Cadillac Escalade

Rank: 1
MSRP: $46,200
HLDI Score: 1,579

Cadillac Escalade + click to enlarge | view slideshow >

According to the latest Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) figures, the Cadillac Escalade tops the list for the fourth year in a row as the most commonly stolen luxury vehicle in America. The report says that “four versions of the Escalade (EXT, a specialty pickup as well as 2- and 4-wheel-drive versions of the short- and long-wheelbase SUVs) head the list of the worst overall insurance losses for theft among all passenger vehicles. The EXT has overall theft losses that are 16 times higher than the average.”

So, what exactly is it about the Escalade that makes it so popular with thieves? “The issue with the Escalade isn’t that it’s a necessarily more vulnerable design. It’s just a lot more desirable vehicle for the people who steal cars,” said Paul Kocher, president and chief scientist of Cryptography Research, Inc. And what makes it so desirable? Well, according to Kim Hazelbaker of HLDI, the vehicle’s mobile electronics components and flashy exterior accessories make it a hot commodity with thieves.

“When Escalades are recovered, many times the wheels are gone and the vehicle interior has been stripped,” she said. “Remember that an available option on this vehicle places DVD playback screens in the front head restraints for viewing by the rear-seat occupants. What self-respecting car thief would want to be without that?”

Published on 08/02/06