What are UK car insurance groups and which cars are the cheapest to insure?

If you're new to the UK and trying to understand why some cars are so much more expensive to insure than others - you're not alone. A big part of it comes down to car insurance groups.

All UK insurers use these groups to help work out the cost of your car insurance policy. So if you're a cost-conscious driver, especially someone new to UK roads, knowing about car insurance groups could help you save a lot.

But how exactly do they work? And what’s the cheapest car insurance group? Let’s break it down.

How do car insurance groups work?

All cars in the UK are placed into a group from 1 to 50:

• Group 1 = the cheapest to insure
• Group 50 = the most expensive

The group your car falls into is based on things like:

• How much it would cost to repair
• How easily parts can be found
• How secure it is against theft
• How safe it is to drive
• How powerful or fast it is

Generally, smaller, slower, and cheaper-to-fix cars fall into lower insurance groups.

What are the cheapest car insurance groups?

The most popular and affordable cars tend to fall into groups 1-20.

Some car makes can belong to multiple groups. But, the cost of insurance will depend on the specific model you choose. That's because things like engine size differ between models.

Car insurance groups 1–5: The cheapest to insure

Cars in these groups are popular with first-time drivers, students, or newcomers to the UK, like you. They're usually small, more affordable, and easier to repair.

Example models:

• Groups 1–2: Fiat Panda, Skoda Fabia Hatchback, Ford Ka, Toyota Aygo, Vauxhall Corsa Hatchback 1.2
• Groups 3–4: Renault Clio, Seat Ibiza, Toyota Yaris, Skoda Fabia, Citroen C1
• Group 5: Dacia Sandero, Ford Ka Plus, Kia Picanto, Nissan Micra

Already got your eye on a particular make? Read up more on Ford insurance groups, Toyota insurance groups and Vauxhall insurance groups. 

Car insurance groups 6–10: Still affordable

These cars are a step up in size or performance, but still cheaper than average to insure.

Example models:

• Groups 6–7: Kia Rio, Peugeot 207, Nissan Micra, Citroen C1, Renault Captur, Hyundai i20
• Groups 8–9: Fiat 500 Pop Star, Mini Countryman, Toyota Corolla
• Group 10: Hyundai i20, Skoda Fabia, Smart ForFour

Looking at a Fiesta or Captur? See our breakdown of the Ford insurance groups and Renault insurance groups.

Car insurance groups 11–15: Balanced between cost and performance

A bit more expensive. But these can still be great options if you want something a little bigger, safer or more powerful. You’ll probably get more legroom and boot space.

Example models:

• Groups 11–12: BMW 2 Series, Mini Hatchback, Nissan Qashqai, Mazda 2, Peugeot 308
• Group 13: Mazda 2 Hybrid, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Beetle
• Groups 14–15: Audi A3, Skoda Octavia, Ford Focus

Want to know more? Check out our guides to the BMW insurance groups, Audi insurance groups, and Vauxhall insurance groups.

Car insurance groups 16–20: A little more to insure

Cars in these groups are often family-sized, a bit faster, and more expensive to fix - so the cost to insure them is higher.

Cars in groups 16-20 can still be affordable to cover if you’ve been driving for several years and have a proven claim-free driving history (sometimes called a no claims discount). At Marshmallow, we take into account your claim-free history from any country.

Example models:

• Groups 16–17: Audi A1, BMW 1 Series, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Volvo V40
• Groups 18–19: Citroen C4 Picasso, Jeep Wrangler, BMW 1-Series Hatchback
• Group 20: Audi A3 Sportback, Ford Mondeo, Land Rover Freelander 2

Ready to take on one of these? Read more on Audi insurance groups, Mercedes insurance groups, Ford insurance groups.

Electric car insurance groups

Just like petrol and diesel cars, electric vehicles fall into the 50 groups based on their cost, power and repair costs.

Example models:

• Cheaper to insure (Groups 1–15): Smart EQ ForFour, Volkswagen e-Up, SEAT Mii Electric, Fiat 500 Electric
• Mid-range: Kia e-Niro SUV, Hyundai Kona Electric
• Expensive to insure (Groups 45+): Mercedes-Benz EQA, Tesla Model 3, BMW i5 Saloon

How can I check my car’s insurance group?

You can usually check your car’s insurance group online using your car’s make, model, engine size and year.

 But keep in mind that the same car model can belong to multiple groups, depending on its exact version. For example:

• A basic Ford Fiesta 1.1L might be in group 5
• A sportier Fiesta ST-Line 1.5L could sit in group 15 or higher

It’s important to check your car insurance group before buying a car. Why? Well, it’s very easy to commit to buying a car before finding out how much it will cost to insure. If your potential car is in a higher group, you may need to rethink your purchase.

What’s the average cost of car insurance in the UK?

As of early 2025, the average annual cost of car insurance was £777, according to the Confused.com price index.

But insurance groups are just one piece of the puzzle. Your price also depends on:

• Where you live
• How long you’ve been driving
• Any past claims or convictions
• The level of cover you choose

And more! Find out more about why car insurance in the UK can be expensive – and how you can make it cheaper.

At Marshmallow, we recognise driving history from any country — not just the UK. So if you're new here, we won’t charge you more just because you’re still getting used to UK roads.

Want to save on car insurance as a new UK driver?

If you’ve moved to the UK recently and want to save money on your car insurance, we’re here to help.

Get a quote with Marshmallow today and see how much you could save.

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Explore car insurance groups by brand

• Ford insurance groups explained
• Toyota insurance groups explained
• Vauxhall insurance groups explained
• BMW insurance groups explained
• Honda insurance groups explained

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