For many UK drivers, especially those newer to driving, insurance can cost more per year than the car itself. Picking a model that sits in a low insurance group is one of the most effective ways to keep running costs down, alongside the usual factors like your age, location and driving history.
What Makes A Car Cheap To Insure
UK cars are rated into insurance groups from 1 to 50, with lower groups generally meaning cheaper premiums. Insurers set this based on several factors:
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Engine size and power output
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The car’s list price and cost to repair
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How readily available and expensive parts are
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Security features fitted as standard
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Safety features, including automatic emergency braking on newer models
Top 10 Cheapest Cars To Insure In The UK (2026)
Insurance group depends on the exact engine, trim and year of a specific car, so treat these as typical bands rather than a guaranteed group for every version. Prices are typical used asking prices in the UK and vary with age, mileage, condition and trim.
Insurance group 1. Typical used price: £1,500–£4,500. The C1’s tiny 1.0-litre engine and low list price make it one of the most consistently cheap cars to insure in the UK, especially in earlier (2005–2014) generations.
Insurance group 1–2. Typical used price: £4,000–£9,000. A small engine and strong safety rating for its size keep the Up! in the cheapest insurance bands, while feeling more solid to drive than some rivals of the same age.
Insurance group 1–2. Typical used price: £3,500–£8,000. Mechanically related to the Volkswagen Up! and Skoda Citigo, the Mii shares the same low-cost 1.0-litre engines and sits in similarly low insurance groups.
Insurance group 1–2. Typical used price: £3,500–£8,500. The third of the shared-platform city car trio, the Citigo regularly appears on cheapest-to-insure lists thanks to low engine sizes, cheap parts and a strong reliability reputation.
Insurance group 1–3, depending on engine and gearbox. Typical used price: £4,000–£12,000. Entry-level 1.0-litre i10s are a fixture on cheap-insurance lists, and even higher-spec versions remain relatively affordable to cover.
Insurance group 1–2 on entry-level trims. Typical used price: £3,000–£11,000. A low list price, small engine options and Kia’s long factory warranty (which can outlast several owners) all help keep running costs, not just insurance, low.
Insurance group 1–2. Typical used price: £2,500–£9,000. Toyota’s reputation for reliability, combined with the Aygo’s small 1.0-litre engine, makes it a consistent low-insurance, low-maintenance choice on the used market.
Insurance group 2–4 depending on engine. Typical used price: £2,000–£7,000. A larger interior than most rivals of this size, while still qualifying for low insurance groups in its 1.2-litre petrol form.
Insurance group 1–4 depending on trim and engine. Typical used price: £3,000–£9,000. Several UK insurance surveys have named the Sandero the single cheapest car to insure overall, thanks to a combination of a low list price, cheap parts and modest engine options.
Insurance group 2–6 depending on engine. Typical used price: £2,500–£7,000. A slightly larger, more practical alternative to the smallest city cars, while its low-power engines keep it within reach of the cheapest insurance bands.
Honourable mention: Renault Twingo. Insurance group 2–5, typical used price £1,800–£6,000 — less common on UK roads than the models above, but worth considering if you find one, since its small engines put it in a similar bracket.
Other Factors That Affect Your Premium
Insurance group is only part of the picture. Your premium is also shaped by:
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Your age, driving experience and claims history
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Where you live and where the car is kept overnight
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Annual mileage and how the car is used
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Modifications, which can significantly increase premiums or affect cover
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Telematics or “black box” policies, which can lower costs for careful drivers
Checks To Run Before Buying A Cheap-To-Insure Car
A low insurance group doesn’t tell you anything about the individual car’s condition or history. Before buying, it’s still worth checking:
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MOT history for advisories and recurring issues
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Mileage records for consistency with the car’s age
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Outstanding finance, which transfers risk to you as the buyer
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Write-off or stolen markers on the vehicle
Frequently Asked Questions
What Insurance Group Is Considered Cheap?
Groups 1 to 10 are generally considered the cheapest to insure, and this range includes many small-engine superminis and city cars.
Does A Cheap Car To Buy Mean Cheap To Insure?
Not necessarily. Insurance group depends more on engine size, performance and repair costs than the car’s purchase price, so it’s worth checking a car’s specific insurance group rather than assuming.
Can Modifications Affect My Insurance?
Yes, even minor modifications can increase your premium or complicate a claim, and some insurers require modifications to be declared regardless of size.
Should I Still Check A Cheap-To-Insure Car’s History?
Yes. Insurance group only reflects the model, not the individual car, so checking MOT history, mileage and finance status is just as important as it would be for any other used car.
What Is The Cheapest Car To Insure In The UK?
There’s no single fixed answer, since it depends on the exact engine, trim and your own circumstances, but small city cars like the Citroen C1, Volkswagen Up!, Skoda Citigo and Dacia Sandero regularly top UK cheapest-to-insure lists, generally sitting in insurance groups 1 to 4.
What Is The Cheapest Insurance Group?
Group 1 is the cheapest of the UK’s 1–50 insurance group scale. Cars that reach group 1 typically have small, low-power engines, low list prices and cheap, widely available parts — the Citroen C1 and entry-level Volkswagen Up! and Skoda Citigo are common examples.
Are Older Cars Always Cheaper To Insure?
Not necessarily. An older car with a small engine can sit in a lower insurance group than its modern equivalent, but older cars often lack safety features like automatic emergency braking that can qualify newer models for lower groups too, and can carry higher maintenance costs. It’s worth comparing insurance quotes for the specific car rather than assuming age alone makes it cheaper.
Choosing a used car in a low insurance group, particularly a small-engine supermini or city car, is one of the simplest ways to reduce your running costs, especially as a newer driver. But a low premium says nothing about the specific car’s condition, so it’s still worth running a full vehicle history check before you commit to buying.