AMI Reveals NZ’s Top Stolen Cars For 2024

AMI's new insurance data - sourced from the largest general insurance dataset in the country - reported almost 12,000 vehicle theft claims throughout 2024, including claims relating to attempted vehicle theft.

Last year, the Toyota Aqua made up 8% of all stolen vehicle claims, followed by the Toyota Corolla (6%) and the Nissan Tiida (5%).

Regions where vehicle theft occurred the most rank from Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato, Wellington, and the Bay of Plenty.

AMI Executive General Manager Claims Wayne Tippet notes that stolen vehicle claims have begun to decrease for the first time in four years, with stolen vehicle claims related to ram raids down by 50% compared to 2023.

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

Despite its popularity among car thieves, 2024 saw a record number of insurance policies for the Toyota Aqua, highlighting the enduring demand for the reliable hybrid hatchback.

Wayne Tippet says AMI’s top 10 list underscores New Zealanders' love for the Toyota brand, with five different models ranking within the top nine.

“The Toyota Hilux ute climbed four spots on the list, indicating its increasing value, rural and urban appeal, and strong resale value, driven by high demand for its parts.”

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

“Every week, we repair recovered stolen vehicles at our AMI MotorHubs around the country. We commonly repair broken glass, damaged ignition systems, dash panels, and external dents and scrapes on these vehicles.

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

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

The AMI top 10 stolen cars list [1]

1. Toyota Aqua (=)
2. Toyota Corolla (+1)
3. Nissan Tiida (-1)
4. Mazda Demio (=)
5. Mazda Atenza (=)
6. Toyota Hilux (+4)
7. Toyota Vitz (=)
8. Subaru Impreza (=)
9. Toyota Mark X (-3)
10. Mazda Axela (+1)

The most frequently stolen vehicle in each region (regions ranked by claims volume)

1. Auckland - Toyota Aqua
2. Canterbury - Toyota Aqua
3. Waikato - Nissan Tiida
4. Wellington - Toyota Aqua
5. Bay of Plenty - Mazda Demio
6. Manawatū - Mazda Demio
7. Northland - Toyota Corolla
8. Hawke’s Bay - Mazda Demio
9. Otago - Nissan Tiida
10. Southland - Nissan Tiida
11. Gisborne - Toyota Corolla
12. Taranaki - Toyota Corolla
13. Nelson - Mazda Demio
14. Tasman - Ford Ranger
15. Marlborough - Audi A4
16. West Coast - Nissan Tiida

AMI’s top tips for vehicle security:

• Where possible, park down a driveway or inside a garage.
• If there isn’t any off-street parking available, try to park your car in a well-lit area.
• If possible, park your vehicle facing uphill or facing your house.
• Consider using anti-theft protection measures, such as a car alarm system, immobiliser, fuel cut out switch, steering wheel lock, handbrake lock, or car tracking system.
• There are some good cost effective GPS tags that can be placed inside vehicles and are very helpful in assisting the police to track the offenders and/or vehicle.
• Don’t get out of your car and leave the engine running or keys in it, even for a few seconds.
• Always lock your car doors when driving your car and consider keeping the windows up, especially in low-speed areas.
• Make sure you always lock your car, especially whenever your car is parked and unattended.
• Don’t leave valuables on display.
• Avoid leaving windows or the sunroof open when you're not in the car.

[1] This data has been sourced from IAG's insurance brands' motor claims from 2024. Cars are ranked from highest frequency of theft to lowest. Symbols indicate rank movement compared to 2023.

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