While expensive petrol and diesel costs are experienced regularly, often the soaring cost of insurance premiums is a pain we only endure once a year.
It’s not just younger, inexperienced drivers who are feeling the financial pinch, either. New EU rules mean that female drivers no longer receive discounts based on their gender, with rates for women expected to rise 25% during 2013.
Now more than ever, new car buyers are taking into greater account the insurance group for their latest purchases, but recently the Association of British Insurances replaced its old 20 insurance group rating with a new 50 group scale. The result is that fewer cars than ever before are now in the lowest bands.
We’ve taken the hassle out of finding them by doing your homework for you and identified the seven cars which are in insurance groups 1 and 2.
It might not be the cheapest new car you can buy but it’s the least expensive of the insurance group 1 trio. Pert, modern looks with a sporty grille and headlamps up front make the Mii distinctive but remember you don’t get much equipment for your money on this entry-level model with air conditioning and even wheel trims costing extra. If purchase price is not a factor the choice of the Mii or its siblings is down to styling.
Vital Statistics:
Price new – £7,925
Insurance group – 1
CO2 emissions – 105g/km
Claimed MPG – 62
Power – 59bhp
Skoda’s Citigo is a sister car to the Mii, sharing the Seat’s engine, interior and much of the exterior bodywork. Its lights and grille are more conservative and traditional in style but the standard equipment list remains rather empty. That said, you get a durable, reliable and comfortable city car that rides and handles like one several sizes larger. Remember, like its Seat and Volkswagen versions, the Citigo is a strict four-seater.
Vital Statistics
Price new – £7,990
Insurance group – 1
CO2 emissions – 105g/km
Claimed MPG – 62
Power – 59bhp
Third and arguably most desirable of this city car threesome is Volkswagen’s handsome Up. Silly name aside, the Up is chic with a grille-less nose, glassy rear tailgate and unique body panels on the three-door. Mechanically it’s identical too, meaning robustness and refinement are inbuilt. Performance might be pedestrian but a claimed 62.8mpg average fuel consumption helps soften the blow.
Vital Statistics
Price new – £8,185
Insurance group – 1
CO2 emissions – 105g/km
Claimed MPG – 62.8
Power – 59bhp
4. Dacia Sandero Access 1.2 16V 5dr
Not only is Dacia’s Sandero the cheapest new car in Britain but you get a considerable amount of metal for very little outlay, with £6,000 buying you a Fiesta-sized supermini. Proven Renault mechanicals should help reassure the minds of buyers new to the brand but be prepared for a bare, plasticky yet durable interior. The 1.2 petrol isn’t the most fuel efficient engine in the range at 47.9mpg but at this price you can’t complain too much.
Vital Statistics
Price new – £5,995
Insurance group – 2
CO2 emissions – 137g/km
Claimed MPG – 48
Power – 75bhp
Smaller van-based cars like Fiat’s Qubo have got off to a slow start in Britain, with buyers preferring larger offerings like the Doblo or sticking with conventional superminis. But doing so means you miss out on a very practical, spacious and nippy five seater with an easily cleaned rubber-matted interior and sliding rear doors. It’s not especially cheap to buy, though, and brick-like aerodynamics hurt fuel consumption at 42.8mpg.
Vital Statistics
Price new – £11,490
Insurance group – 2
CO2 emissions – 152g/km
Claimed MPG – 42
Power – 73bhp
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Against newer competition the Toyota Aygo is now feeling its age but it still represents a value for money package. Unlike its Citroen and Peugeot siblings it falls into insurance group 2, while its 99g/km CO2 emission figure makes it the only car here to benefit from free road tax. Cheeky looks, decent equipment levels and a sprightly engine add to the Aygo’s appeal but don’t expect Toyota’s famed build quality.
Vital Statistics
Price new – £8,535
Insurance group – 2
CO2 emissions – 99g/km
Claimed MPG – 65
Power – 67bhp
7. Vauxhall Corsa Expression 1.0i 12V ecoFLEX 3d
In the face of newer competition Vauxhall’s Corsa is often overlooked, but unlike its mainstream rivals, this supermini is in insurance group 2. The entry level Expression model is sparsely equipped while the three-cylinder 1.0-litre ecoFLEX engine struggles to haul the Corsa around quickly but a 55.4mpg average soothes the blow. Corsa’s spacious interior is a bonus and it’s not bad looking either.
Vital Statistics
Price new – £9,495
Insurance group – 2
CO2 emissions – 120g/km
Claimed MPG – 55
Power – 64bhp
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