The silent hybrid powertrain of the Prius allows criminals to quietly infiltrate neighborhoods
- The Land Cruiser remains the top most stolen vehicle in Japan by a large margin.
- The Prius ranks second, with some speculating it is being used to steal other vehicles.
- Authorities recommend using alarms, wheel locks, and car covers to deter criminals.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is on track for securing its position as Japan’s most stolen vehicle for the fifth consecutive year. Local car thieves are obsessed with the iconic SUV, with the number of reported thefts consistently rising. However, our attention has been brought to another Toyota that is often features in the top positions of Japan’s most stolen list: the Prius.
Japan’s National Police Agency has shared data for the top 10 most stolen vehicles in the first half of 2025, and the list remains largely unchanged from previous years. Apart from the Suzuki Carry in 10th place, every other entry is a Toyota or Lexus, underlining once again that car thieves have a strong preference for Japan’s automotive giant.
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The Prius has climbed in the second spot with 289 units stolen so far in 2025. As reported by Creative Trend, criminals often use the hybrid as a means of transportation to commit other vehicle thefts. The reason for that is its quiet powertrain, allowing them to sneak into residential areas in the late hours without getting noticed.
While the lack of engine rumble is a common feature among electrified vehicles (i.e. hybrids and EVs), the Prius sounds like the safest bet due to its widespread availability in the Land of the Rising Sun, its reliability, and the fact it is exclusively offered with hybrid and PHEV powertrains. It’s no stretch to imagine that some of these stolen Priuses were used to hunt the first model on the list which is no other than the Land Cruiser.
Japan’s National Police Agency
Unpreceded Number Of Stolen Land Cruisers
With 765 units in just six months, the Land Cruiser is headed toward a record-breaking year, likely surpassing the psychological barrier of 1,000 units for the first time ever. For context, according to Japan’s General Insurance Association, a total of 688 Land Cruisers were stolen in 2024, with only 383 cases in 2023.
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Those numbers include the Land Cruiser 300, 250 / Prado, and 70 Series, although the larger one likely accounts for the majority of the cases. The nearly identical Lexus LX is in the fifth place with another 120 reported thefts in the first half of the year.
Elsewhere in the rankings, the Toyota Alphard minivan dropped to third with 191 thefts, down 112 from last year. Conversely, the Crown Series jumped to sixth place with 107 stolen units (+63), a rise likely influenced by its expanded range, now including the Crossover, Sedan, Estate, and Sport variants.
To combat the surge in thefts, Japanese authorities prompt vehicle owners to use alarm systems in combination with anti-theft devices such as steering locks and GPS trackers. Another idea is to keep the vehicle covered in order to prevent thieves from identifying its make and model, reducing the chances of it getting targeted.
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