road when the theft wave accelerated.
The biggest issue involved certain Hyundai vehicles built without an electronic engine immobilizer. Hyundai says affected Elantra model years span 2011 through 2022, depending on configuration, and it has offered a free anti-theft software upgrade for eligible vehicles.
The Illinois Attorney General later noted that Hyundai and Kia sold millions of vehicles without industry-standard immobilizers and that more than 7,000 Hyundai and Kia thefts occurred in Chicago during 2022 alone. A 2025 multistate settlement expanded hardware protection for eligible owners.
The important distinction is that not every Elantra has the same vulnerability. Newer models and many push-button-start versions use stronger immobilizer protection, while older turn-key cars are the ones that generated the greatest concern.
Owners should check their VIN with Hyundai to see whether their vehicle qualifies for an update or protective hardware. Visible deterrents also matter because thieves may damage a car before realizing it has already been upgraded. Parking carefully and adding a steering-wheel lock can reduce that risk.
3. Hyundai Sonata
The Hyundai Sonata is third on Illinois’ 2024 theft list and has also remained near the top nationally. NICB recorded 26,720 Sonata thefts across the United States in 2024, making it the second-most stolen model that year. In 2025, the Sonata still ranked third nationally with 17,687 reported thefts.
The decline is significant, but the model’s continued presence near the top shows how long it can take for a theft trend to fade once thieves have learned to recognize a particular vehicle.
Like the Elantra, the Sonata was affected by the lack of an engine immobilizer in certain older U.S.-market vehicles. Hyundai’s current anti-theft program lists 2011 through 2019 Sonata models among the affected vehicles eligible for its software upgrade.
The company says the upgrade is intended to prevent unauthorized operation of locked vehicles, while later hardware measures were developed for cars that could not receive the software solution. Illinois officials have continued to push owners to use those protections because the consequences of the earlier design gap were especially visible in Chicago.
For Illinois owners, age and equipment matter more than the Sonata badge alone. A newer Sonata equipped with an immobilizer is not equivalent to an older turnkey example that was part of the original theft problem.
Owners of older cars should verify whether the factory security campaign has been completed and keep documentation showing the work was performed. NICB also recommends basic measures such as removing keys, locking every door, parking in illuminated areas, and using an additional anti-theft device when possible.
4. Kia Optima
The Kia Optima ranks fourth in Illinois’ 2024 top-ten list and remains one of the clearest examples of how the Hyundai-Kia theft wave reshaped vehicle crime. Nationally, NICB counted 17,493 Optima thefts in 2024, placing it fifth in the country.
The model stayed in the national top ten in 2025, although thefts fell to 11,521. Those numbers show meaningful improvement while also confirming that the Optima continues to draw attention well after automakers began rolling out fixes.
Kia’s own anti-theft support program explains why certain older vehicles became vulnerable. The company says it provides a free enhanced security software upgrade for eligible vehicles that may be targeted by theft methods popularized on social media.
Many affected Kia vehicles use a turn-to-start ignition and were built before immobilizers became standard across the company’s U.S. lineup. Kia has also introduced ignition-cylinder protection for some vehicles that are not eligible for the software update.
For an Illinois Optima owner, the key question is not simply whether the car appears on a theft list, but whether its specific VIN has received the available security work. Cars that have been updated can still be broken into by thieves who do not know the difference until after they damage a window or steering column.
That makes visible deterrents useful even on upgraded vehicles. A steering-wheel lock, careful parking, and an aftermarket tracker can make the car less attractive and easier to recover. Owners should also avoid leaving keys, valuables, or a running vehicle unattended, all measures NICB continues to recommend.
5. Kia Forte
The Kia Forte ranks fifth among Illinois’ most stolen vehicles in the 2024 model-specific list. Its placement reflects the same broad security problem that affected several Kia and Hyundai products, but the Forte also stands out because it is a common, relatively affordable compact sedan.
A large population of similar-looking cars gives thieves many opportunities to find an older example, and the model became widely associated with the theft trend that spread through social media.
Kia has acknowledged that some older turnkey vehicles were built without the immobilizer protection now standard across its lineup. The company’s anti-theft program offers a free enhanced software upgrade for eligible vehicles and additional hardware protection for certain cars that cannot receive the software fix.
Kia says all models and trims from the 2022 model year onward received immobilizers either at the start of the model year or as a running production change, so theft risk varies substantially by year and equipment.
That distinction matters for Forte owners in Illinois. A late-model Forte with modern security should not be treated as identical to an older turnkey car that falls within the affected group. Still, the badge itself can attract attempted theft because a criminal may not know which security system is installed until after breaking in.
Owners can reduce that exposure by confirming any factory campaign has been completed, using a visible steering-wheel lock, and parking where the vehicle is well illuminated. NICB also recommends keeping windows closed, doors locked, keys removed, and considering a tracker or other secondary anti-theft technology.
6. Kia Sportage
The Kia Sportage takes sixth place on Illinois’ 2024 list. Unlike the Optima and Forte, it is a compact SUV, showing that the state’s theft problem was not limited to sedans. Its combination of everyday practicality, high visibility in parking lots, and the broader reputation surrounding certain older Kia vehicles made it a frequent target.
The Illinois ranking places the Sportage ahead of the Kia Soul, Hyundai Tucson, Dodge Charger, and Infiniti Q50.
The security issue again depends heavily on model year and ignition type. Kia’s current anti-theft support program is aimed at eligible vehicles that may be vulnerable to the theft method popularized online. The company has offered software updates and, for some vehicles unable to use that software solution, reinforced ignition-cylinder hardware.
Illinois’ Attorney General has also emphasized that the original problem involved millions of Hyundai and Kia vehicles sold without industry-standard engine immobilizers, prompting the later multistate settlement and expanded protections.
Owners should therefore avoid assuming that every Sportage is equally easy to steal. Newer models use stronger factory protection, while older examples may need a campaign update or hardware remedy. Even after an update, a visible deterrent can be worthwhile because attempted theft can still leave costly damage.
A steering-wheel lock immediately signals that the vehicle will require more effort. Parking near lighting or cameras, keeping the cabin free of visible valuables, and using a hidden tracking device add further layers. Those steps follow NICB’s broader recommendation to combine ordinary locking habits with additional anti-theft technology whenever possible.
7. Kia Soul
The Kia Soul ranks seventh on the latest Illinois-specific top-ten list I could verify. Its boxy shape makes it one of the easiest vehicles to recognize at a glance, and older examples were pulled into the same theft wave that affected other Kia products lacking immobilizers.
Although national theft totals have been declining, the Soul’s appearance on Illinois’ 2024 list shows that the model remained a meaningful target in the state after manufacturers and police had already begun responding to the problem.
The underlying concern is concentrated among particular older vehicles rather than every Soul ever built. Kia says its anti-theft support program provides a free security software upgrade for eligible vehicles targeted by methods popularized on social media.
The company has also supplied steering-wheel locks through law-enforcement agencies and created reinforced ignition-cylinder protection for some vehicles that cannot receive the software fix. The broader Hyundai-Kia theft issue became severe enough that Illinois joined a multistate settlement requiring additional free hardware protections for eligible owners.
For Soul owners, visible security can be especially helpful because an attempted thief may select a vehicle based on its brand and age without knowing whether it has already been upgraded. A bright steering-wheel lock can discourage that attempt before a window or ignition area is damaged.
Owners should also confirm update eligibility by VIN, keep proof of completed security work, and consider a tracking device. NICB’s standard advice remains simple but important: take the keys, lock the doors, close the windows, avoid leaving the vehicle running unattended, and choose well-lit parking whenever possible.
8. Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson ranks eighth among the vehicles most frequently stolen in Illinois in the 2024 model ranking. As a compact SUV, it broadens the list beyond the Elantra and Sonata sedans and shows how the Hyundai theft problem reached several body styles.
Hyundai’s own anti-theft site lists 2011 through 2022 Tucson models among vehicles potentially eligible for its security software campaign, depending on the vehicle’s equipment and original immobilizer configuration.
That history helps explain why the Tucson remained on Illinois’ list even as thefts involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles began to decline. In Chicago, thefts of vehicles from both brands dropped sharply in 2024, with CBS Chicago reporting that incidents were reduced by nearly half.
Nationally, NICB also says Hyundai and Kia’s share of vehicle thefts continued to decline in 2025 as software updates and other prevention measures spread. The improvement is substantial, but a large population of older vehicles remains on the road.
A Tucson owner should first determine whether the vehicle is actually part of the affected group. Hyundai says its free software upgrade is intended for certain vehicles without push-button ignition and immobilizing anti-theft devices, while other eligible cars may qualify for additional hardware protection.
Beyond the factory campaign, owners can use a steering-wheel lock or tracker, park in visible areas, and avoid leaving keys or valuables inside. These measures cannot guarantee a vehicle will never be targeted, but they add time, visibility, and recovery options three factors that can make an opportunistic thief move on to an easier target.
9. Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger ranks ninth on Illinois’ 2024 list, reflecting a different theft profile from the older Hyundai and Kia models above it. The Charger has long appealed to performance-car buyers, and powerful versions can be valuable as complete vehicles or for parts.
In Chicago, police have specifically identified Dodge products among vehicles being targeted. CBS Chicago reported more than 1,500 Dodge thefts during 2024, an increase of about 6 percent from the previous year.
Police also noted that Jeep and Dodge SUVs were sometimes stolen for use in additional crimes, illustrating that vehicle theft is not always driven by resale or dismantling. A stolen fast vehicle can be attractive to offenders who want transportation they do not intend to keep. That dynamic differs from the viral ignition vulnerability that drove many Hyundai and Kia thefts, so Charger owners should not assume the same security issue explains their risk.
For Charger owners, layered protection is sensible. Keeping the vehicle in a locked garage when available, using a visible steering-wheel lock, adding an independent tracking system, and keeping keys secured inside the home can all increase the difficulty of stealing or retaining the car.
NICB also recommends locked doors, closed windows, well-lit parking, and never leaving a running vehicle unattended. Owners of higher-performance trims may want to ask a dealer about current factory security features and software updates specific to their VIN. The goal is to make the car slower to steal, easier to locate, and less appealing than another target.
10. Infiniti Q50
The Infiniti Q50 completes Illinois’ 2024 top-ten list. Unlike the older Hyundai and Kia entries, the Q50 is a rear- or all-wheel-drive luxury sport sedan, so its appeal to thieves is more closely tied to performance, desirability, and resale value than to the highly publicized immobilizer issue.
Its inclusion also fits the changing Chicago theft picture, where police have warned that higher-end vehicles are receiving more attention even as Kia and Hyundai thefts decline.
The Q50 has appeared in real Illinois theft cases as well. In April 2024, a 2019 Infiniti Q50 was reported stolen from a parking lot at Chicago Midway International Airport and later recovered with help from a stolen-vehicle tracking service and law enforcement.
In another Illinois case reported later that year, police said a stolen Infiniti Q50 from a Clarendon Hills dealership was used during a series of burglaries before being recovered in Chicago. These examples do not establish a single universal theft method, but they illustrate why the model has become a recognizable target in the region.
Q50 owners should focus on layered security rather than relying on any one device. Keep key fobs away from exterior doors and windows, use secure parking when possible, and consider a steering-wheel lock or independent tracker.
Owners can also ask an Infiniti dealer whether any security-related software updates apply to their VIN. NICB recommends the same fundamentals for all vehicles: remove keys, lock doors and windows, choose well-lit parking, never leave the engine running unattended, and add anti-theft technology when practical.
