Hyundai & Kia Theft Rates Plunge After Fix but Some Cars Are Still Targets
Hyundai and Kia owners have found themselves in an automotive horror story cars that could be stolen using nothing more than a USB cable. Viral videos amplified the risk, and suddenly a generation of vehicles became magnets for criminals. The good news? A software remedy has slashed thefts by over half. The bad news? Many cars are still exposed, and broken windows are on the rise. Let’s unpack how far we’ve come and how far we still need to go. 1. How TikTok Stole Our Cars Overview: What began as daring internet content quickly turned into a real-world epidemic. Around 2021–22, videos circulated revealing that Hyundai and Kia models (2011–2021 with keyed ignitions) lacked electronic immobilizers. These weaknesses made them...