Honestly, it’s a bit of a nightmare. You buy a brand-new car with all the bells and whistles, thinking you’ve reached the peak of convenience. No more fumbling in your pockets for keys when your hands are full of groceries. You just walk up, the door clicks open like magic, and you’re off. But that same "magic" is exactly what’s making which keyless cars are most stolen a trending topic for all the wrong reasons.
High-tech thieves aren’t using slim jims or smashing windows much anymore. They’re basically geeks with signal boosters.
If you own a Land Rover, a Hyundai, or even a Tesla, you’ve probably felt that little prickle of anxiety. You should. The data from early 2026 shows that the "arms race" between car manufacturers and organized theft rings is nowhere near over.
The big names on the hit list
So, let's get into it. Which vehicles are actually disappearing from driveways while their owners are upstairs watching Netflix?
In the United States, the crown—if you can call it that—still belongs to the Hyundai Elantra and Hyundai Sonata. It's wild. Even though Hyundai rolled out massive software patches and started handing out steering wheel locks like candy, these models topped the charts in the first half of 2025 and continue to be a massive target into 2026. Why? Because the "Kia Boyz" trend left a lasting mark. Even the newer keyless versions are targeted because thieves expect them to be easy.
But it’s not just the budget-friendly commuters.
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If we look at the luxury segment, the Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Defender are essentially "steal-to-order" favorites. In the UK particularly, Range Rovers have become notoriously difficult to insure in certain London postcodes because the theft rates were so high. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) actually dumped about £10 million into retrofitting older models with better security because the situation got so bleak.
Here's a quick look at the models seeing the most "keyless" action lately:
- Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V: These are the bread-and-butter of the theft world. They are reliable, they have high resale value for parts, and their keyless systems are frequently bypassed using "CAN bus injection"—basically, thieves plug a device into the headlight wiring to trick the car’s computer into thinking the key is present.
- Tesla Model 3 and Model Y: This one surprises people. We think of Teslas as rolling computers, but they’ve been shown to be vulnerable to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) relay attacks. If you don't have "PIN to Drive" enabled, a thief can clone your phone's digital key signal and drive away in seconds.
- Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado: In the US, these trucks are gold. The sheer volume of them on the road makes them easy targets for "parts harvesting."
The "Relay Attack" explained simply
You’ve probably heard the term. It sounds complicated. It isn't.
Basically, one thief stands near your front door with a booster box. Another thief stands by your car. The box picks up the faint signal your key fob is constantly "whispering" from your kitchen counter. It screams that signal over to the car. The car thinks you’re standing right there with the key. Click. The door opens. The engine starts. They're gone in under 60 seconds.
Why some brands are failing (and others are winning)
It’s easy to blame the owners for leaving keys near the door, but the tech is the real culprit.
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For a long time, Lexus and Toyota were getting hammered. Lexus saw theft claims jump by over 500% in some regions a couple of years back. They’ve since started using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology in their newer fobs. This tech is way smarter. It measures the "time of flight" of the signal—basically, it knows exactly how far away the key is. If the signal takes too long to travel (because it's being bounced through a relay box), the car simply refuses to unlock.
Smart, right?
Then you have the "sleeper" fobs. Brands like BMW, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz started putting motion sensors inside the keys. If the key hasn't moved for 40 seconds—say, it’s sitting on your hallway table—it stops transmitting. It goes to sleep. No signal to steal, no relay attack.
But if you’re driving a model from 2018 to 2022, you likely don't have these features. You’re driving a "legacy" keyless car, and that puts you right in the crosshairs of which keyless cars are most stolen.
The surprising vulnerability of "Phone as Key"
We’re moving toward a world where we don't even carry fobs. Your iPhone or Android is the key. While this feels like the future, it has opened a new door for hackers.
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Researchers have shown that relaying a Bluetooth signal from a phone is actually quite easy if the owner hasn't set up multi-factor authentication for the car. If you’re using a Tesla or a high-end BMW with digital key features, your phone is constantly looking for the car. If a hacker intercepts that handshake, they don't even need to be near your house—they just need to be near you at a coffee shop while their partner is at your car.
Actionable steps: How to not be a statistic
Look, you don't have to sell your car and buy a 1994 stick-shift Jeep (though that would definitely solve the keyless theft problem). You just need to be more annoying to steal from than your neighbor.
- The Faraday Bag is non-negotiable: Seriously. They cost ten bucks on Amazon. Buy a two-pack. Put your keys in them the second you walk inside. It’s a literal tinfoil hat for your keys that blocks all signals. Test it by walking up to your car while the key is in the bag. If the door opens, the bag is trash. Get a better one.
- Turn off "Passive Entry": Most cars let you dive into the infotainment settings and disable the "auto-unlock" feature. Yes, you’ll have to actually push a button on the fob like it’s 2005, but it kills the relay attack instantly.
- The "Old School" Steering Wheel Lock: Thieves are looking for a quick, silent exit. If they see a bright yellow Disklok or a Stoplock Pro on your wheel, they usually just keep walking. They don't want to spend five minutes with a noisy angle grinder in a quiet neighborhood.
- Enable "PIN to Drive": If you have a Tesla or a modern luxury car with this feature, use it. Even if they "hack" the signal to get inside, they can't move the car without your four-digit code. It’s the single most effective deterrent for high-tech cars.
- Check your OBD port: Some thieves use "key programmers" that they plug into the port under your dashboard to make a new key on the spot. You can actually buy a lock for your OBD port to keep them out.
Is the "Keyless" era ending?
Not really. Manufacturers are just getting better at the software. We’re seeing more biometric stuff—fingerprint starts and facial recognition—hitting the market in 2026.
But for now, the reality is that which keyless cars are most stolen is a list dominated by cars that chose convenience over security. If you own a popular SUV or a late-model sedan with push-button start, the "ease" of your morning commute is exactly what a thief is counting on.
Update your software, hide your signal, and maybe—just maybe—buy a steering wheel lock. It’s better to look a little "old school" than to wake up to an empty driveway.
Next Steps for Security:
Check your car's manual or settings menu today to see if you can disable "Passive Entry" or "Keyless Go." If you own a 2018-2023 Land Rover or Toyota, call your local dealer to ask if there are any security firmware updates or hardware retrofits available for your specific VIN. Many manufacturers are quietly offering these to prevent further PR disasters.