Most Stolen Cars In U.S.

(RTTNews) - Owners of large cars with gas-powered engines need to be more cautious as these cars seem to be thieves' favorites.

According to data collected by the Highway Loss Data Institute or HLDI, the Dodge Charger HEMI and the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat top the list of the vehicles most likely to be stolen.

The claim rates for theft related to the two vehicles are more than five times the average for 2016-18 models, the whole-vehicle theft report by HLDI said.

The Infiniti Q50 mid-size luxury sedan stood in third position on the HLDI's most-stolen list, followed by the Infiniti Q80 luxury SUV.

"The models most likely to be stolen tend to be powerful, pricey or pickups, but vehicle theft is also a crime of opportunity. Better security features on all vehicles would be the best way to address the problem," said HLDI Senior Vice President Matt Moore.

Owners of Tesla vehicles can heave a sigh of relief. The Model S and Model X took the second and third position among the least stolen vehicles. This could be for the fact that these electric vehicles are usually parked in garages or close to houses as they require power supply to recharge batteries, according to the study.

Electric vehicles from several other manufacturers too have lower theft claim rates than comparable gas-powered vehicles.

Cadillac Escalade has fallen out of favor among thieves, the list shows. The vehicle had previously dominated HLDI's rankings.

However, its rivals in the luxury SUV category such as the Infiniti QX80 and the Land Rover Range Rover vehicles are among the most stolen. Enhanced security features added by Cadillac have benefited Escalade owners.

Surprisingly, the two-wheel-drive BMW 3 series tops the list of least stolen vehicles. This is despite it being a midsize luxury car.