If you believe, well, TTAC, then minivans are “deeply uncool.” The criminal element in Japan begs to differ. Toyota’s HiAce minivan was the most stolen automobile in Japan in 2011, says The Nikkei [sub]. The next most stolen cars in Japan are from Toyota also: The Celsior sedan and the Land Cruiser SUV take the second and third position on the podium of infamy. Let’s investigate …
Most stolen cars 2011
U.S.A. |
Japan | Germany |
|
| 1 | 1994 Honda Accord | Toyota HiAce | Toyota Lexus RX 400 Hybrid |
| 2 | 1995 Honda Civic | Toyota Celsior | BMW M3 Coupe |
| 3 | 1991 Toyota Camry | Toyota Land Cruiser | VW Caravelle T4 2,5 TDI |
As the table shows, Japanese cars are the stars on Grand Theft Auto the world over. Thieves in the U.S. seem to have a strange attraction to ancient Japanese iron. In Germany, Lexus is not doing so well, except with the Autodiebe, who improve their green creds by purloining disproportionate numbers of the Lexus RX 400 Hybrid. And what’s that in Germany’s #3? Another minivan of sorts.
Meanwhile, back in Japan, the Aichi prefecture, where Toyota’s head office is located, appears to be a hotbed of criminal activity. It is the prefecture with the most auto thefts in Japan.
(Note: The methodologies of these statistics differ, the results should not be directly compared.)