Tracker announces that the bulk of it's recovered cars are less than £20,000

• 32% of stolen vehicles recovered, valued at under £5,000 reveals TRACKER
• www.tracker.co.uk

A whopping 32% of all stolen vehicles recovered by TRACKER in 2016 were valued at less than £5,000. The age, mileage and even brand of a vehicle doesn’t appear to matter to vehicle thieves as much as motorists may think, which should serve as a stark warning to the average car owner, advises stolen vehicle recovery expert, TRACKER. 

Interestingly, confirming the demise of the prestige car as the thieves’ number one target, the average value of cars stolen and recovered by TRACKER in 2016 was just over £16,000, down from over £19,000 in 2015 – a 13% drop in value. Over £11.5 million worth of stolen vehicles were returned by TRACKER to their rightful owners last year, a notable 10% year-on-year increase for TRACKER.

Whilst the most expensive car recovered by TRACKER in 2016 was a Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG worth £120,000, the reality is that less than 1% of stolen vehicles TRACKER recovers are worth between £75,000-£120,000. 

Andy Barrs, Head of Police Liaison at TRACKER and a former Chief Superintendent for South Yorkshire Police, comments, “Understandably, many vehicle owners think that organised car thieves typically target high end prestige cars. Yet our data tells us that criminals continue to target more affordable, popular brands, such as Ford, Vauxhall, and VW models. Indeed, these were stolen in record numbers last year, with the lowest value car stolen and recovered being a VW Golf worth £400. 

“If people think their car isn’t worth enough for thieves to steal it, think again. 3 out of 4 stolen cars we recovered were worth less than £20,000. The message for all motorists is to protect their car from thieves or as we say at TRACKER – if you love it, track it!” 

Unlike other devices, TRACKER’s unique technology can locate stolen vehicles anywhere, even when they are hidden in a garage or shipping container. TRACKER has been reuniting car lovers with their vehicles for over 20 years, and it’s this expertise which makes TRACKER the leader in stolen vehicle recovery. TRACKER stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there.

Percentage of vehicles stolen and recovered by TRACKER, by value
£1000 or less 3%
£1001-£5000 29%
£5001-£10,000 17%
£10,001-£15,000 11%
£15,001-£20,000 11%
£75,000-£120,000 0.8%
£10,000 or less 49%
£20,000 or less 72%
£20,001-£74,999 28%

WHAT CAR AWARDS - Citroen takes the Best buy MPV Under £20,000 title this year.

Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition is named 'Best Buy for less than £20,000' in the 'MPV' category at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards.

The Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition was recognised for its practicality, comfort and class leading engine earlier this evening, winning the title ‘MPV Best Buy for less than £20,000’ at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2017.

Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car?, commented; “The funky Citroën C3 Picasso 1.2 litre petrol is a very practical family car, especially for smaller households. 

That little engine is actually a real plus point. It offers peppy performance around town and doesn’t feel overworked on motorway journeys, with plenty of low-rev pull for easy progress. 

The C3 Picasso is comfortable, too. Its ride is soft and the driving position is excellent; you sit quite high up, so get a clear view of the road ahead, helped by the wraparound windscreen and thin pillars. 

The entry-level Edition spec comes with plenty of kit, including 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, Bluetooth and rear parking sensors. If you need to transport your family on a limited budget, the characterful and nippy C3 Picasso should be at the top of your shortlist.”

Chris Cheetham, Citroën’s Marketing Director in the UK, said; “It’s an honour to be acknowledged in these prestigious awards again in 2017. The C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition won through at its price-point last year, so we’re excited that the vehicle is living up to its practical and affordable title. MPVs must be able to cope with family life and that’s exactly what we have designed C3 Picasso to do. 

With future ideas, such as the Citroën Advanced Comfort® programme, coming to fruition across the range in the coming years, our products will continue to shine and stand out.”

This is the second consecutive year that the What Car? judging panel has recognised the family-friendly Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition as an ‘MPV Best Buy’, after a series of prior wins with different versions of the same car in the ‘MPV Best Buy for less than £16,000’ category.

Citroën C3 Picasso PureTech 110 Edition is available from just £16,975 OTR.

WHAT CAR AWARDS - The Renault ZOE takes best Electric car under £20,000 for the third year running.

• Renault ZOE named ‘Best Electric Car under £20,000’
• Third consecutive What Car? title for ZOE
• ZOE available from £13,445 after Government PiCG
• ZOE sales in the UK doubled in 2015

The Renault ZOE has been recognised by the judges at What Car? for the third consecutive year, picking up the title of What Car? 2016 ‘Best Electric Car for less than £20,000’ with its pure electric ZOE Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge hatchback.

Commenting on the decision to give ZOE the award for a third consecutive year, Jim Holder, Editorial Director, What Car? said: “The Renault ZOE was our favourite electric car for less than £20,000 a year ago, and tweaks to the specification and the added ability to go further have only increased its appeal. 

The ZOE’s main strength is that it feels like a conventional, stylish, nippy small car that happens to cost pennies to run. The electric motor has enough shove for the ZOE to lead the charge away from traffic lights, and the cabin seats four in reasonable comfort. Even the boot is larger than you’ll find in many regular small cars – easily big enough for a week’s shopping.

“The rapid charger means that you can get the ZOE’s battery from flat to 80 per cent of its capacity in as little as 30 minutes, using one of the fast charging public points. With a full charge, you’ll be good for around 90 miles – more than enough for the average commute. Renault even includes installation of a home charger in the price. The standard kit list looks good, too, with a reversing camera and an excellent infotainment system with satellite navigation included with our preferred trim level,” added Holder.

Ken Ramirez, Managing Director, Renault UK, said of the result:“The ZOE proves that zero emissions in use vehicles can be stylish and practical with sales more than doubling in the UK last year, in an EV market up 48 per cent, as more and more motorists recognize ZOE, not only for its environmental credentials but for its ultra-low running costs, serene driving style and high standard of specification.  We’re thrilled that What Car? has recognised ZOE’s talents for the third year in a row.”

The ZOE is an all-electric, five-door family hatchback available in three trim levels that comes with a high level of standard specification, despite its competitive price-tag, including items such as climate control and sat-nav. 

ZOE can charge from zero to 80 per cent full in as little as 30 minutes thanks to its patented Chameleon™ Charger that allows it to make the most of the widest range of power supplies and also keep charging times to a minimum.  The official NEDC range is up to 149 miles – Renault estimates that in real-world driving conditions that this equates to around 93 miles in summer and 62 miles in winter.

ZOE is available to purchase in two ways. Firstly, under a battery hire scheme, where ZOE pricing starts at £13,445 after the Government Plug-in Car Grant with battery leasing from £55 per month. Benefits include a lifetime performance guarantee for the battery and 24/7 roadside assistance – even if you run out of charge.

You can also buy your ZOE outright. ZOE i ‘full purchase’ models start from £18,445 after the Government Plug-in Car Grant, giving the buyer full ownership of the car and battery and no monthly battery lease payment.

ZOE sales were up 102 per cent in 2015 to 2,053 vehicles, significantly outpacing the UK electric vehicle market, which was up 48 per cent on 2014. ZOE is the second best-selling electric car in the UK representing one in five EVs sold. ZOE is one of three models in Renault’s diverse electric vehicle range which also includes the Twizy urban roundabout and the Kangoo Van Z.E.