UK’s best-selling cars ‘susceptible to keyless theft’, research shows

Thieves use technology to mimic the signal from a car's key, allowing them to open and start a vehicle

Four out of the five best-selling cars in the UK are “susceptible” to keyless theft, according to research by Which?

The consumer group said the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf, Nissan Qashqai and Ford Focus could be stolen in so-called “relay attacks”, where a car is opened and its ignition started using a device that acts as a key.

The Vauxhall Corsa, the other top five vehicle, was the only one to be found safe from such attacks, because it does not have the keyless feature.

The research was based on data from General German Automobile Club (ADAC), a roadside recovery organisation, which saw 237 keyless cars tested and found that all but three of them are susceptible to so-called relay attacks.

“Thieves have been using keyless theft - also known as the relay attack - for several years, but manufacturers continue to make new models that can be stolen in this way, meaning there is an ever-larger pool of vehicles for thieves to target,” said Which?

However, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said new cars were “more secure than ever”.

“Industry takes vehicle crime extremely seriously and any claims otherwise are categorically untrue,” said SMMT boss Mike Hawes.

“Criminals will always look for new ways to steal cars; it's an ongoing battle and why manufacturers continue to invest billions in ever more sophisticated security features.”

Additional reporting by newswires