Car theft in America looks very different today than it did a decade ago. Fewer thieves want to drive away in a stolen SUV and sell it whole. Instead, they want the parts inside it. Catalytic converters, airbags, wheels, and even entire body panels now fetch fast cash on the black market.
New SUVs are especially attractive targets. Their components are still in demand at dealerships, which means stolen parts sell quickly to repair shops and online buyers.
Recent CARFAX data shows more than 137,000 catalytic converters were stolen nationwide in 2025 alone. Many of those thefts targeted SUVs specifically, because of their higher ground clearance and larger converters.
Meanwhile, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports that roughly 50,000 airbags are stolen every year. Modern SUVs, loaded with sensors and electronics, make especially profitable targets for this kind of theft.
Below are eight new-generation SUVs, all built for the 2025 and 2026 model years, that investigators and insurers have flagged as frequent targets for parts theft. Each one gets stripped down in chop shops rather than driven away and resold.
1. Honda CR-V
The CR-V remains Honda’s best-selling SUV in America. That popularity is exactly what makes it a magnet for parts thieves. In June 2026, Miami police raided a chop shop packed with Honda components.
Investigators found a 2025 CR-V that had been sliced into sections, alongside 56 stolen airbags and eight catalytic converters. Because so many CR-Vs are on the road, stolen parts blend seamlessly into the used-parts market. Buyers rarely question where a CR-V dashboard or bumper came from.
The CR-V’s airbags are a particular prize. Honda’s steering-wheel units use simple spring clips, letting thieves pop them out in under a minute. Its catalytic converter is also a common target. Hybrid CR-V models carry extra precious metal in their converters, pushing black-market value even higher.
Specifications:
- Engine: 1.5L Turbocharged Inline-4 (Hybrid: 2.0L Atkinson-cycle I-4 with dual electric motors)
- Horsepower: 190 hp @ 6,000 rpm (Hybrid: 204 hp combined)
- Torque: 179 lb-ft @ 1,700 rpm (Hybrid: 247 lb-ft from primary motor)
- Length: 186.6 inches
- Width: 73.5 inches
- Wheelbase: 106.3 inches
- Transmission: CVT (Hybrid: E-CVT)
The CR-V’s real vulnerability is volume. Millions of them sit in driveways across the country every night. That sheer number means thieves rarely have to travel far to find one.
And repair shops rarely question the origin of a common part. Owners are increasingly advised to install aftermarket airbag locks. VIN etching on the catalytic converter also helps recovery efforts.
2. Hyundai Tucson
The Tucson has become one of the most stolen SUVs for its catalytic converter, specifically. CARFAX places it among the top ten most targeted vehicles nationwide. Its compact crossover shape gives it just enough ground clearance for thieves to slide underneath quickly. A skilled crew can remove the converter in under a minute.
Hyundai’s broader theft problems haven’t helped either. The brand’s vulnerability to the viral “Kia Boys” hacking method has kept it under heightened scrutiny from insurers.
While that exploit mostly affects older sedans, it has drawn organized theft rings toward Hyundai’s parking lots and dealership rows. Once there, thieves often target whatever SUV sits nearby.
The Tucson’s popularity as a rental and fleet vehicle adds another layer of risk. Fleet vehicles often sit unattended for long stretches in airport lots and rental yards.
Specifications:
- Engine: 2.5L Inline-4 (all trims)
- Horsepower: 187 hp @ 6,100 rpm
- Torque: 178 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
- Length: 182.7 inches
- Width: 73.4 inches
- Wheelbase: 108.5 inches
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Beyond the converter, thieves also target the Tucson’s wheels and side mirrors. Both are easy to remove and simple to resell. Insurance data shows Tucson claims for parts theft climbing steadily through 2025 and into 2026.
Rising rhodium and platinum prices are driving much of that increase. Hyundai has responded with reinforced converter shields on newer builds. Owners can also request aftermarket cages from dealers for added protection.
3. Ford Explorer
The Explorer sits on CARFAX’s national list of frequently targeted SUVs for catalytic converter theft. Its size and ride height make it an easy mark. Ford redesigned the Explorer’s interior and tech for 2025, but the underlying platform kept its high ground clearance. That clearance is precisely what thieves look for.
Because Explorers are common on fleet lots, rental counters, and dealership rows, thieves can often find several parked together. That lets a crew hit multiple vehicles in one visit.
The Explorer ST and Platinum trims add another wrinkle. Their twin-turbo V6 engines use higher-value components, making engine and turbo theft more lucrative for organized rings.
Interior electronics have also become a target. The Explorer’s 12.3-inch digital display and BlueCruise hardware carry real resale value in gray-market parts networks.
Specifications:
- Engine: 2.3L EcoBoost Turbocharged I-4 (ST/Platinum: 3.0L Twin-Turbo V6)
- Horsepower: 300 hp (V6: 400 hp)
- Torque: 310 lb-ft (V6: 415 lb-ft)
- Length: 199.3 inches
- Width: 78.9 inches
- Wheelbase: 119.1 inches
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Thieves also go after the Explorer’s power liftgate motor and its 20-inch wheels. Both parts move quickly through online resale channels. Because the SUV is built on a rear-wheel-drive platform shared with the Police Interceptor Utility, some components carry crossover demand from law enforcement fleets needing repairs.
Ford has started shipping reinforced converter shields as a factory option. Dealers also recommend etching VINs onto major components before delivery.
4. Chevrolet Traverse
The Traverse ranks among CARFAX’s most frequently targeted SUVs nationwide for converter theft. Its size puts it in direct competition with the Explorer for the thief’s attention. General Motors gave the Traverse a new turbocharged engine for recent model years. That change actually increased the value of its internals to parts thieves.
The SUV’s High Country trim uses larger, more expensive wheels than base models. Those wheels are a frequent target in shopping center parking lots. Because the Traverse shares parts with other GM crossovers, stolen components can be sold across multiple vehicle lines. That broadens the resale market for thieves considerably.
Family-oriented buyers often park Traverses at schools, sports complexes, and grocery stores for extended periods. Those predictable routines create opportunity windows for thieves.
Specifications:
- Engine: 2.5L Turbocharged Inline-4
- Horsepower: 328 hp @ 5,500 rpm
- Torque: 326 lb-ft @ 2,500-4,000 rpm
- Length: 204.3 inches
- Width: 78.6 inches
- Wheelbase: 120.9 inches
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Insurance analysts note that Traverse claims for stolen parts spiked alongside the broader 2025-2026 catalytic converter resurgence. Rising rhodium prices are the main driver behind that trend.
The Traverse’s high ground clearance, similar to a pickup truck’s, makes crawling underneath simple. Most thefts take less than two minutes to complete. Owners in the Midwest and Plains states report the highest incident rates. Local police departments recommend parking in garages whenever possible.
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5. Ford Expedition
The Expedition made CARFAX’s national top ten list for catalytic converter theft. Its full-size body and towering ride height explain why. This SUV shares its EcoBoost V6 platform with the F-150 pickup, one of the most stolen vehicles in the country. That shared parts bin makes Expedition components highly desirable.
Because the Expedition sits so high off the ground, thieves barely need to crouch to access the underside. That speed advantage makes it a favorite target during daylight hours. Its size also means a bigger, more valuable catalytic converter. Larger engines require larger converters, and larger converters hold more precious metal.
Fleet buyers, including limousine services and large families, often leave Expeditions parked for long stretches at airports and hotels. Those locations see repeated theft reports.
Specifications:
- Engine: 3.5L EcoBoost Twin-Turbo V6
- Horsepower: 400 hp @ 5,500 rpm
- Torque: 480 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm
- Length: 210 inches
- Width: 79.9 inches
- Wheelbase: 122.5 inches
- Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Beyond the converter, thieves also target the Expedition’s power running boards and third-row seating hardware. Both carry decent resale value among parts brokers. Its size makes whole-vehicle theft harder to pull off unnoticed. That pushes many criminal crews toward stripping it for parts instead of driving it away.
Ford dealers now offer factory-installed converter shields for Expedition buyers. Security experts also recommend motion-activated lighting for driveway parking.
6. Chevrolet Trax
The subcompact Trax might seem like an unlikely theft target. Its low price tag actually works against it here. CARFAX data places the Trax among the most frequently targeted SUVs nationwide for catalytic converter theft. Its compact size gives thieves quick, unobstructed access underneath.
Because the Trax is one of the most affordable new SUVs on the market, it sells in huge volumes. That popularity means a steady, constant supply of vehicles for thieves to choose from.
Its parts are also inexpensive to source legitimately, which might sound like a deterrent. Instead, it makes stolen Trax parts attractive to budget-focused buyers who don’t ask questions.
Urban parking, where many Trax owners live, offers thieves easy street access. Overnight street parking remains the single biggest risk factor for this model.
Specifications:
- Engine: 1.2L Turbocharged Inline-3
- Horsepower: 137 hp @ 5,600 rpm
- Torque: 162 lb-ft @ 2,500 rpm
- Length: 173.4 inches
- Width: 71.6 inches
- Wheelbase: 103.9 inches
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Analysts note that Trax’s rise up the theft charts coincides with its explosive sales growth since 2024. More units on the road naturally mean more targets. Its small three-cylinder engine actually uses a compact but efficient converter. That efficiency requires slightly more concentrated precious metal content per unit.
Chevrolet recommends aftermarket shields for Trax owners in high-theft ZIP codes. Insurers in several states now flag the model for raised comprehensive premiums.
7. Chevrolet Equinox
The Equinox has long been recognized for its ground clearance advantage, and that same trait now works against owners. Thieves can slide beneath it with ease.
According to Chevrolet, the Equinox was the most-awarded compact SUV for quality between 2015 and 2024. That reputation kept sales strong, and strong sales kept thief interest high.
It ranks as the second-most-targeted vehicle for converter theft in the Midwest region. Nationally, it lands around sixth place on frequency lists. Notably, the newer all-electric Equinox variants aren’t at risk for catalytic converter theft since they have no combustion engine. But the gas-powered models, still the majority on dealer lots, remain squarely in danger.
Because Equinox and Traverse share some GM parts-bin components, stolen pieces move easily between resale channels for both models. Thieves also target the Equinox’s headlight assemblies and side mirrors. Both are simple to remove using basic hand tools.
Specifications:
- Engine: 1.5L Turbocharged Inline-4
- Horsepower: 175 hp @ 5,600 rpm
- Torque: 203 lb-ft @ 2,000-4,000 rpm
- Length: 183.1 inches
- Width: 72.6 inches
- Wheelbase: 107.3 inches
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
The compact SUV’s affordability makes it a common choice for rideshare drivers. Rideshare use means frequent overnight parking in unfamiliar, often unmonitored locations. Owners are encouraged to park under security cameras when possible. Chevrolet also offers a locking converter shield as a dealer-installed accessory.
8. Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 carries a theft reputation inherited partly from its cousin, the Toyota Prius, long infamous for converter theft. The RAV4 Hybrid shares that same vulnerability. Hybrid converters contain significantly more precious metal than standard gasoline units. That’s because hybrid engines run cooler and less often, requiring extra catalyst material to work efficiently.
A standard converter might net a thief $300. A RAV4 Hybrid’s converter can fetch up to $1,400 on the black market. Security researchers have also flagged a newer digital vulnerability. Some RAV4 models can reportedly be accessed through a CAN bus injection point hidden behind the headlight assembly.
That entry point allows thieves to bypass the immobilizer electronically. Once inside, the whole vehicle becomes vulnerable, not just its underbody parts.
Specifications:
- Engine: 2.5L Dynamic Force Inline-4 (Hybrid: 2.5L I-4 with electric motors)
- Horsepower: 203 hp (Hybrid: 219 hp combined)
- Torque: 184 lb-ft (Hybrid: 163 lb-ft engine-only)
- Length: 181.5 inches
- Width: 73 inches
- Wheelbase: 105.9 inches
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic (Hybrid: eCVT)
The RAV4 remains Toyota’s best-selling SUV in the United States. That popularity keeps demand for stolen parts consistently high. Its headlights, mirrors, and infotainment units are frequent secondary targets. Thieves often grab whatever is quick and profitable during a single visit.
Toyota now recommends steering wheel locks and OBD-II port covers for RAV4 owners. Dealers also offer converter cages as an added layer of protection.
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