Confused: Ford Ka best for theft avoidance

by Steven Mostyn - Aug 17 2011, 11:25

If you’re in the market for a new car and want a vehicle that offers solid peace of mind where theft-resistance is concerned, the first option on your shortlist may not be the Ford Ka. However, perhaps it should be.

More pointedly, insurance comparison website Confused.com has this week revealed that not one of its Ka-owning customers has filed a theft claim between 2004 and 2011.

And why, because the standard Ka offers unparalleled protection against opportunistic car thieves?

Sadly no, it’s apparently because the criminally inclined have scant little interest in stealing vehicles such as Ford’s diminutive runabout.

The information offered by Confused.com has been collated in conjunction with thief-turned-security-expert Michael Fraser, who claims certain cars simply hold no allure for the light-fingered.

“A Ford Ka is not very likely to be stolen as thieves will view them as cheap, with no power, and no street cred among thieves,” he said.

Other cars usually avoided by thieves, according to Confused.com, include the Chevrolet Matiz, the Suzuki Ignis, the Hyundai i10 Comfort, and the Nissan Skyline, which all currently hold theft rates of around 1 in 5,000.

Mr. Fraser said thieves are much more likely to be attracted to luxury car manufacturers such as BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes and Range Rover.

“These are sought after by car thieves as they are fast, powerful, hold the road well and are well built,” he added. “Protection on these vehicles will be high, so it’s about getting hold of the keys.”

When looking to improve security for your vehicle—regardless of make or model—Mr. Fraser says thieves tend to look elsewhere if cars have easy-to-spot private plates, are parked hood-first on a private driveway, or have flowery external decals or fluffy internal furnishings.

He also urged manufacturers to fit tracking technology as standard to their vehicles in order to help fight instances of car crime.

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