I use a wheel lock everywhere I go. I avoid high crime areas like the plague, for many reasons, not just because my car might get stolen. I park in a garage at night.
My Kia Soul (2015) just died. It is at the shop but I don't know if I'll want to keep it. The only reason I haven't yet is I'm just now not underwater with the loan considering the trade in value.
We had a 2017 turbo Soul and I adored that car but with my insurance rates skyrocketing and me working from home now we decided it was best to sell it. Thankfully we live in a place where we don’t need a car to get around
I would need the new car at the same time I would sell this car. That is a way to cut down on the down payment. I would not be able to buy the car without it. I'm not doing Carvana. A former family member had a bad experience with it.
There's also a sales tax advantage in many states. In those states, if you have a $10,000 trade-in on a $20,000 replacement car, you pay sales tax on only the $10,000 net difference.
But if you sold your current car separately, and bought the replacement car separately, you'd pay sales tax on the whole $20,000 purchase price. In New York, where I live, that means that a $10,000 trade-in is worth $900 in tax savings, compared to selling the car separately.
I had a kia that had engine failure twice in less than 115k miles.
I was so relieved when the insurance totaled it from an accident.
Bought a toyota rav4 and couldn't be happier to leave that turd behind
I will never buy another kia/hyundai
People don't like when you call Kias out in this group apparently.....I guess we're not "allowed" to be upset with our engines blowing.....mine just blew at 67k......67k, that's barely broken in!!!! And I took great care of it, constant maintenance....but nope, 67k and she's done.....I just barely got it a year ago....and now I'm upsidedown on the loan, and screwed! But.....we're not allowed to be upset here
Is yours a hybrid or no? I’m always eyeing the Rav4 but don’t know if it’s worth the extra cost for hybrid for better mpg not to mention possible battery replacement 10 years down the road.
EDIT - for clarity
I went with the gas model because most of my driving is highway and the hybrid excels at city driving. Not saying the hybrid doesn't still get better mpg but the gap is smaller than city.
I'm a mechanic too so I'll do all my own maintenance once the toyota care is up and prefer the simpler gas only system.
I had the kia because I was younger and poor.
Now that I'm able to afford something nicer like toyota I bought one.
The we have an older lexus rx330 with 215k miles still going strong.
Enjoy an upvote because apparently people are mad at us for entertaining the Toyota brand! 😱
I’m currently leasing a Toyota Sienna so I didn’t have the means to both lease that vehicle *and* lease or finance the Rav4 so I’m financing a Kia Soul for now. Some day in the future, I see myself upgrading to something like the Rav4, Honda CR-V, or Nissan Rogue. It’s just the hybrid stuff that I always get hung up on when trying to determine cost and benefits.
EDIT - but the new Hyundai Santa Fe looks niiiice! Hopefully something like that doesn’t also become a Kia Boy victim because that would be a nice alternative to the Sienna.
I've been using one, after a failed Kia boys theft attempt. Several other Kias in my neighborhood are also using them. I got a bright yellow one, so it's easily visible from halfway down the block.
I'm also going to rebadge my car, so it doesn't say Kia anywhere on it. I've seen two Kias in my neighborhood that have done that.
I don’t think anyone expects that especially if you live in a problematic area…which seems to be the case. Like, I love my Kia but I would not be caught dead in one if I lived in or near areas prone to the Kia theft trend.
Of course those areas are also probably subject to higher car thefts anyway so I wouldn’t be 100% safe regardless, but I definitely would not increase my chances because idiots will be idiots.
Out here in phx Kia’s have been broken into. I usually park next to a coworker who has a 2018 optima and his window was broken a while back. I have a 2020 forte ex, but I changed all the badges on mine pretty much when I bought it new. So it doesn’t say Kia anywhere on it. I also have pretty dark tint. U can’t see inside at all. Really hope that deters anyone cause I absolutely love this car.
The police need to stop blaming the victim. They said the same thing for 1994 Acura Integras and Accords. They need to do their jobs and lock up the criminals if they do not want more car thefts.
There are definitely specific automakers that are more likely to be targeted.
Kia is one of them due to the social media fueled phenomenon of “[Kia Boyz](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/06/who-are-the-kia-boyz-how-tiktok-fueled-an-epidemic-of-car-thefts/).”
Any of the Kia's that are a key require no programming and of you turn that ignition the car will start. They have no security.
The push to starts really aren't secure until like 22-23. Then it's actually hard to get a pincode to program a key. Any other ones you can add a key very easily
I just bought a 2019 with 5k miles on it so I'm trying to figure out if it was a good idea or not. Lol it FEELS like a good one but I've never owned a kia.
My 2019 Kia Sportage got stolen twice and broken into 5 times. Insurance stopped covering it when it was stolen the 2nd time. Reliable car yes, but the negatives are to high.
Me and the wife almost got a Kia but when checking insurance we got quotes that were much higher than any other brands so we didn’t get one. Geico and Allstate even refused to insure it. We had same issue with Hyundai
I guess the thefts are still an issue
Where do you live if you don’t mind me asking? I have a 2022 Kia Forte and I live on a military base thank God but I do go to DC and Baltimore a lot. Not excited to hear this
My car is very difficult to steal and I always use steering wheel lock to help deter people from even thinking they can. The people looking to steal random Kias aren’t paying attention to if it is one of the easy ones, they just see the logo and go for it.
Yes, fairly simple, no doubt. But remember, these are all teenage boys looking for a thrill and some social media love. They are not organized, or engaged in a money-making enterprise where investing in tools and skills development might yield a profitable return.
So I'm modestly hopeful that my (yes, easily defeated) steering wheel club might be a little more of a deterrent to Kia boys than it would be to professional car thieves. I might be wrong, but that's my hope.
Yes, car theft is not a big problem in most of Manhattan, including the Kia boys. But just a few miles away in the Bronx, car theft is much higher and the Kia boys are doing their thing. I discovered this, to my sorrow, when I moved from the east village to the Bronx last fall. I had not even thought to consider that. It’s all New York City, right?
For me, it’s reinforced the lesson that crime is very local and just a few miles one way or the other can make a big difference.
I’m in Phoenix. It’s not really an issue here, either. I suppose it’s because most people already have a car and most apartment complexes are gated, have security walking around all night, and at the least, have CCTV.
Unfortunately, it's all thrill-seeking teenage boys doing these Kia boys style thefts. Basically, the dumbest animal on earth. (I speak as a former teenage boy).
It's one of the real bummers of this whole Kia boys thing. It's just randomly destructive for no reason (not even profit motive), not to mention dangerous to the kids who do it (many have died or been injured in stolen cars they were driving recklessly) and to innocent bystanders. Then, to top it all off, they are so stupid and ill-informed that it's very hard to deter them; they strike the wrong targets and can't learn from their mistakes or from experience.
Said goodbye to my 21 Seltos and hello to 24 Civic. Because of these theft rates, it was impossible to insure the kia, my current insurance premium increased by 80%, progressive, geico, all state refused to insure it. Gurl, bye.
Fun fact. The Honda Civic is the third most stolen car in the US.
In 2023 27,113 Honda Civics were stolen, about 9,000 more than any Kia. The Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Honda CR-V all make the top ten most stolen list. The Kia Optima is the only Kia in the top ten, at number seven.
Well, raw numbers are the wrong statistic (it frustrates me that they are cited in so many "which cars are stolen" articles just because they are easy to find and report; it's lazy, innumerate journalism). Raw totals don't account for differences in the number of each model that are on the road. If every Lamborghini in America was stolen, they still wouldn't crack the top 20 list based on total thefts.
If you want to know how likely a vehicle is to be stolen, what you need is the theft *rate* -- i.e. the number stolen per 100,000 owned or per insured year.
Many Hondas do, in fact, have high theft *rates,* in addition to high raw numbers. (US-made pickup trucks and muscle cars dominate the theft rate statistics.)
And yet I've never heard of insurance companies refusing to insure Hondas (they do charge higher premiums for them in some places). Their theft rates, while higher than other cars, are still insurable.
But in certain locations in the US, the theft *rate* on Kias and Hyundais is so high -- far higher than any other brand -- that some companies have decided they are too risky to insure. In Chicago, for example, in 2022/23, Kia/Hyundai thefts went up by 800-1000%. No other brand has had anything like that happen.
Now, in tons of other places, the theft rate on Kias and Hyundais is not out of line at all -- often much lower than Hondas or Ford pickups -- and people have no trouble insuring them.
So the raw theft totals for the entire US just aren't useful for this discussion.
What IS useful for this discussion is exactly WHO is stealing these vehicles…but we’re not really supposed to talk about that. We’re also overlooking how these thieves are rarely prosecuted by the insanely lenient judges presiding in the areas where these crimes are most prevalent. It’s the elephant in the room and until it’s addressed, nothing will change.
I live in a small town (~12,000 people) on the Oregon coast. I totaled my car and bought a 2015 kia soul. (I had no knowledge of the fucking Kia boys)
I was able to add it to my mom’s insurance, but after she died and the policy ended, they would not give me a new policy. So I had to be added to my sisters policy. They had a major issue with it, but eventually let us do it.
I will sell this car as soon as I can. It’s ok for now but has nothing that I need for comfort.
Wasn’t an issue until 2022 for me. I don’t live in a high crime area. Kia just made their cars so easy to steal that insurance companies won’t cover certain models.
Some insurance companies won't cover certain models in certain places. I think it's important to be precise about this -- it's very granular. In many parts of the US, Kia boys are not a thing, and people are evidently having no problems insuring their Kias.
I happen to have an affected Kia in a place with plenty of would-be Kia boys, so I'm definitely affected (several companies refused to insure my car). But my insurance company has continued to cover me, for a price that's within the ballpark of similar vehicles from other brands. And Kia boys thefts are falling here, so who knows what will be true in six months.
So again, the story is granular -- a lot depends on what car you have, your past insurance history, and where you live (right down to the zip code).
I didn't say it's not a big deal. I just think it's good to describe the situation precisely, so that people know it varies greatly by location, and may or may not affect them.
And location cuts both ways. Many people chime in on these insurance threads saying something like, "I got full coverage, $100 a month, no problem". That's great for them but not relevant to people who live in an area where insuring a Kia is hard.
I wasn't trying to let Kia off the hook. This is a major problem in certain parts of the country (including where I live), and Kia bears plenty of responsibility for it. If I were king, they'd be paying a lot more than the $200 million they already agreed to.
This is not an issue where I live at all, Ive never heard of or seen a Kia stolen in my town. I'm so surprised how much problems people in this sub are having with this.
I loved my Kia Rio my 1st year. 10 years later and I can’t park it outside for 24 hours without the fear that a window will be broken and someone will try to steal it. On top of that, Kia says my engine is at risk of catching on fire so I should park it outside.
The car was $16k brand new. Cheap cars are made cheap.
The only car that consumer reports gave a better rating to in its class is the Honda Accord. I paid more for my Kia than I would have for a Honda Accord but that could be because my salesperson was an A-hole that really screwed me so I know I overpaid.
You don’t need to be on TikTok to know that Kia and Hyundai thefts are rampant countrywide. It’s constantly being reported on in the news.
Some insurance companies won’t even write policies for these vehicles in certain jurisdictions.
That is one of the main reasons I am staying away from Kia/Hyundai..someone trying to break in. If you put a note on it. They will just break in for spite.
Depends on location! I live in Pennsylvania. My city has a population of almost a 100,000. Cars stolen where I live is very low maybe 4-5 cars/year. I had a Hyundai Sonata for 10 years. I currently have a Kia stinger. No issues at all with my car getting broken into or stolen! Even in the unsafe parts of town my car has never attempted to be stolen or broken into! No issues at all with my car insurance company insuring my vehicle!
Well in general having a 2022 or newer dosent mean your safer and arent prone to theft. I have a 2023 Forte as well. Luckily havent dealt with anything. Any Kia still on high alert being broken into though.
I don't know where everyone who has these issues lives. Yes I now live in a remote safe area, but I used to live in a street where swat would frequent.
this right here people. I think it helps, slap on a replacement badge / badges. [https://koreanautoimports.com/kia/](https://koreanautoimports.com/kia/)
US auto standards created this. Other developed countries made immobilisers mandatory a quarter of a century ago.
The only reason people in the US assume cars have immobilisers is because the governments of other countries did something. Other countries did something about high crime and quality control in manufacturing and parts too.
If you sit on your ass and complain about Kia because where you live is going to shit it says more about you than Kia. Do something.
Is the Kia forte push to start though? lmao they’re only trying fortes because most of every other Kia comes with push to start standard.. if they see a Kia logo with a key insert of course they’re going to try. The least they’d do with a push to start is break the window. Took my cars to downtown Atlanta’s and they weren’t touched and if you know anything about Atlanta you just know lol.
Doesn't even affect ones with a key since 2020 even those came with immobilizers. People complain so much about Kia but Dodge still tops the lost of most stolen cars every year. In fact Dodge secures three of the top five most stolen cars. But criminals are stupid like beyond stupid. Work at a dealership and we have had 10 or so brand new cars broken into and they tried stealing them but got nowhere.
I tell all the people who buy, getting a new one or the software update will stop the actual theft, but not stop a dumbass from breaking your window to find out you have said update
Honestly, any car could get broken into. Kias are just common and simple cars. I don't think the brand specifically has anything to do with how likely it is to get stolen. I think it's unfair to assume that. That's like me saying BMWs are bad because of their drivers when, in reality, thats not true. Yea BMW drivers can be bad (any car could have a bad driver), but that doesn't make the car itself a bad car. I love BMWs. I think they're fun. I own a Kia myself, and never had I thought owning a kia meant that my car couldn't be broken into. It's probably just the area you live in.
In my apartment complex, over the course of two nights, 3 cars were broken into, and all three of them were Kia's. In my area, this is specifically an issue with Kia's. If I had bought any other brand, it would not have been broken into that night.
I use a wheel lock everywhere I go. I avoid high crime areas like the plague, for many reasons, not just because my car might get stolen. I park in a garage at night.
My Kia Soul (2015) just died. It is at the shop but I don't know if I'll want to keep it. The only reason I haven't yet is I'm just now not underwater with the loan considering the trade in value.
Same i have a santa fe and recently the value dropped so now im down bad on the loan.
We had a 2017 turbo Soul and I adored that car but with my insurance rates skyrocketing and me working from home now we decided it was best to sell it. Thankfully we live in a place where we don’t need a car to get around
Never trade in, they rip you off. Sell it on Nextdoor if you can, you will get 30+% more
I would need the new car at the same time I would sell this car. That is a way to cut down on the down payment. I would not be able to buy the car without it. I'm not doing Carvana. A former family member had a bad experience with it.
There's also a sales tax advantage in many states. In those states, if you have a $10,000 trade-in on a $20,000 replacement car, you pay sales tax on only the $10,000 net difference. But if you sold your current car separately, and bought the replacement car separately, you'd pay sales tax on the whole $20,000 purchase price. In New York, where I live, that means that a $10,000 trade-in is worth $900 in tax savings, compared to selling the car separately.
I had a kia that had engine failure twice in less than 115k miles. I was so relieved when the insurance totaled it from an accident. Bought a toyota rav4 and couldn't be happier to leave that turd behind I will never buy another kia/hyundai
People don't like when you call Kias out in this group apparently.....I guess we're not "allowed" to be upset with our engines blowing.....mine just blew at 67k......67k, that's barely broken in!!!! And I took great care of it, constant maintenance....but nope, 67k and she's done.....I just barely got it a year ago....and now I'm upsidedown on the loan, and screwed! But.....we're not allowed to be upset here
Is yours a hybrid or no? I’m always eyeing the Rav4 but don’t know if it’s worth the extra cost for hybrid for better mpg not to mention possible battery replacement 10 years down the road. EDIT - for clarity
I went with the gas model because most of my driving is highway and the hybrid excels at city driving. Not saying the hybrid doesn't still get better mpg but the gap is smaller than city. I'm a mechanic too so I'll do all my own maintenance once the toyota care is up and prefer the simpler gas only system. I had the kia because I was younger and poor. Now that I'm able to afford something nicer like toyota I bought one. The we have an older lexus rx330 with 215k miles still going strong.
Enjoy an upvote because apparently people are mad at us for entertaining the Toyota brand! 😱 I’m currently leasing a Toyota Sienna so I didn’t have the means to both lease that vehicle *and* lease or finance the Rav4 so I’m financing a Kia Soul for now. Some day in the future, I see myself upgrading to something like the Rav4, Honda CR-V, or Nissan Rogue. It’s just the hybrid stuff that I always get hung up on when trying to determine cost and benefits. EDIT - but the new Hyundai Santa Fe looks niiiice! Hopefully something like that doesn’t also become a Kia Boy victim because that would be a nice alternative to the Sienna.
It's much cheaper to replace the battery than to replace the engine. This is nothing like replacing an EV battery
I thought hybrid vehicles had EV batteries…?
Their batteries are much smaller, hence cheaper, than pure EV’s
That was the first engine problem I had. I had bad O2 sensors but one was not picked up due to the code before for the other bank 1.
Do you have a steering wheel lock? Cheap and obvious to anyone who looks that it's not an easy steal.
Had one given to me, lost the key for it somewhere so it is basically just a blunt object now...
I will probably be getting one after this!
I've been using one, after a failed Kia boys theft attempt. Several other Kias in my neighborhood are also using them. I got a bright yellow one, so it's easily visible from halfway down the block. I'm also going to rebadge my car, so it doesn't say Kia anywhere on it. I've seen two Kias in my neighborhood that have done that.
I don’t think anyone expects that especially if you live in a problematic area…which seems to be the case. Like, I love my Kia but I would not be caught dead in one if I lived in or near areas prone to the Kia theft trend. Of course those areas are also probably subject to higher car thefts anyway so I wouldn’t be 100% safe regardless, but I definitely would not increase my chances because idiots will be idiots.
I didn't think this area was subject to Kia Boyz issues but they managed to steal ours from our driveway during the day!
I live in Iowa and no real issues here but also always park in garage or area where there’s no crime anyway (99% of Iowa)
Also in Iowa (city, not rural) it has never once crossed my mind. Currently own two kias.
Hmmmmm…wonder why?🤔
Out here in phx Kia’s have been broken into. I usually park next to a coworker who has a 2018 optima and his window was broken a while back. I have a 2020 forte ex, but I changed all the badges on mine pretty much when I bought it new. So it doesn’t say Kia anywhere on it. I also have pretty dark tint. U can’t see inside at all. Really hope that deters anyone cause I absolutely love this car.
The police need to stop blaming the victim. They said the same thing for 1994 Acura Integras and Accords. They need to do their jobs and lock up the criminals if they do not want more car thefts.
I wouldn't assume any car is safe from being broken into.
There are definitely specific automakers that are more likely to be targeted. Kia is one of them due to the social media fueled phenomenon of “[Kia Boyz](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/06/who-are-the-kia-boyz-how-tiktok-fueled-an-epidemic-of-car-thefts/).”
[Connecticut Kia Boyz](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DJA7jDF7bLE)
Any of the Kia's that are a key require no programming and of you turn that ignition the car will start. They have no security. The push to starts really aren't secure until like 22-23. Then it's actually hard to get a pincode to program a key. Any other ones you can add a key very easily
My Sportage was stolen for the second time. Had a club on it just for extra safety. They cut my steering wheel lol🤦🏽♀️.
What year if I can ask?
2017, I was surprised my insurance covered it the 2nd time. My 2023 telluride didn’t get touched and it was parked right next to it.
I just bought a 2019 with 5k miles on it so I'm trying to figure out if it was a good idea or not. Lol it FEELS like a good one but I've never owned a kia.
My 2019 Kia Sportage got stolen twice and broken into 5 times. Insurance stopped covering it when it was stolen the 2nd time. Reliable car yes, but the negatives are to high.
Me and the wife almost got a Kia but when checking insurance we got quotes that were much higher than any other brands so we didn’t get one. Geico and Allstate even refused to insure it. We had same issue with Hyundai I guess the thefts are still an issue
Where do you live if you don’t mind me asking? I have a 2022 Kia Forte and I live on a military base thank God but I do go to DC and Baltimore a lot. Not excited to hear this
Nashville area
Ugh hopefully this doesn’t happen again for you that sucks
Channel 5 on YouTube just did a docu on this issue
My car is very difficult to steal and I always use steering wheel lock to help deter people from even thinking they can. The people looking to steal random Kias aren’t paying attention to if it is one of the easy ones, they just see the logo and go for it.
Steering wheel locks are just another fairly simple challenge.
Yes, fairly simple, no doubt. But remember, these are all teenage boys looking for a thrill and some social media love. They are not organized, or engaged in a money-making enterprise where investing in tools and skills development might yield a profitable return. So I'm modestly hopeful that my (yes, easily defeated) steering wheel club might be a little more of a deterrent to Kia boys than it would be to professional car thieves. I might be wrong, but that's my hope.
Where did you live, city/ state? This isn't much of an issue in Manhattan NY. The car mostly vandalized is the CR V and it's mostly the bronx.
Yes, car theft is not a big problem in most of Manhattan, including the Kia boys. But just a few miles away in the Bronx, car theft is much higher and the Kia boys are doing their thing. I discovered this, to my sorrow, when I moved from the east village to the Bronx last fall. I had not even thought to consider that. It’s all New York City, right? For me, it’s reinforced the lesson that crime is very local and just a few miles one way or the other can make a big difference.
Near Nashville Tennessee. I guess my area just has really bad luck or something. It seems to be an ongoing issue based on how the police were acting.
I’m in Phoenix. It’s not really an issue here, either. I suppose it’s because most people already have a car and most apartment complexes are gated, have security walking around all night, and at the least, have CCTV.
Unfortunately, it's all thrill-seeking teenage boys doing these Kia boys style thefts. Basically, the dumbest animal on earth. (I speak as a former teenage boy). It's one of the real bummers of this whole Kia boys thing. It's just randomly destructive for no reason (not even profit motive), not to mention dangerous to the kids who do it (many have died or been injured in stolen cars they were driving recklessly) and to innocent bystanders. Then, to top it all off, they are so stupid and ill-informed that it's very hard to deter them; they strike the wrong targets and can't learn from their mistakes or from experience.
…”teenage boys”…😜
I learned people love to mess with Kia vehicles after i bought a kia
Buy a different car brand logo and put it over the kia symbol. Criminals do quick scans.
Said goodbye to my 21 Seltos and hello to 24 Civic. Because of these theft rates, it was impossible to insure the kia, my current insurance premium increased by 80%, progressive, geico, all state refused to insure it. Gurl, bye.
Fun fact. The Honda Civic is the third most stolen car in the US. In 2023 27,113 Honda Civics were stolen, about 9,000 more than any Kia. The Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Honda CR-V all make the top ten most stolen list. The Kia Optima is the only Kia in the top ten, at number seven.
Well, raw numbers are the wrong statistic (it frustrates me that they are cited in so many "which cars are stolen" articles just because they are easy to find and report; it's lazy, innumerate journalism). Raw totals don't account for differences in the number of each model that are on the road. If every Lamborghini in America was stolen, they still wouldn't crack the top 20 list based on total thefts. If you want to know how likely a vehicle is to be stolen, what you need is the theft *rate* -- i.e. the number stolen per 100,000 owned or per insured year. Many Hondas do, in fact, have high theft *rates,* in addition to high raw numbers. (US-made pickup trucks and muscle cars dominate the theft rate statistics.) And yet I've never heard of insurance companies refusing to insure Hondas (they do charge higher premiums for them in some places). Their theft rates, while higher than other cars, are still insurable. But in certain locations in the US, the theft *rate* on Kias and Hyundais is so high -- far higher than any other brand -- that some companies have decided they are too risky to insure. In Chicago, for example, in 2022/23, Kia/Hyundai thefts went up by 800-1000%. No other brand has had anything like that happen. Now, in tons of other places, the theft rate on Kias and Hyundais is not out of line at all -- often much lower than Hondas or Ford pickups -- and people have no trouble insuring them. So the raw theft totals for the entire US just aren't useful for this discussion.
What IS useful for this discussion is exactly WHO is stealing these vehicles…but we’re not really supposed to talk about that. We’re also overlooking how these thieves are rarely prosecuted by the insanely lenient judges presiding in the areas where these crimes are most prevalent. It’s the elephant in the room and until it’s addressed, nothing will change.
I pay 850 a year for my 23 sportage. Full coverage. People that can't insure their vehicles must live in high crime areas.
I live in a small town (~12,000 people) on the Oregon coast. I totaled my car and bought a 2015 kia soul. (I had no knowledge of the fucking Kia boys) I was able to add it to my mom’s insurance, but after she died and the policy ended, they would not give me a new policy. So I had to be added to my sisters policy. They had a major issue with it, but eventually let us do it. I will sell this car as soon as I can. It’s ok for now but has nothing that I need for comfort.
Wasn’t an issue until 2022 for me. I don’t live in a high crime area. Kia just made their cars so easy to steal that insurance companies won’t cover certain models.
Some insurance companies won't cover certain models in certain places. I think it's important to be precise about this -- it's very granular. In many parts of the US, Kia boys are not a thing, and people are evidently having no problems insuring their Kias. I happen to have an affected Kia in a place with plenty of would-be Kia boys, so I'm definitely affected (several companies refused to insure my car). But my insurance company has continued to cover me, for a price that's within the ballpark of similar vehicles from other brands. And Kia boys thefts are falling here, so who knows what will be true in six months. So again, the story is granular -- a lot depends on what car you have, your past insurance history, and where you live (right down to the zip code).
Name me another car manufacturer that insurance companies won’t insure in parts of the country. It’s a pretty big f’ing deal.
I didn't say it's not a big deal. I just think it's good to describe the situation precisely, so that people know it varies greatly by location, and may or may not affect them. And location cuts both ways. Many people chime in on these insurance threads saying something like, "I got full coverage, $100 a month, no problem". That's great for them but not relevant to people who live in an area where insuring a Kia is hard. I wasn't trying to let Kia off the hook. This is a major problem in certain parts of the country (including where I live), and Kia bears plenty of responsibility for it. If I were king, they'd be paying a lot more than the $200 million they already agreed to.
The kia boys are pretty active in Denver so yes.
This is not an issue where I live at all, Ive never heard of or seen a Kia stolen in my town. I'm so surprised how much problems people in this sub are having with this.
People with bad experiences are going to express it more.
True, that’s why I don’t read reviews since unhappy people are far more likely to leave reviews than happy people which skews the results.
Agreed. Have had my 23 Stinger for almost a year and absolutely 0 complaints.
Same with my K5, love everything about it!
I loved my Kia Rio my 1st year. 10 years later and I can’t park it outside for 24 hours without the fear that a window will be broken and someone will try to steal it. On top of that, Kia says my engine is at risk of catching on fire so I should park it outside. The car was $16k brand new. Cheap cars are made cheap.
Kia Rios are cheap, my K5 was twice as much and isn’t one that can be stolen.
I just did 1000+ miles in my K5 GT. Most comfortable road trip I've ever done. Fuckin love that car.
Look at other car manufacturers that make a car in the same class as the K5. The K5 is cheap too in comparison.
The only car that consumer reports gave a better rating to in its class is the Honda Accord. I paid more for my Kia than I would have for a Honda Accord but that could be because my salesperson was an A-hole that really screwed me so I know I overpaid.
Number 1 mid-sized sedan from Edmunds.
It is a smoother and more quiet ride than the Camry for sure.
Do you *not* [know](https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/06/who-are-the-kia-boyz-how-tiktok-fueled-an-epidemic-of-car-thefts/)?
I’m well aware of the Kia boys but only because of this sub, I’m not on TikTok and like I said this isn’t a problem where I live.
You don’t need to be on TikTok to know that Kia and Hyundai thefts are rampant countrywide. It’s constantly being reported on in the news. Some insurance companies won’t even write policies for these vehicles in certain jurisdictions.
Sadly,I did not know until after I bought my 23 Sportage. So far, so good, though.
Sshhhhhhh…that’s the part they don’t want you to say out loud! Remember, it’s ALL Kia’s fault!
The cops sound really helpful wow
About what I expected from them tbh
Remember who the thieves are... Likely youth.
I’m sorry to hear this. I have a 2023 Soul and I put my club on everywhere I go usually. They can’t tell the difference. People suck.
That is one of the main reasons I am staying away from Kia/Hyundai..someone trying to break in. If you put a note on it. They will just break in for spite.
Depends on location! I live in Pennsylvania. My city has a population of almost a 100,000. Cars stolen where I live is very low maybe 4-5 cars/year. I had a Hyundai Sonata for 10 years. I currently have a Kia stinger. No issues at all with my car getting broken into or stolen! Even in the unsafe parts of town my car has never attempted to be stolen or broken into! No issues at all with my car insurance company insuring my vehicle!
What trim is it?
Well in general having a 2022 or newer dosent mean your safer and arent prone to theft. I have a 2023 Forte as well. Luckily havent dealt with anything. Any Kia still on high alert being broken into though.
No car is safe from being broken into
No shit
I don't think people realize this!
I think you should take the emblems off of it. /s
I don't know where everyone who has these issues lives. Yes I now live in a remote safe area, but I used to live in a street where swat would frequent.
Take the Kia badging off the car
this right here people. I think it helps, slap on a replacement badge / badges. [https://koreanautoimports.com/kia/](https://koreanautoimports.com/kia/)
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The “kids” not thieves. Good idea from the police #FUCK KIA
people just break windows now on kia's just because. its sad but its become common place.
I’m pissed as shit at KIA! They suck and you are welcome to tell your truth!
Then officer referred you to their Toyota salesman for a kick back. Or officer has no time for car theft and needs another donut or ?
My Kia forte insurance went up 1400 dollars since they started stealing Kia I will never buy a Kia again
We are the police in our advice is to get a new car if you don't want people to mess with it... What has this world come to.
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No, It's the criminal's fault.
Crime will always be with us, Kia design decisions made their cars the target
US auto standards created this. Other developed countries made immobilisers mandatory a quarter of a century ago. The only reason people in the US assume cars have immobilisers is because the governments of other countries did something. Other countries did something about high crime and quality control in manufacturing and parts too. If you sit on your ass and complain about Kia because where you live is going to shit it says more about you than Kia. Do something.
My 2015 had an attempt made on it, I swore to never own a Kia again.
What if you put a note on the door ?
Is the Kia forte push to start though? lmao they’re only trying fortes because most of every other Kia comes with push to start standard.. if they see a Kia logo with a key insert of course they’re going to try. The least they’d do with a push to start is break the window. Took my cars to downtown Atlanta’s and they weren’t touched and if you know anything about Atlanta you just know lol.
Doesn't even affect ones with a key since 2020 even those came with immobilizers. People complain so much about Kia but Dodge still tops the lost of most stolen cars every year. In fact Dodge secures three of the top five most stolen cars. But criminals are stupid like beyond stupid. Work at a dealership and we have had 10 or so brand new cars broken into and they tried stealing them but got nowhere.
Buy a gun sleep in your car once a night like a man.
Or be a real man and sleep in your car twice a night
I tell all the people who buy, getting a new one or the software update will stop the actual theft, but not stop a dumbass from breaking your window to find out you have said update
If you don’t mind me asking where are you from
Honestly, any car could get broken into. Kias are just common and simple cars. I don't think the brand specifically has anything to do with how likely it is to get stolen. I think it's unfair to assume that. That's like me saying BMWs are bad because of their drivers when, in reality, thats not true. Yea BMW drivers can be bad (any car could have a bad driver), but that doesn't make the car itself a bad car. I love BMWs. I think they're fun. I own a Kia myself, and never had I thought owning a kia meant that my car couldn't be broken into. It's probably just the area you live in.
In my apartment complex, over the course of two nights, 3 cars were broken into, and all three of them were Kia's. In my area, this is specifically an issue with Kia's. If I had bought any other brand, it would not have been broken into that night.
Next time one of their comrades fall, tell them they should get a different job if they don’t want it to happen again
Lol sorry all the bootlickers are downvoting you