Odd Theft Reports in Australia
No country is immune to car thefts, and in the Australian state of Victoria, the most stolen car there is the Holden Commodore. Of course, it’s not really a surprise given that it’s a hugely popular model. More specifically, it’s the 2016 model of the midsize sedan that was stolen the most.
Also known as the VF Commodore, America got it as the Chevrolet SS, and as a big sedan with rear-wheel drive, we understand the appeal. Of course, we don’t condone stealing a car. Meanwhile, the Toyota Corolla came in second place. Again, Corollas are everywhere, so it doesn’t really come as a surprise.
But in 14th place is a car, a Toyota model that doesn’t even exist. Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Toyota Lantra. We can see your puzzled faces from here.
The Toyota What?
According to a report by Drive, the 14th-most-stolen car in Victoria is the Toyota Lantra. Not even Google or AI can help you out with that, as there is no such car as that. Oddly enough, the ghost car was reportedly stolen 183 times in 2025.
Funnier still is the fact that there is a specific model year for the most-stolen version of the Toyota Lantra, 2013 to be exact, with 69 of the imaginary cars yanked from their owners. We’re seriously wondering what the previous models looked like. But the weirdest statistic has to be the rise in thefts for this, quite literally, unobtanium model. In 2024, there were 64 thefts for the Lantra, meaning there’s an increase of 65% in reported cases. Better keep those doors locked, owners.
Other Non-Existent Models in the List
Another nonexistent car stolen was the Mazda Elite. Again, we have no idea what it is because Mazda doesn’t make that car. Apparently, 23 of them were stolen last year. No specific model year was given for the stolen Elites. That said, it may be a trim level for certain Mazda models, but the company doesn’t use the Elite name in Australia. An older model like a 323 or 626, perhaps?
That’s not all, though, as a Mitsubishi Elite also went missing last year, as well as a Dennis Elite. And, going back to the Lantra, there was a single Holden Lantra stolen in the state in 2025, as well as a Honda Lantra. Seriously, someone better trademark those names.
Mazda
Source of Confusion?
It’s possible that the Lantra in question is the Hyundai Elantra. However, it still doesn’t answer the question of why it was labeled as a Toyota. Hyundai sold the Lantra back in the day, and it was used as the name for the Elantra in certain markets, including Australia. Based on the report, the Lantra was classified as a sedan, so that’s a plausible explanation.
Could it be that some owners who reported their car stolen do not know the make of their vehicle? It’s odd, yes, but not outside the realm of possibility. Mind you, we’re referring to the previous generation of Elantra here, as the current model sold in Australia is badged as the i30. We’ll probably never know the answer for sure, but it’s a clerical error that won’t make finding the stolen cars any easier.
Hyundai
