The Tesla Model 3 might be the closest thing to a theft-proof car
Ask any Tesla owner– they would be saving money on insurance if they swapped into another car. Expensive components, limited service options, and now the threat of vandalism don’t help. However, the American EVs aren’t responsible for many car theft claims. And at the top of the list, the Tesla Model 3 just doesn’t seem to get stolen very often.
The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are among the least-stolen cars on the market
In the Highway Loss Data Institute’s “Whole vehicle theft losses” report, the 2020-2022 Model 3 and Model Y topped the list. “The Tesla Model 3 electric four-door 4WD, a midsize luxury car, and the Tesla Model Y electric four-door 4WD, a midsize luxury SUV, had the lowest relative vehicle theft claim frequencies at just 3% of the all-passenger vehicle average,” the report read.
That 3% relative claim frequency figure might not look like much by itself. But when compared to other popular nameplates, it’s staggeringly small. For instance, the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, the brand’s now-discontinued super sedan, has a relative claim frequency of 6,128% of the passenger vehicle average. You read that right. The four-door Hellcat is almost 2,000 times more likely to run afoul of a car thief than the baby Tesla.
However, the updated insurance report for 2020-2023 puts the figure for the dual-motor Model 3 at a slim, near-non-existent 1%. Interestingly enough, the single-motor, rear-wheel drive version of the 2020-2022 Tesla Model 3 had a 9% relative claim frequency rate. That’s three times the frequency of the all-wheel drive model.
That figure dropped to 3% by the time the 2020-2023 insurance report came around. Additionally, the Model Y dropped to 2%. What’s more, the rear-wheel drive model has a greater claim frequency rate than the higher-end Model X by a mere 1%.
So, what gives? Well, Tesla has a suite of security features you won’t find on list-toppers like the supercharged Dodge Charger SRT Hellcats mentioned above. For instance, the EV automaker has a “PIN to Drive” function. Like your smartphone, it requires a four-digit code to operate. Also, with Sentry Mode, owners can use the vehicle’s camera array to spot and record evildoing thieves in the act.
Moreover, while you can’t remotely shut down a Tesla Model 3, you can limit top speed or activate PIN to Drive after a car thief stops the vehicle, which would render it useless.
