Camaro ZL1 Becomes Top Target for Thieves as Muscle Car Thefts Surge

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has raced to an unfortunate new milestone—it now leads the list of the most-stolen vehicles in the U.S., according to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). The powerful muscle car, along with its standard Camaro counterpart, ranks among the top five vehicles most frequently targeted for whole-vehicle theft, based on insurance claim data from model years 2022 to 2024. The ZL1’s relative claim frequency is nearly 40 times higher than the average vehicle, with theft claims for the standard Camaro running 13 times above average.

The HLDI attributes the Camaro’s vulnerability to a combination of high horsepower and technical flaws that make the car easier to steal. Reports suggest that thieves are exploiting diagnostic ports to clone key fobs and gain access without the actual key. This security gap has particularly affected Camaro models from 2016 onward, when push-button start systems became standard. Theft claim frequencies for 2016–24 Camaros skyrocketed in 2023 and peaked in March 2024 at 18.3 claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years—far above the 1.3 claim rate for older Camaro models. California, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Maryland emerged as the states with the highest theft claim frequencies for Camaros.

In response, General Motors launched a service campaign in March 2025, offering a free software update for 2020–24 Camaro models to deter theft. This mirrors a similar effort by Hyundai and Kia, whose vehicles faced a surge in thefts in 2021 due to the lack of standard electronic immobilizers. After implementing a software upgrade starting in 2023, theft claims for upgraded Hyundai and Kia vehicles dropped significantly—by 46% overall and 52% for whole-vehicle thefts.

Despite these improvements, many vehicles remain vulnerable, particularly where upgrades have not yet been installed. As of December 2024, less than half of eligible Hyundai and Kia vehicles had received the update. Meanwhile, newer models (2022–24) from both brands, which now come equipped with immobilizers, show theft rates well below the national average. The HLDI continues to monitor these trends, signaling that technology and timely manufacturer intervention can play pivotal roles in reducing theft risks across the industry.