Catalytic converter theft is spiking again in 2026 as rhodium prices climb, making the precious metal inside emissions systems more valuable to resell. Thieves favor trucks and SUVs with high ground clearance, since easy underbody access lets them cut a converter loose in minutes. Carfax’s latest ranking, updated in July 2026, tracks the vehicles hit most often — here are ten of the most targeted models on the road today.
1. Ford F-150: The No. 1 National Target
Carfax ranked the Ford F-150 as the most targeted vehicle in its 2026 breakdown of catalytic converter theft, placing it above every other model the company tracked.
The F-150 has topped U.S. sales charts for years, so it simply appears on more driveways and job sites than almost anything else, giving thieves a familiar undercarriage and a steady resale market for the metals inside. A shield, etched VIN markings, or a garage spot overnight can all cut the odds of becoming a target.
2. Hyundai Tucson: Runner-Up on the Hot List
Carfax placed the Hyundai Tucson at the number-two spot on its 2026 ranking of the vehicles most targeted for catalytic converter theft nationwide, trailing only the Ford F-150 for the top overall spot.
The compact SUV’s relatively low ground clearance makes its underbody easy to reach, and a practiced thief can remove a converter with a battery-powered saw in a matter of minutes in a parking lot or driveway. Anti-theft cages, etched identification markings, and parking in a garage or a well-lit, camera-covered space are among the few deterrents that meaningfully slow the process down.
3. Ford Explorer: Third Most Targeted SUV
The Ford Explorer landed as the third most frequently targeted vehicle for catalytic converter theft in Carfax’s 2026 data, one of several Ford models named in the top ten ranking.
As one of the best-known three-row SUVs on American roads, the Explorer offers thieves both familiarity and a converter that carries valuable metals like palladium and rhodium. Owners in areas with reported theft clusters can ask a dealer or muffler shop about a protective cage that bolts around the converter and resists a handheld saw.
4. Ram 2500: A Heavy-Duty Favorite for Thieves
Carfax ranked the Ram 2500 fourth on its list of the vehicles most targeted for catalytic converter theft in 2026, the first heavy-duty pickup to appear on the ranking.
Heavy-duty trucks like the 2500 ride higher off the ground than most passenger vehicles, giving a thief standing room to work without needing a jack. Because the truck is built for towing and work sites, it also tends to sit outdoors overnight more often than a garaged commuter car, another factor that raises its exposure.
5. Chevrolet Silverado: One of Three Chevy Targets
The Chevrolet Silverado is one of three Chevrolet models Carfax named in its 2026 top-ten list of vehicles most targeted for catalytic converter theft, alongside the Traverse and the Trax.
Full-size pickups like the Silverado are common on the road and sit high enough for a thief to reach the converter without lifting the vehicle, a combination that keeps trucks near the top of theft rankings year after year. An engraved converter or a welded shield can make a Silverado a slower, less appealing target.
6. Chevrolet Traverse: A Family SUV on the List
The Chevrolet Traverse is a second Chevrolet nameplate on Carfax’s 2026 top-ten list of vehicles most targeted for catalytic converter theft, joining the Silverado and the Trax as GM models singled out in the ranking.
As a high-volume family SUV, the Traverse is parked in driveways, school lots, and shopping-center rows in huge numbers, giving thieves plenty of opportunities and an easy escape if nobody is watching. Security cameras aimed at the driveway and a converter marked with a visible ID number are inexpensive ways to cut the risk.
7. Ram 3500: The Second Ram on the List
Carfax ranked the Ram 3500 seventh on its 2026 list of vehicles most targeted for catalytic converter theft, the second Ram pickup named in the same top ten after the 2500.
Like its Ram 2500 sibling, the 3500’s high ride height gives a thief room to work standing up, and heavy-duty trucks often carry larger, more metal-rich converters that resell for more on the scrap market. Fleet and work-truck owners are frequently advised to park in monitored lots overnight rather than open street parking.
8. Ford EcoSport: A Compact SUV in the Crosshairs
Carfax includes the Ford EcoSport among its top-ten list of the vehicles most targeted for catalytic converter theft in 2026, making it the smallest SUV named anywhere in the ranking.
Smaller SUVs like the EcoSport still carry a full catalytic converter with the same valuable metals as larger vehicles, so their size offers no real protection from a determined thief. A parking spot near a building entrance or under a security light can make a quick underbody theft far less appealing to someone hoping to work fast.
9. Ford Expedition: A Third Ford in the Top Ten
Ford Authority reports the Expedition is named in the top ten vehicles targeted by catalytic converter thieves nationwide, alongside the F-150 and the Explorer, two other Ford models on the same list.
Large body-on-frame SUVs like the Expedition sit high off the ground, the same trait that makes pickups easy marks, and their converters are sized for a bigger engine, which can mean more resalable metal inside. Anti-theft clamps sold by many dealers can be installed in under an hour and make the converter far harder to remove quickly.
10. Chevrolet Trax: The Third Chevy Named
The Chevrolet Trax rounds out the three Chevrolet models Carfax named in its 2026 top-ten list of vehicles most targeted for catalytic converter theft, joining the Silverado and the Traverse.
As one of Chevrolet’s best-selling small SUVs, the Trax is common in commuter lots and apartment complexes, settings where a car can sit unattended for hours at a time. A basic steel cage bolted around the converter, sold at many muffler shops, is one of the more affordable ways to deter theft on a lower-cost model like this one.
More from Morning Overview
- Supplements now rank as the fifth-leading cause of death from liver disease.
- Herbal supplements are landing Americans in the hospital with liver damage, doctors warn
- General Motors is switching on cameras that record inside your vehicle by update
- A geomagnetic storm is forecast to hit Earth today, pushing the northern lights unusually far south
