4R thefts

Are 4 Runners high on a thief's "to get" list in SoCal? I'm in the Palmdale/Lancaster area of the state and thinking of getting a used 5th gen. Is one trim package more desirable to thieves than another? Thanks.

 

Park it next to a ~2010-2020 Hyundai or Kia and you’ll be fine.

As for trim, just get what fits your requirements and budget, no point trying to predict desirability.

 

In California, the list is fairly similar with Chevy pickup being the most frequently stolen vehicle followed by the Honda Civic.

1. Chevrolet Pickup
2. Honda Civic
3. Ford Pickup
4. Honda Accord
5. Hyundai Sonata
6. Kia Optima
7. GMC Pickup
8. Honda CR-V
9. Toyota Camry
10. Chevrolet Tahoe

https://ktla.com/news/california/these-are-the-most-frequently-stolen-cars-and-trucks-in-california/

 

Also note that most vehicle theft statistics I see are heavily biased towards older, more theft-prone models.

If you’re worried about high-tech thefts then get a key-start 4R (opposite of Hyundai/Kia models and their low-tech thefts where the push starts are not vulnerable) but it’s all about the kind of threat you want to protect from.

 

I was going to say, the key start is more secure. As far as it goes... Someone will chime in and say that if they really want it, they will take it. I don't disagree with the reality of that, but one can minimize the chances of theft if careful.

 

If you buy a 4runner with regular key with chip, it would be hard to steal compared to newer 4runners and Limiteds with keyfob. Also the regular key battery last longer that keyfobs.

You can see news videos on YouTube cars with keyfobs stolen in seconds very easily.

 

If you can’t find a key start 4Runner option, one with a push start is not that bad, if you are worried about theft, get an RFID box to keep the keys in so they can’t jack your key signal and keep it far from your front door as possible, central in the house/appartment. It helps to minimize the risks of theft

 

We keep our ‘21 RAV4 and ‘22 T4R locked up, and inside our locked up garage at night, with our key fobs in a faraday box in the house.

When we are out and about, we seal our key fobs in faraday pouches as soon as we lock the vehicles. Pain in the ass, but, a little bit of peace of mind.

 

Our key fogs are kept in Faraday boxes. I also had a kill switch installed so it can't be started even if the key fob is cloned.

 

It is not in the top-10 list based on theft data from 2023: https://www.kron4.com/news/california/top-10-most-stolen-cars-trucks-in-california/

Call up prospective insurance companies and get quotes on the 4Runner you plan to buy. They'll tell you if it's on their high risk list. In my region 2020+ 4Runners got on the high risk list this year, with customers being hit with a $500 premium surcharge at renewal.

 

That sucks! What area are you in?

 

^District 6ix i.e. Toronto

Tacomas are also high theft risk. Two guys in my off road club had theirs stolen. A coworker has his stolen at the airport. My 2018 Tacoma just came off the high-risk list this year.

 

I park outside on the driveway open to a busy street without issues. Actually some rodent stole some of my fuel injector pigtail copper so crime is bad.

 

Mine is parked either in the garage or outside, Depending on who gets home first. If outside, Once I lock the Runner, I enter the lock code presses to shut off the remote from transmitting continuously for the proximity function to operate.