New Zealand's most stolen cars for 2025 revealed: five Toyotas in the top nine – Driven Car Guide
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Toyota Aqua.
The good news is that data from AMI Insurance shows car theft has declined compared to the country’s peak in 2023. If you own a Toyota Aqua, the bad news is that it remains NZ’s most stolen car, a title it has now claimed for four consecutive years.
AMI, part of IAG, has the largest general insurance dataset in the country. Its 2025 list accounts for more 9000 claims (it hit 17,000 back in 2023), spanning 760 different makes and models. The Aqua (aka Prius C) made up 8% of all stolen vehicle claims, followed by the Toyota Corolla (7%) and Nissan Tiida (6%).
The gap between Aqua and Corolla is bigger than the percentage figures suggest. For every 1000 Aquas insured, AMI had 54 theft claims, compared to 15 per 1000 for the Corolla. Corolla remains AMI’s “most insured” vehicle.
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Theft rates for the Toyota band in general reflect its popularity in NZ. Five different Toyota models rank within the top nine; the Toyota Vitz (aka Yaris) is a hot mover, moving up two places for 2025.
According to AMI executive general manager Steph Ferris, there’s a continuing tends towards the theft of older vehicle, with nearly 90% of claims being for cars at least 10 years old.
“Older vehicles often lack modern, electronic encrypted locking systems, making them easier for thieves to compromise,” says Ferris.
For owners of such vehicles, Ferris suggests simple anti-theft measures such as alarm systems, immobilisers, fuel cut out switches, steering wheel locks, handbrake locks, as well as parking behind a locked gate if a garage isn’t available.
The top regions for vehicle theft are: Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato, Wellington, and the Bay of Plenty.
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Around 64% of stolen vehicles are recovered, and 40% of these are repairable. The remainder are typically written off and auctioned for parts.
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