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Five Cars That Are Cheap To Insure

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The Ford Fiesta.

I’ve made no bones about my passion – and that tends to be fast cars.  You may have even gotten a little sick of hearing Lamborghini this or Aston Martin that.  You’ll no doubt be shouting at the screen – much as many do with Top Gear – and saying ‘where are the normal car reviews?’

Well, I’m not about to review the new Kia Picanto for you (even if it is a good car).  Well, I will if I get an invite to test-drive it.  In the meantime though, what I’d like to do is recommend five cars that you’ll love.  You’ll love them because not only are they on the whole very decent at what they do, but also they’ll save you a fortune in insurance.

Whether you’re a new driver or an older person looking to save money, any of these cars will be suitable for you.  Even if you’re the motorist looking to save a few bob, then you won’t go wrong with these.  This is not least because not only are these cars cheap to insure, but they all have relatively small (and economical) engines.  So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the five.

Skoda Fabia
Don’t listen to those who are still telling the same old badge jokes.  In fact, poke them in the eye and tell them they are about ten years behind the times.  Since VW took over Skoda way back in 1991, things have got better and better.  The Fabia is based on the V Polo and is extremely reliable, hardwearing and very safe.  The 1.2 litre Classic is insurance group one – that fact will certainly make your wallet fatter.

Renault Clio
The third generation of the supermini is a modern classic in many ways and the quality certainly goes some way to explaining why you see them just about everywhere.  The way in which the internal space is handled is very clever, meaning that there’s actually quite a bit of room inside.  Going for the 1.2 litre will see you getting almost 50mpg, something that you won’t see from many other engines.

Nissan Micra
Granted, this car will probably be the least popular in this review.  Why is that?  Well, the perky little car is what a huge number of people learn to drive in every year.  Given this fact, I know that I for sure was desperate to distance myself from the Micra – even if my ideal car is a Nissan (a 350Z for the record).  However, the modern Micra is actually a damn good car.  You’ll get keyless entry, parking sensors, air con and many other perks you wouldn’t necessarily expect.  Overall, it’s a really good car and it won’t cost the Earth to run.

Fiat Punto
There is a large number of this particular Italian supermini on the road and for good reason.  It enjoys being revved.  It really is that simple.  Much like James May said in his review of the Fiat 500, these Italian cars are made to be lit up by pushing the revometer until the valves have “jumped up and are dancing on the bonnet”.  I couldn’t agree more – and it is one of the more involving cars here.  Not only that, but even the 1.3 litre sporting will see you managing to get very reasonable insurance quotes.

Ford Fiesta
This is a car that has been around for about 30 years now – which must tell you something.  Granted, there are so many superminis out there now that the Fiesta can look a bit of an oldie (not least because the design has never really been altered that much) but it is a testament to the quality that so many are still going.  The newer and younger models however are really geared for the modern generation and feature such additions as Bluetooth and new-design alloys.  Why get it?  Well the 1.25 litre version is a group two and will give you about 45mpg.  You can chuck it in corners and it’ll give you a smile.  With that in mind, what’s not to love?

Conclusion
You’ll have seen that there’s a trend in these ‘cheap to insure’ cars – and that is the fact that they are pretty much exclusively superminis with small engines.  There’s nothing wrong with that, in fact they can offer a great drive along with frugal performance.  So, for a change, let’s all hail these little metal marvels of money saving.  Make mine a Fabia (VRS edition diesel mind you).

Looking to buy? Why not browse used cars in Manchester for a huge range of makes and models.

Comments

  1. I loved my Fiesta! I had one of the last of the previous generation which I think looks much better than current version. It was pretty cheap to insure but perhaps not as good as the Metro I had before that!

  2. Fraser,

    You had a Mini Metro? Now THAT is a cool car. You can keep that Nissan GT-R (well maybe) and give me the Metro. What were the driving dynamics like? I’ve always been interested in driving one of those cute things.

    N.B. What are you driving at the moment?

  3. The metro was great fun to drive. I can’t remember what the engine size was but compared to the weight of the car it was more than fast enough for a first car.

    The guy who owned it before me had lowered the suspension so it was a bit more like driving a go-cart 🙂 Sadly it was eaten by rust in the end!

    As for what I’m driving now….. it’s a slightyl dull but family oriented Suzuxi SX4.

  4. Sounds like it was a good driving experience – a shame it was eaten away then. I’m glad that’s one thing they have fixed modern-day, there aren’t too many cars that go that way any more, but still far too many end up getting smashed into cubes. Maybe we could sell them in the third world?

    The Suzuki SX4 – quite a cool car. You don’t see too many of them either.

  5. Yeah I liked my little metro!

    The SX4 is alright – we needed a cheap, five door car and it’s mostly my wife that uses it and she loves it.

    What are you driving?

  6. At the minute I’ve got my trusty Vauxhall Astra 1.8Sxi. It is reasonably quick and with enough space to not really need any more – but it’s not what you’d call agile. Lukewarm hatch is how I’d describe it.

    I’m debating with myself whether I should buy an MX-5 to do up as a race car or keep my monies saved up and buy an old Porsche or TVR. So, two cars or one – not sure which it’s to be yet. When my Astra gets to 100,000 on the clock though I might just splash out on the mental VXR version – something I may well be test driving soon…

  7. i got a fiesta and by no means are they cheap to insure im 18 and have 1 years ncb but im getting qoutes of £1200 cheapest with my parents on my policy to lower it more, i can have a audi a3 1.6 sport and insure for the same or a 1.6 golf, a few hundred more and i can have a almeria 2.0l gti

  8. Hi Russell,

    It’s the age that’s the biggest factor when it comes to your policy, as opposed to the car. Even with one year NCB, 18 year olds are considered very ‘high risk’ to insure.

  10. Right now i have a Ford Granada Scorpio Estate 2.0. I’m 21 and go out camping and climbing on the weekends, that’s why i have an estate to pack all my stuff in the back.

    Before i had this car i had a 2001 Peugeot 106 1.0 Zest. Great car to drive but as i was 17 at the time it was quite expensive…. £2800 to be precise and its even funnier if you think that the car was only £750.

    But anyway, the point of this is that my friend at the time who was 17 (Who now lives abroad) had a Fiat Seicento SX which he got for £495, he got a quote for only £1200!!!

    I was amazed…

  11. im due to sit my test, and a cheap car i have seen, is only £310 to buy. but the cheapest quote for insurance is at £2000 and more, the car is a nissan micra, it has dissheartened me alot, im 32 and thought it would have bought the price down being over 25 and all, think i might continue to use the bus or walk, lol

  12. Hi Joanne,
    I think as much as you are over 25 should bring the insurance down, you are still a very ‘inexperiences/new’ driver. The insurance company will see your lack of experience and put you in the ‘high risk’ catagory.
    As many drivers or even people who dont drive will testify to, age does NOT make you a better driver, experience does. The 80 year old women that drive around every 6 months, never driven in their lives etc, may have age on their side, but dont have experience, therefore I would say, as a general rule, that they wouldnt be as good of a driver as say a 30 year old, been driving everyday since the day they turned 17…
    Insurance is a mindfield, my insurance is horrendous, 21, 3 years ncb, Vauxhall Corsa 1.2, £90pm! Disgusting, but Im just waiting and waiting because every year it gets a little less! Patience is the key!!
    Hope you passed!! Good luck – Driving is the BEST thing that ever happened to me, the freedom, the wonder! A true Godsend.
    Hannah
    P.S – No offence to all the 80 year old drivers, Im sure you’re great and I would never want to tar you all with the same brush. Just an example, Im sure you understand? 🙂

  14. Must admit the Skoda Fabia’s look pretty cool these days, the new Fiesta is growing on me, as for insurance well Is suppose i have age on my side (not 80 yet).

    It seems everyone is waiting to get older so they can pay less, I wish I could pay more and be younger.

  15. Have to say bought my kid a Fiat Punto almost 5 years ago and it’s still going strong. Even when it’s past the 100,000 mark it’s still relatively cheap to run. I do think though the new 500s need looking at as the new changes to them because of EU fuel emissions makes it impossible for them to be easily driven up steep hills. Watch out!

  16. Alex,

    I haven’t had the chance to drive one but I hear that the Nissan Qashqai 1.2 petrol suffers from the same issue. That’s a pretty big car for a small engine however good it is.

  17. The third generation of the super mini is a modern classic in many ways and the quality certainly goes some way to explaining why you see them just about everywhere.One of my favourite car of this list.

  18. many other perks you wouldn’t necessarily expect. Overall, it’s a really good car and it won’t cost the Earth to run, that’s great.

  19. I’m looking to help my son get a first car, the car itself isn’t what is most expensive. Its the Insurance, especially for a young driver, it’s ridiculous, so thank you very much for sharing this, great help

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