What are the cheapest cars to insure?

Whether it's the size of the boot or colour of the paintwork, there's a lot to consider when buying a new car. But if you want to drive down the cost of your insurance, then add the vehicle's make and model to your list of priorities.

GoCompare found the model of car can make a significant difference to the price of a policy, with the comparison site finding owners of a Mazda MX-5 pay the least for insurance, on average, while Suzuki Alto drivers pay the most.

Here, Which? takes a look at which cars offer the best value for money when it comes to insuring and reveals what else affects the cost of your premium.

The cheapest (and most expensive) cars to insure

Of course, the price of insurance shouldn't be a deal-breaker when chooing the right car for you, but the rising cost of cover is increasingly important to many drivers.

After analysing the average price for an annual car insurance policy bought through its site between 1 January 2023 and 31 March 2023, GoCompare has compiled a list of the 10 models which owners pay the least on average to insure.

The Mazda MX-5, with an average car insurance cost of just £201, was top of GoCompare's list, but the Toyota iQ wasn't far behind, taking the number two spot with insurance costing £209, on average. The Porsche Boxster at £224 came third.

On the other end of the scale, the most expensive car to insure is Tesla’s Model Y, which with annual comprehensive insurance at £841, on average, is more than four times more costly to cover than the Mazda MX-5. This is followed by the Mercedes-Benz GLE (£835) and BMW M4 (£766).

Find out more: 

What else affects your premium?

Bear in mind, however, that this research only tells part of the story as it doesn't take into account other factors which impact the premium you pay. 

For example, age isn't just a number when it comes to insuring a car. If one particular model is mainly owned by younger drivers, the average price will probably be higher than one driven mostly by middle-aged drivers.

As Which? insurance expert, Dean Sobers, explains: 'The data shows what owners of different cars pay for their insurance, but it should be kept in mind that the different average premiums aren't necessarily all down to the car. 

'Various factors, such as age, mileage and location, play a big role in the prices insurers set, so these will be reflected with cars that tend to be used for specific purposes (eg commuting or leisure) or preferred by certain types of driver.'

To illustrate the difference an attribute such as age can make to the price, take a look at GoCompare's data for under-25s:

The model of car which this group pays the least to insure, on average, is the Peugeot 107, at £528. That's £141 cheaper than the Vauxhall Adam at the number 10 spot (£669). 

Again, remember that insurers consider a number of different factors when it comes to providing your insurance quote, not only age and experience. So the individual quote you're given for any model of car will depend on your own personal circumstances.

Find out more:

Ways to save on car insurance

Whatever your situation, there are ways you can cut the cost of your car insurance.

Of course, the first thing to do is to shop around. Price comparison sites that allow you to view multiple car insurance quotes at a glance are a good place to start. The main ones for insurance are Compare the Market, Confused.com, GoCompare and MoneySuperMarket. 

Find out more:

Which? Limited is registered in England and Wales to 2 Marylebone Road, London NW1 4DF, company number 00677665 and is an Introducer Appointed Representative of the following: 1. Inspop.com Ltd for the introduction of non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN 610689). Inspop.com Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to provide advice and arrange non-investment motor, home, travel and pet insurance products (FRN310635) and is registered in England and Wales to Greyfriars House, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, South Wales, CF10 3AL, company number 03857130. Confused.com is a trading name of Inspop.com Ltd. 2. LifeSearch Partners Limited (FRN 656479), for the introduction of Pure Protection Contracts, who are authorised and regulated by the FCA to provide advice and arrange Pure Protection Contracts. LifeSearch Partners Ltd is registered in England and Wales to 3000a Parkway, Whiteley, Hampshire, PO15 7FX, company number 03412386. 3.Which? are an Introducer Appointer Representative of Optimise Media Limited (FRN 313408), for the introduction of HSBC Group, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide credit brokering activity. Optimise Media is registered in England and Wales to Exchange Street Buildings, 35-37 Exchange Street, Norwich, England, NR2 1DP and company number 04455319. We do not make, nor do we seek to make, any recommendations on financial products or services that are regulated by the FCA, as we’re not regulated or authorised by the FCA to advise you in this way. In some cases, however, we have included links to regulated brands or providers with whom we have a commercial relationship and, if you choose to, you can buy a product from our commercial partners. If you go ahead and buy a product using our link, we will receive a commission to help fund our not-for-profit mission and our campaigns work as a champion for the UK consumer.

source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/what-are-the-cheapest-cars-to-insure-a4jqQ8S1UGoj