Most stolen cars UK, Jan to Jun 2026: Nissan Juke Tekna leads on 197

The Nissan Juke Tekna CVT was the most stolen car in the UK in the first half of 2026, with 197 thefts recorded between 1 January and 30 June. That is according to analysis by Tempcover of data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), reported by the Echo. The Toyota C-HR Dynamic HEV CVT came second, with 160 thefts.

The gap between first and second place is 37 vehicles, which the Echo described as “a bit of a gap”. Our own sum puts that at about 23% more thefts than the runner-up (37 divided by 160). Over the 181 days from 1 January to 30 June, 197 thefts works out at roughly 1.1 Juke Tekna cars a day, against about 0.9 a day for the C-HR.

Most stolen cars in the UK: how the top two compare

The two leading models are the only ones named in the report we have seen, so we cannot publish the full top 20 here. The table below sets out what is known, with the daily rates being our calculation from the reported totals, not figures supplied by Tempcover or the DVLA.

The DVLA publishes a disclosure log of freedom of information requests. The April to June 2025 edition lists requests about the number of car thefts and van thefts reported in 2024, both marked “fully met”. The log records the requests, not the answers, so it does not contain the model-level figures cited here.

Top 20 most stolen cars: electric models appear

The analysis points to a change in what is being taken. The Echo reported that electric and hybrid vehicles appeared in greater numbers in the overall top 20, which it described as a shift in theft patterns. For the whole of 2025, no fully electric cars were in the top 20, but four are included for the first half of 2026.

The two periods are not like for like, since one covers a full year and the other six months. The comparison nonetheless shows electric models entering a list they were absent from before. The sources do not say which electric models are involved.

What is behind the Juke’s place at the top

Jake Lambert, a temporary insurance expert at Tempcover, said: “This goes beyond just one car model; it signals a distinct tactical shift in vehicle crime.” He added: “While high-value cars remain targets, the DVLA data highlights the heightened security risk facing mass-market keyless vehicles.”

Lambert said the Juke Tekna sits “right at the intersection of widespread road presence and accessible technology”. Because the Tekna is a high-spec trim, he said, it has keyless entry and push-button start as standard, leaving it exposed to relay attacks, where thieves intercept fob signals to bypass the immobiliser. He noted that the risk is not unique to the Juke but common across most modern keyless vehicles, and that “high production volumes simply mean more cars on the road running the same technology”.

What it means if you own a popular model

Nothing in the sources shows that theft is rising overall, and the figures are for individual models, so owners should read this as a prompt to check their protection, not as a sign of a wider spike. If you drive a keyless car, the Echo reports advice to keep the fob in a metal box or signal-blocking wallet, and to keep physical keys away from your front door.

The RAC recommends parking in a well-lit public area and, in a car park, choosing one that is “security patrolled, covered by CCTV, or that is in a secure area”. A steering lock or brake lock can help, and a tracking device could help recover a car. For electric owners, Lambert advises setting a PIN or biometric lock on any app that holds a digital key, locking charging cables, keeping software updates active and not leaving the app logged in on unlocked phones. We would also suggest reading your policy to see what security conditions your insurer sets, and asking it directly if you are unsure.

Your questions answered

What are the 10 most stolen cars in the UK?

The sources we have name only the top two for January to June 2026: the Nissan Juke Tekna CVT on 197 thefts and the Toyota C-HR Dynamic HEV CVT on 160. The Echo links to a separate piece on the top 10 models, with the headline saying more than 1,300 vehicles were taken, but that article was not available to us, so we do not list the rest.

How many cars are stolen in the UK each day?

The sources do not give a national daily figure. The only rate we can calculate is for the leading model: 197 Juke Tekna thefts across 181 days is about 1.1 a day.