Top 10: Best Used Cars with Cheap Insurance
07th Jun 2024
By Edward Cook
Cars that are cheap to insure
Buying, running, and maintaining a car can be expensive at times, leaving many searching for money-saving methods amidst the cost of living crisis. However, one of the most important costs related to cars that you can't cut corners on is your insurance premium.
Car insurance is a legal obligation when driving a car, as it covers you and your car from liability in the case of an accident. Without it, you will find yourself in a whole heap of trouble when you get caught by the authorities.
Many expect their bank to be broken when getting insured, but this isn't the case, as there are a wide variety of used cars available with cheap insurance, and we've selected 10 of the best:
- Škoda Citigo
- Fiat 500
- SEAT Ibiza
- Volkswagen Polo
- Toyota Auris
- Renault Captur
- Volkswagen e-up!
- Ford Fiesta
- Hyundai i10
- Dacia Sandero
Škoda Citigo
Lowest insurance group: 1
When you think of an affordable car, city cars are often the ones that come to mind, and the Škoda Citigo is synonymous of everything a city car should be. Charismatic, easy to drive, and cheap to run, it's the perfect car for urban livers and new drivers alike.
There's a straightforward choice between powertrains, as there's only two 1.0-litre options to choose from. You'll get either 59bhp or 74bhp, and both are capable of achieving upwards of 50mpg, resulting in less trips to the pumps to fill up. Depending on the year the car was manufactured, you may also benefit from super cheap road tax, saving you even more money.
As small cars go, the Citigo is one of the most practical and comfortable options available, offering a choice of both 3 and 5-door models, as well as a spacious boot size of 251 litres. There's also the all-electric Škoda Citigo IV if you want something that's emissions-free.
Search Škoda Citigo DealsFiat 500
Lowest insurance group: 9
The perky Fiat 500 has become somewhat of an icon amongst young drivers for its cute appearance and distinctive character, but it's also been saving them money in terms of insurance, too.
With engines starting from just 0.9 litres, it's not the most powerful, but it really doesn't need to be. As the car is so small, it's light and extremely nimble, so it certainly doesn't feel slow. These characteristics make it perfect for urban driving, as it can zip in and out of traffic and squeeze into tight spaces very easily.
The 0.9-litre powertrain can achieve up to 70mpg too, meaning you'll be saving a lot of money on fuel as well as insurance. It's easy to see why the Fiat 500 has made this list.
Search Fiat 500 DealsSEAT Ibiza
Lowest insurance group: 2
The supermini class is one of the most competitive there is, with plenty of excellent options including the Renault Clio, Audi A1, and Vauxhall Corsa, but the SEAT Ibiza is one of the most popular thanks to its inexpensive running costs and good build quality.
Starting from insurance group 2, the Ibiza comes with a variety of equipment as standard, including a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. To benefit from the cheapest insurance premiums, you'll need to look at variants with the 74bhp 1.0-litre powertrain.
This powertrain may not be the most exciting to live with, but it does a job, and it does it well. Fuel economy figures of over 50mpg can be easily achieved, while performance in and around town is more than adequate thanks to nimble handling and an easy to drive nature.
Search SEAT Ibiza DealsVolkswagen Polo
Lowest insurance group: 1
Starting from insurance group 1, car insurance costs won't get much cheaper than what the Volkswagen Polo has to offer. As with all Volkswagen models, the Polo is very well-built and a good all-rounder, making it suitable for everyone from 18-year-olds to small families.
The cheapest Polo variants to run will come with a 1.0-litre powertrain that can easily achieve over 50mpg, while road tax is on par for the supermini class too. However, what sets it apart from its rivals is the interior quality and equipment on offer.
All models come with a touchscreen infotainment system as standard, while other features such as Bluetooth, parking sensors, and hill-hold control make driving that bit easier and more enjoyable.
The Volkswagen Polo may be one of the more expensive superminis to buy, but it's certainly one of the best.
Search Volkswagen Polo DealsToyota Auris
Lowest insurance group: 6
The general rule of thumb is; the bigger the car, the more expensive it is to insure. But this is where the family-friendly Toyota Auris breaks the mould.
Available in both hatchback and estate bodystyles, it's a car that's very practical, with 360 litres of boot space for your children's equipment or luggage for a family weekend away. There are plenty of used examples that come with the likes of sat nav and a touchscreen infotainment system, so you won't feel hard done by in terms of technology either.
There are multiple powertrains available that offer cheap insurance costs, but the most impressive is arguably the 1.8-litre hybrid as it offers an automatic gearbox as standard and fuel economy figures of up to 54mpg to make it one of the most affordable family cars to run.
Search Toyota Auris DealsRenault Captur
Lowest insurance group: 7
Need something big and practical, yet still inexpensive to insure? The Renault Captur may be the perfect solution.
The Captur is an SUV that offers chunky styling and plenty of room, making it ideal for a wide variety of lifestyles. However, its most impressive trait is just how cheap it is to run. The cheapest variants to insure are those with the 1.0-litre powertrain, and they're decent on fuel too, offering almost 50mpg, which is more than what most SUVs have to offer.
Residing as low as insurance group 7, the Captur is one of the cheapest SUVs to insure, but this doesn't mean you lose out on fancy gadgets and technology. In fact, it's quite the opposite, as even the entry-level 'Play' models come with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and adaptive cruise control as standard, as well as a swanky interior that has a very upmarket feel.
Search Renault Captur DealsVolkswagen e-up!
Lowest insurance group: 10
Electric cars have had a huge surge in popularity in recent years, as many search for greener means of motoring. And with such a wide array to choose from, finding the best ones can be quite a challenge. Due to their instantaneous torque, EVs also tend to be more expensive to insure, but not the e-up!
Based on the traditionally powered up! city car, Volkswagen have ensured their all-electric variant possesses the same traits; low running costs, easy to drive, and full of character. Starting from insurance group 10, the e-up! is not only one of the cheapest EVs to run, but it's also one of the cheapest cars to run, especially when you factor in the money you'll save on petrol.
The e-up! offers a range of around 125 miles, which doesn't sound like a lot, but who travels more than 125 miles a day, on a regular basis? When you do need to recharge, it can be done in less than an hour when using a rapid charger.
Search Volkswagen up! DealsFord Fiesta
Lowest insurance group: 2
Thanks to its superb all-round capabilities and unrivalled value for money, the humble Ford Fiesta seems to be one of the best cars for a wide variety of lifestyles and purposes, so it's no surprise to see it feature in this article, too.
As one of the UK's best-selling cars, the Ford Fiesta is a supermini that can do it all, and with its impressive range of powertrains, it's one of the cheapest to run too. The cheapest of those powertrains to insure comes in the form of the non-turbocharged 1.1-litre, but the turbocharged EcoBoost powertrain is also worth considering.
While an award-winning EcoBoost variant is slightly more expensive to insure (starting from group 8), it's more fuel efficient, offers better performance figures, and is more engaging to drive.
With plenty of tech as standard and a comfortable interior, we're fairly certain you'll be happy regardless of which Fiesta variant you choose.
Search Ford Fiesta DealsHyundai i10
Lowest insurance group: 1
Hyundai is well-known for producing cars that are versatile, reliable, and well-built, and these are characteristics that are easy to see in their cheerful i10 city car.
For a start, all i10 models come with five doors as standard, so you're not left trying to squeeze your friends through a small gap behind the front seats like you are with a 3-door setup. It comes with a range of safety kit as standard to keep you safe on the road and is super easy to drive, ideal for young drivers who are getting to grips with driving solo.
Insuring an i10 is friendly on the bank balance, as some models are as low as they can be in group 1. Even if you went for a sportier N Line variant, insurance still isn't overly expensive, as the heavy majority of i10 models are no higher than insurance group 10.
Search Hyundai i10 DealsDacia Sandero
Lowest insurance group: 2
As one of the UK's cheapest cars to buy, the Dacia Sandero has proved a hit amongst many. Despite its lowly price tag, it comes with a range of features to impress and offers a build quality that exceeds most expectations.
The Sandero's powertrains start from a small 0.9-litre petrol unit, but the cheapest to insure is actually the 1.2-litre (Group 2) if you choose a Sandero produced before 2020, or the 1.0-litre (Group 3) if you go for one produced after 2020. Either way, you can expect fuel economy figures of around 45mpg to 50mpg from each.
The latest generation is arguably more impressive, as it comes better equipped as standard and features new styling that's far beyond a cheap car look. However, pre-2020 models are worth considering in their own right, as they're straightforward and very affordable to both buy and run.
Search Dacia Sandero DealsFind a car with cheap insurance
Car insurance is a necessity if you want to drive a car on British roads, but we've proved there are plenty of great used cars available that are cheap to insure, yet great to own.
If you'd like to find out more information on a specific make or model, or would like to try out a car for yourself with a test drive, please contact your nearest Evans Halshaw dealer. Alternatively, our car reviews provide an in-depth look at various models to help you determine whether they're the right car for you.