These 10 Vehicles Are Most Likely to Have Their Catalytic Converter Stolen

These 10 Vehicles Are Most Likely to Have Their Catalytic Converter Stolen

Catalytic converter theft is on a rampant rise across the U.S. CarFax says these 10 vehicles are the most targeted.

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Ford F-150
Photo: Ford

When you think of catalytic converter thefts, you typically think of the Toyota Prius. And for good reason — it’s a popular target for thieves looking to make a quick buck. Heck, you can even add a factory-installed catalytic converter shield to your 2023 Toyota Prius to help protect yourself.

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But the Prius is far from the only car targeted by catalytic converter thieves. CarFax recently had its data team dig through millions of service records to see which cars were getting their cat converters replaced most frequently due to theft.

These are the 10 vehicles that most frequently had their catalytic converters stolen, according to CarFax.

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10: Chevrolet Cruze

10: Chevrolet Cruze

2017 Chevrolet Cruze hatchback
Photo: Chevrolet

The Cruze doesn’t have a lot of ground clearance, so getting underneath probably isn’t as easy as some of the others on this list. But it’s common enough that thieves apparently target it anyway.

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9: Toyota Tacoma

9: Toyota Tacoma

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
Photo: Toyota

The Tacoma’s tall ride height makes it easy for thieves to wiggle underneath and cut off the cat converter. And people sure do buy a lot of them. If you don’t need the off-road capability, maybe the Honda Ridgeline is a safer choice.

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8: Chevrolet Silverado

8: Chevrolet Silverado

Chevrolet Silverado
Photo: Chevrolet

High-riding and popular all over the country? Yep, the Chevrolet Silverado’s going to be a target. Suddenly, the electric version is looking a little more appealing.

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7: Chevrolet Equinox

7: Chevrolet Equinox

Chevrolet Equinox
Photo: Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Equinox is arguably the most average vehicle sold in the country. But something tells us thieves aren’t worried about styling or performance when stealing catalytic converters.

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6: Ford Econoline

6: Ford Econoline

Ford E-Series
Photo: Ford

It’s definitely annoying to lose your cat on a personal vehicle, but it’s got to be even more frustrating when you need your work van to do your job. Or if you have to cancel your church’s trip to the Creation Museum.

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5: Ford Explorer

5: Ford Explorer

Ford Explorer
Photo: Ford

Apparently, thieves have a thing for Fords. Maybe you should have bought a Dodge Durango instead. The Durango didn’t make this list.

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4: Honda CR-V

4: Honda CR-V

Honda CR-V
Photo: Honda

Typically, any time a Honda CR-V makes a list, the Toyota RAV4 is pretty close by. But not this time. Only the CR-V makes the top 10 on this list.

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3: Toyota Prius

3: Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius
Photo: Toyota

You knew it had to be on this list somewhere. But surprisingly, it’s only in the third slot. Maybe because there’s no guarantee anymore that a Prius still has its catalytic converter?

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2: Honda Accord

2: Honda Accord

Honda Accord
Photo: Honda

Something tells us Honda isn’t super excited to have two cars in the top five here. Normally, sweeping the podium is a good thing, but it’s definitely not when we’re talking about cars frequently targeted by thieves.

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1: Ford F Series

1: Ford F Series

Ford F-150
Photo: Ford

Ford’s number one! Take that, Chevrolet. But jokes aside, it does make sense. The F-150 has plenty of ground clearance, and F-Series pickup trucks have consistently topped the U.S. sales charts for years. If you pick a vehicle at random, there’s a decent chance it’s a Ford F-Series, and that’s probably why it’s so commonly targeted by cat-converter thieves.

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