Hyundai and Kia cars in the US are witnessing increasing number of theft cases.
Social networking is regarded to be one of the reasons why there are more theft instances involving certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the US. Recently, a number of videos have appeared on TikTok and YouTube demonstrating how simple it is to steal certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles that don’t have engine immobilisers. Even a trend dubbed the Kia Challenge exists. Kia Soul and Kia Rio are two of the most frequently targeted vehicles.
According to Auto News, police in St. Paul, Minnesota, have reported a staggering spike in Kia thefts of almost 1,300% since 2021, while Hyundai auto thefts have increased by 584%. Similar car thefts have also been recorded in other places.
The select Hyundai and Kia cars that are being stolen don’t come equipped with engine immobilizers. Kia owners of Milwaukee have already written to the manufacturer requesting a fundamental change to the select vehicles’ mechanisms in order to secure the vehicles.
Hyundai and Kia said in their written statements that both the automakers are aware of the increase in thefts and noted that all the current 2022 models come fitted with engine immobilizers. They even suggested the owners of such select Kia and Hyundai cars to park their vehicles in well-lit areas.
The police have also said that most of the offenders who are stealing these Hyundai and Kia cars are juveniles. The police are hoping to catch them in order to curb the menace.
