Best Used Cars in Insurance Group 1
18th Aug 2022
Insurance Group 1 Cars
UK car insurance groups range from 1 to 50, with 1 being the lowest and 50 the highest. You'll often expect to pay a smaller premium for cars which fall into insurance group 1, however, other contributing factors including age, home address and occupation can alter the overall premium you pay.
This article lists 10 cars that fall into insurance group 1, although when referring to a car we're often talking about the model with the smallest engine and usually an entry-level trim. These are our top picks:
- Vauxhall Corsa
- Nissan Micra
- Hyundai i10
- Volkswagen Polo
- Kia Picanto
- Ford KA+
- Fiat Panda
- Skoda Fabia
- smart forfour
- Kia Rio
Although this blog provides a good guide to cars with lower insurance premiums, it's important to do your research and make sure you get accurate quotes using your own details as well as the specific details for the car you wish to insure.
Vauxhall Corsa (Third Generation: 2006 to 2014)
The third generation Vauxhall Corsa is one of the Britain's most popular cars and is a consistent best seller in the used car market for good reason. Not only does it make a fantastic first car or a great young driver's car due to its compact size and affordable running costs, insurance also happens to start from group 1.
Achieving a full five stars with Euro NCAP, the Corsa is a safe car and is available as either a sporty looking 3-door or a more practical and family-focussed 5-door.
You'll need to look out for a 3-door model, either the Expression or ecoFLEX Expression, with a 1.0-litre 12V petrol engine to take advantage of insurance group 1. The ecoFlex version has the added bonus of cheap road tax at just £30 per year.
Nissan Micra (Fifth Generation: 2017 to Present)
Unlike the Corsa, the Nissan Micra allows you to get the latest generation so drivers can appreciate the lower cost insurance premium in group 1, whilst enjoying driving a modern car.
Looks-wise, the Micra has become far more desirable than its predecessors. Along with its reputation for being a dependable, reliable and practical supermini; it now looks pretty smart, too.
You get plenty of choice when it comes to finding a model that falls under insurance group 1. Visia, Visia+, Acenta and Acenta Limited Edition are the trims you can choose from that are in the lowest insurance group.
Although you get plenty of options in terms of trims, you'll be limited to the 1.0-litre 70bhp petrol engine, which is a highly efficient 3-cylinder unit.
Hyundai i10 (Second Generation: 2014 to 2019)
The smallest car in Hyundai's range, the i10, may be a city car, but it actually boasts a spacious interior making it feel larger than it is.
If you go for the 1.0-litre petrol engine and either the S Air, S, SE or Premium trim; the small hatchback will fall under insurance group 1. Add in the low cost road tax of £20 per year and you're buying an affordable car with inexpensive running costs.
Despite being a city car, the i10 comes with five doors as standard and a boot capacity of 252 litres, which is pretty decent for a car of this size. Meanwhile, the small proportions make the i10 perfect for city life and ensure it's easy to manoeuvre when parking in tight urban spaces.
Volkswagen Polo (Sixth Generation: 2017 to Present)
Volkswagen don't actually limit drivers to a single car from their range that slots into insurance group 1. Whilst you can go for the super popular Polo hatchback, you can also go for the smaller up! or the model it replaced, the Fox, to take advantage of the low insurance group.
Both the Fox and up! are aimed at young drivers wanting value for money.
Getting back to the Polo, there's plenty of choice when it comes to trims. Choose from S, SE, Beats, SE Tech Edition, Match, Active or United. You'll need to find a 1.0-litre petrol version but you can choose between a 64bhp, 74bhp or 79bhp version. Due to its premium badge, you can expect a more sophisticated and higher-quality interior compared to some of the Polo's rivals.
Kia Picanto (Third Generation: 2017 to Present)
Another city car that falls under insurance group 1 is the Kia Picanto. Although it's small, the Picanto comes with five doors as standard; making the rear seats easily accessible.
You'll be looking at the 4-seater version if you're wanting to pay an insurance group 1 premium, but if you go for the X-Line or X-Line S trim you get a slightly wider and taller model with five seats.
Look out for the 66bhp 1.0-litre petrol, with an automatic gearbox, and you'll need to choose specification 2 if you're wanting the lowest group for insurance.
There are plenty of eye-catching colour available with the Picanto, making them stylish cars. Plus, the interior is classy and feels more premium than you would expect for a vehicle with this price tag.
Ford KA+ (2016-2019)
Slightly shorter but considerably taller than the Ford Fiesta, the Ford KA+ is a 5-door hatchback, which offers a generous amount of space for up to five people.
Replacing the original Ka, the KA+ was actually discontinued in 2019, however, there are still plenty of examples of both models in the used car market.
Only one version of the KA+ is available in insurance group 1, which is the 69bhp 1.2-litre petrol in Studio specification.
As well as being an affordable used car purchase, the KA+ is inexpensive to run, enjoyable to drive, and it's pretty spacious for such a compact car.
Fiat Panda (2004 to 2011)
If you're not bothered about owning the latest, modern car but want something with plenty of character; the Fiat Panda may be the perfect choice for you.
Standing out as something different from your typical city car or small hatchback, the Panda is a comfortable, durable and fun car to drive. Plus, if you go for the 1.1-litre petrol in Active trim or 1.2-litre petrol in Dynamic specification; you'll have a motor that sits proudly within insurance group 1.
Due to its age, you'll be able to pick up second-generation Panda for pretty cheap as they usually fetch under £3,000.
Granted, this is a fairly dated car now. However, you can pick up a newer Panda for an affordable price and still expect it to be in a low insurance group.
Skoda Fabia Hatchback (Third Generation: 2015 to Present)
Sharing similarities with the VW Polo, the Skoda Fabia is a splendid option for the more cost-conscious buyer. Spaciousness is where the Fabia really excels, ensuring there's plenty of head and legroom to satisfy tall passengers.
Receiving a mid-life facelift in 2018, the Fabia was comprehensively modernised; gaining a newly designed instrument cluster and a more distinctive exterior design profile.
Options are plentiful when it comes to trims available in insurance group 1. You can choose from S, SE, SE Drive and Colour Edition. The SE, SE Drive and Colour Edition will need to be selected with the 59bhp 1.0-litre MPI petrol engine, whilst you'll need to pick the 73bhp 1.0-litre MPI petrol engine with the S model.
smart forfour (Second Generation: 2015 to 2019)
As the name suggests, the smart forfour is a 4-seater city car that is remarkably easy to manoeuvre thanks to its super compact proportions.
Owned by Mercedes-Benz, expect high-quality materials and a premium-feel even in the entry-level specification of the smart forfour. Although, you still get to take advantage of low running costs and of course insurance group 1.
To appreciate the lowest insurance group you'll need to go for the entry-level pure model, which was introduced in 2017. This version comes with a 1.0-litre petrol engine with a total power output of 70bhp and a combined fuel economy of 67.3mpg.
Despite being the base model, pure features 15-inch alloy wheels, electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors as well as a height-adjustable steering wheel and driver's seat.
Kia Rio (Third Generation: 2011 to 2016)
Another contender from Kia, that happens to find a position within insurance group 1, is the Kia Rio.
The real point that makes this car stand out is that you can actually get a diesel-powered car in the lowest insurance group. Your only option with the Rio is the 1.1-litre CRDi diesel engine and the 1 Air specification.
Due to being a diesel, you can expect a higher fuel economy than some of the previous cars mentioned, with around 78mpg being achievable.
Another plus, the road tax is actually free. That's right - free. You'll still need to tax the vehicle each year, but the fee will be £0.
Find your perfect car in insurance group 1 at Evans Halshaw
These are just 10 of the best used cars you can find in our collection that fall into insurance group 1 and are therefore likely to demand a smaller annual premium compared to cars in group 50.
Other cars that consist of models in group 1 are the SEAT Mii, Skoda Citigo and the Citroën C1. There are also plenty of cars that sit in low insurance group and are cheap to buy, we have an article that lists 10 of the best used cars you can buy for under £5,000 that will fall into a low insurance category.
Browse our extensive used car collection or take a look at some of our other blogs, if you're still in need of some inspiration to find your perfect car.
