South Africa's vehicle crime landscape is constantly evolving, and one of the country's most popular SUVs has now found itself under increased scrutiny.
business tech Owners of some Toyota Corolla Cross models are being urged to strengthen their vehicle's security after Discovery Insure identified a rising trend of theft and hijacking claims involving the vehicle, the report said.
Insurers have responded by introducing mandatory tracking requirements for some customers, highlighting how organized vehicle crime is adapting to changing consumer preferences.
Discovery launches mandatory tracking for affected customers
Discovery Insure says its ongoing analysis of claims data has revealed a significant increase in theft and hijacking incidents involving selected vehicles, including certain Toyota Corolla Cross models.
As a result, some policyholders – notably Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 XR owners – have been informed that they will have to install two Crowd Search sensors to maintain comprehensive theft and hijacking cover.
The wireless device is designed to improve the chances of recovering a stolen vehicle by connecting to Discovery's recovery network. Customers who fail to install and activate the sensors within the specified time frame may have theft and hijacking cover removed from their policies.
While tracking devices are supplied at no upfront cost, an ongoing Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) charge of R135 per month per vehicle will apply from the next policy renewal. However, the insurer says this fee will be waived for motorists who already have an approved third-party tracking system installed.
The Corolla Cross is not the only vehicle under review
Although the Toyota Corolla Cross has attracted attention after the latest customer notice, King Price Insurance in March 2025 Clarified that he has not selected any model.
Instead, the insurer says similar security requirements have been introduced into several vehicle categories where risk assessments indicate increased theft or hijacking risk.
Its evaluation considers the following factors:
- Number of vehicles on South African roads
- Trend in theft and kidnapping claims
- recovery success rate
- Overall Insurance Risk
Existing customers are notified through updated policy schedules, while new customers receive notification during the quote process if advanced security measures are applied to their vehicle.
Why criminals are targeting vehicles every day
Safety experts say a vehicle's popularity often works against owners.
Unlike luxury vehicles that immediately attract attention, mainstream models like the Toyota Corolla Cross naturally blend into daily traffic. Their widespread appearance makes them less noticeable after being stolen, allowing criminals to easily move them without arousing suspicion.
Industry experts have also pointed to common colors such as white and silver, which dominate South African roads and make it even more difficult to immediately identify stolen vehicles.
Once taken, many vehicles are either dismantled for spare parts or illegally re-registered before entering the resale market. High-demand components create attractive opportunities for organized crime syndicates, especially where thousands of identical vehicles are already in circulation.
Popularity may increase risk
The Corolla Cross has become one of Toyota's best-selling models since its arrival in South Africa in 2021. This success may partly explain why insurers and security companies are paying more attention to it.
The more vehicles of a particular model are on the road, the greater the demand for replacement parts. Criminal networks often take advantage of that demand by targeting vehicles that can be quickly snatched up or sold.
However, experts caution that a higher number of thefts does not mean the vehicle is inherently less safe. Popular models naturally appear more frequently in crime statistics because there are so many of them on South African roads.
South Africa's most hijacked vehicles
Recent crime and insurance industry statistics show that South Africa's Most frequently hijacked vehicles Are largely mainstream models.
Commonly targeted people are:
- toyota hilux
- volkswagen polo vivo
- ford ranger
- toyota fortuner
- Hyundai Grand i10
- Nissan NP200
- Isuzu D-Max
- toyota corolla
- kia picanto
- BMW 3 Series
security analyst It is estimated that around 50 vehicles are hijacked every day across South Africa, with Gauteng remaining the country's primary hotspot. Major metropolitan areas in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape are also recording significant levels of vehicle-related crime.
Practical steps motorists can take
Although no safety measure can completely eliminate the danger, experts say motorists can reduce the danger to a great extent by adopting safe habits.
Recommended precautions include:
- Avoid following the same driving route every day.
- Be cautious when approaching your driveway.
- Keep valuables out of sight inside your vehicle.
- Make sure any tracking devices remain active and functional.
- Carry a portable panic button or emergency response device if available.
- If you encounter kidnappers, give priority to your personal safety instead of resisting.