1 in 4 Stolen Vehicles in Japan Is a Land Cruiser | Carscoops

      Car thieves in Japan evidently favor practicality over performance, as reflected in the nation’s list of the most stolen cars, trucks, and SUVs.

      The Land Cruiser has been identified as the most-stolen vehicle in Japan.

      This sturdy SUV has topped the list for four consecutive years as of 2024.

      Every spot in the top 10 is filled by Toyota and Lexus models.

      Toyota is accustomed to achieving top rankings in various vehicle performance categories, such as overall sales, reliability, and longevity before a model is deemed unfit for use. This week, the automaker made a significant impact by occupying all ten positions in a specific list. However, Toyota is unlikely to celebrate, as this list pertains to the most-stolen vehicles in Japan.

      The Japan General Insurance Association has been gathering annual data on car thefts since 2000, and in the 2024 report, Toyota and Lexus dominated the top ten. Yet, there is one model that thieves particularly desire.

      That model is the Land Cruiser (and Prado), which has led the chart for the fourth consecutive year, although the number of thefts saw a marked increase over the year leading up to December. In the 2023 statistics, Land Cruisers made up 14.7 out of every 100 stolen vehicles, but this number surged to 27.5 in 2024, meaning that more than one in four stolen cars was a Land Cruiser.

      The top four vehicles on the list retained their positions from the previous report. Following the Land Cruiser are the Alphard minivan, Prius, and Lexus LX (a luxury version of the Land Cruiser), all contributing to a much lower rate of theft compared to the large Toyota SUV.

      Another Lexus, the RX, secured the fifth position, followed by the Toyota Crown, Hiace and Velfire minivans, the Lexus LS sedan, and the Toyota Voxy minivan. However, theft numbers for these vehicles pale in comparison to those at the top. Nearly 670 Land Cruisers were stolen (up from 383 in 2023), while only 21 Voxys were taken. The surge in Land Cruiser thefts contributed to an overall total of 2,499 vehicle thefts.

      Average insurer payouts rose by approximately 20 percent to ¥2,815,000 ($18,700), after remaining stable between 2022 and 2023. The area with the highest likelihood of vehicle theft? That would be Aichi Prefecture, which accounted for over 20 percent of all thefts and is certainly not an ideal location for anyone considering purchasing a Land Cruiser.

      Vehicle thefts in Japan 2024.