Cheapest Cars to Insure in the UK (2026)

Cars in insurance group 1 are the cheapest to insure. Small city cars with engines of around 1.0 litre, such as the Volkswagen up!, Kia Picanto and Hyundai i10, usually sit in the lowest groups, which makes them among the cheapest cars to insure for most drivers.

Insurance group 1 is the cheapest, and groups 1 to 5 are considered very cheap to insure. The group is determined by engine size, power output, repair costs, security features, and the car's value. Your own premium also depends on your age, address, driving record and the cover you choose.

Insurance groups (1 to 50) are set by Thatcham Research based on factors including engine size and power, repair costs, parts prices, vehicle security, and performance. Smaller, cheaper cars with widely available parts tend to be in the lowest groups. The groups on this page are our own estimates, not the official groups.

Not directly, as insurance groups are based on repair costs rather than MOT pass rates. However, a reliable car with fewer breakdowns means fewer claims overall. Cars with high parts availability and low repair costs tend to be both reliable and cheap to insure.

Usually not: electric cars tend to be in higher insurance groups than equivalent petrol models, mainly because battery repairs and specialist parts are expensive.

Choose a car in a low insurance group (under 10). Other factors that help: adding a more experienced named driver, increasing your voluntary excess, parking off-street, building up no-claims years, and taking an advanced driving course.

No. Car colour has no effect on insurance premiums or insurance groups. The group is determined by engine size, power, repair costs, security, and vehicle value.

Sometimes, slightly. Automatic gearboxes cost more to repair or replace, which can put the automatic version in a slightly higher insurance group than the manual. The difference in premium is usually small.