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San Francisco Chronicle
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
This is the most stolen car in San Francisco — and it's not a Honda or Toyota
For the 12th year in a row, Hondas were the most frequently stolen car brand in San Francisco. But over the last two years, another car maker saw one of its models stolen more than any other car in the city. While car thefts in San Francisco are low compared to prior years, new police department data shows that more than 1,200 Hondas were stolen in the city across 2023 and 2024. But the most frequently stolen model in San Francisco was the Hyundai Elantra, which a recent national study found was the vehicle most at risk of being stolen across the country. In San Francisco, out of 1,120 Hyundais stolen, more than 500 of them were Elantras. The second-most frequently stolen car model was the Honda Civic, with 420 thefts from 2023 to 2024. Following that was the Honda Accord, with 339 thefts, and the Hyundai Sonata, with 298 thefts. Honda, Hyundai and Toyota were the top three car brands stolen most from 2023 to 2024, respectively. The number of brands stolen in a particular city often strongly corresponds with the numbers of cars that are popular in that city or state, said Brian Maas, president of the California New Dealers Association, who said he wasn't surprised to see Honda and Toyota in the top three, given how pervasive they are across the state. 'Californians have expressed a longstanding preference for Toyota and Honda vehicles,' he said. 'It makes logical sense. The more you sell, the more opportunities for those vehicles to be stolen.' Hyundais were most recently listed as the 7th largest brand in California, Maas said, well behind Tesla and other brands. But in San Francisco, Hyundais saw a sharp spike in theft in San Francisco from 2022 to 2023, when the number of thefts jumped from about 140 to over 750. By 2024, however, thefts of Hyundais had fallen by a third. Still, the temporary spike of Hyundai thefts aligns with the national study of stolen vehicles, where researchers speculated that the Elantra's 'popularity among thieves' may be because its parts are compatible with other Hyundai models, a boon that makes the models more amenable to black-market resale and chop shops. Across the country, more than 48,445 Hyundai Elantras were stolen in 2023, according to Tinting Laws, a group of window tinting law experts who analyzed data from the Insurance Information Institute. Data from the Highway Loss Data Institute found that Hyundai and Kia thefts rapidly increased in recent years across the country, which the institute partly attributed to videos posted to social media that broadcasted the fact that certain car models lacked a security device that would normally stop a car from turning off without a specific fob or key. Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay upward of $200 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that alleged the companies manufactured vehicles that made the cars easier to steal, the New York Times reported. Recent theft numbers for Kia in San Francisco may reflect what was happening across the nation. Kia thefts jumped in 2021 from 43 to 97 in 2022. By 2023, they had reached 547. In 2024, thefts had plummeted to 207. Hyundai Motor America said it had included free software upgrades, cylinder protectors and reimbursement programs to thwart thefts of certain 'entry-level models' that lacked immobilizers, Reuters reported. The company said 68% of vehicles at risk had received those updates. Tesla — which held 12% market share of vehicles sold in California in 2024 — has not seen significant increases in thefts in San Francisco. Tesla thefts have gone up slightly in the past two years, but not by much. In 2023, there were 33 reported thefts, and those reduced slightly to 20 in 2024, SFPD data shows. Maas said that although Tesla had moved up to the top three in popularity across the state, their market share seems to be declining and their reshare value has been dropping precipitously, which could explain why the cars are not as attractive to thieves. 'Stealing vehicles is a crime of opportunity. … And you're going to have a harder time getting rid of the parts on a Tesla vehicle than you would on some of those other cars,' said Maas. 'Toyotas and Hondas are going to stay on the road for a long time and consequentially, the value of those vehicles as used cars is going to be significantly higher.' Nationwide, car theft numbers are seeing decreases. In 2024, about 850,000 vehicles were reported stolen nationwide, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. 2024 was the first time since 2021 that thefts did not surpass 1 million. Numbers in San Francisco seem to reflect similar trends. Car thefts decreased by 22% last year, from over 5,100 in 2023 to just under 4,000 in 2024. Harsha Devulapalli contributed to this report.
CTV News
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
California's plan to ban new gas-powered cars by 2035 could soon hit dead end
California's plan to ban new gas-powered cars by 2035 could be hitting a dead end by next week. KOVR via CNN Newsource SACRAMENTO, California — California's plan to ban new gas-powered cars by 2035 could be hitting a dead end by next week. The U.S. Senate is set to take a controversial vote next week on whether or not to lift that ban. It comes as new numbers show EV sales slowing in California. The Wall Street Journal reports GM now wants the mandate lifted as well and is pushing hard for that to happen. Brian Maas is President of the California New Car Dealers Association. As the U.S. Senate seeks to end California's 100% zero-emission new vehicle sales mandate in 2035, Maas is warning of a closer deadline — a 35% mandate for next year's models. He's calling on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to pause its own mandate. 'None of the manufacturers our customers would recognize are going to meet that deadline,' Maas said. 'And that's a real problem if you have a rule that people can't meet. It's not going to work.' California EV sales show a once-growing market share suddenly stagnated at about 20%. That stagnation ties into Tesla's sudden market share slide, falling 12% in the first quarter, blamed on Elon Musk's political fallout. State Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) sits on CARB and is a supporter of the zero-emission goals. 'If it craters and no one is buying them, and you're in 2026 and suddenly the world is upside down, we can re-assess then,' Stern said. 'But to sit here and pull the plug, it's pulling the lifeline on American auto innovation.' To buy electric or not. It is the car-buying question Joe Edwards answered before he even got to the Elk Grove Auto Mall lot Monday. 'Trying to get a deal,' Edwards said. 'I'm going to stick with my gas.' Edwards searched for a new vehicle ahead of Memorial Day weekend sales. To him, the EV issue is too few charging stations, which is fueling his desire for a new gas-powered ride. 'You've got to map everything out when you go out of town. Make sure you stop at a station somewhere that you can plug it up,' Edwards said. 'I don't want to do that, I just want to put some gas in it and go.'
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New data reveals the best-selling car model for the third year in a row — and one brand dominated again
For the third year in a row, one new car model stood out among the others in California: the Tesla Model Y, as KRON4 reported. Tesla sales are down in a way that suggests this may not happen the next time this list is compiled, but the trend of an EV atop the list underscores a significant shift toward electric vehicle adoption in the state. Many users of EVs have cited environmental concerns, advancements in EV technology, and state policies that promote clean energy transportation as reasons for buying a Tesla. Another reason may be the fact that Tesla had made its vehicles more affordable for the average consumer — lowering prices by up to $2,000, according to CBS News. However, worldwide, Tesla sales have been declining, as The Atlantic detailed, and in February, the company's total EV sales dropped 49% year-over-year. For owners, EVs reduce fuel and maintenance expenses compared to those of internal combustion engine vehicles. Environmentally speaking, the adoption of EVs assists in reducing dirty fuel pollution and improving air quality. By decreasing our reliance on dirty energy through the use of EVs, our carbon footprint goes down. That means EVs aid in the fight to cool down the overheating planet while completely eradicating tailpipe pollution, which benefits public health. While sales of EVs dropped from 2023 to 2024, from 132,636 to 87,257, auto sales are down overall, and the percentage of EVs being sold — in the Golden State and United States — is increasing. As market demographics shift from the affluent to middle class, prices will have to continue to fall if Tesla hopes to keep pace. "The Model Y has consistently been a top seller in California for a while, and California, unsurprisingly, is still supportive of electric vehicles," said Brian Maas, the president of the California New Car Dealers Association. "People like compact SUVs, so I think if you're looking at the list, two things. One, we support electrification in California. And two, compact SUVs are very popular." If you are interested in making your next car an EV, check out this guide. Do you trust Tesla to produce quality products? Absolutely I trust Tesla not Elon I'm not sure Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
