📡 S5 vs S7 Vehicle Trackers – Which Is Right for You in 2025?

Vehicle theft is on the rise across the West Midlands, and thieves are getting smarter. In 2025, simply locking your car isn’t enough especially if you drive a high-value, keyless-entry, or performance vehicle.

That’s where Thatcham-approved GPS trackers come in specifically S5 and S7 systems. But what’s the difference between them? And which one is right for your car?

At Shield Automotive, we install both S5 and S7 trackers across Cannock, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and beyond. Here’s everything you need to know.

🚨 Why You Need a Vehicle Tracker in 2025

According to the latest data:

• A car is stolen every 8 minutes in the UK.

• Over 70% of thefts are from keyless vehicles.

• The West Midlands ranks among the top regions for car theft.

Once your vehicle is gone, recovery without a tracker is unlikely. With a Thatcham-approved tracker, you get:

• 📍 Real-time location tracking

• 🚔 Police integration for rapid recovery

• 📲 Smartphone alerts

• ✅ Insurance-approved security

🔍 What Is a Thatcham-Approved Tracker?

Thatcham is the UK’s trusted standard for vehicle security. Trackers are ranked based on their features, and S5 and S7 are the two main insurance-recognised categories.

🥇 S5 Trackers – Premium Protection

Ideal for: High-performance, luxury, lease, and keyless vehicles.

🔐 Key Features:

• Driver Recognition Tag – detects if an unauthorised person is driving

• 24/7 Control Centre Monitoring

• Police Liaison in the event of theft

• Real-time GPS tracking

• Optional remote immobilisation

If someone steals your car without the driver tag, the tracker sends an alert and flags it as a theft in progress.

Popular S5 Trackers We Install:

• ScorpionTrack S5+

• MetaTrak S5 VTS

• SmarTrack S5

📈 Insurance Benefit:

Most insurers will require an S5 tracker for cars over £40,000 or high-risk vehicles.

🥈 S7 Trackers – Essential Security

Ideal for: Lower-value or older vehicles, or those not requiring tag authentication.

Key Features:

• GPS live tracking via app

• Tamper alerts

• Route history

• 24/7 monitoring

• Cheaper than S5, but no driver ID tag

Best for:

• Fleet vehicles

• Everyday cars

• Lower-premium insurance policies

🔍 S5 vs S7 Comparison Table

Feature	S5 Tracker	S7 Tracker
GPS Tracking	✅	✅
24/7 Monitoring	✅	✅
Insurance Approved	✅	✅
Driver Recognition Tag	✅	❌
Remote Immobilisation	Optional	❌
App Access	✅	✅
Price Range	£349–£749	£199–£299

📍 Where We Install

Shield Automotive offers mobile S5/S7 tracker installation in:

• Cannock

• Birmingham

• Wolverhampton

• Shrewsbury

• West Midlands, Staffordshire, Shropshire & surrounding areas

We come to your home, workplace, or dealership no need to visit a garage.

🧾 Cost & Installation

Tracker Type	Installed Price (From)
S5 Tracker	£349–£599
S7 Tracker	£199–£299

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