What cars have the lowest car insurance rates?

When you’re out shopping for a new car, it pays to pay attention to the details a dealer may not tell you. Which make and model of vehicle you purchase has a huge impact on the money you have to pay to insure it.

While every vehicle model is different, there are a few broad categories you can consider when it comes to insuring your future vehicle. If you want to keep your insurance as low as possible, keep these in mind.

We can help you find lower car insurance rates for whichever car you drive. Just enter your ZIP code in our comparison tool for FREE car insurance quotes from multiple car insurance companies.

Research Theft Rates

Some cars are stolen more often than others. While this data changes from year to year, there are a few makes and models that show up every year in the top ten or twenty most stolen vehicles across the nation.

The following list includes 2011’s most stolen cars. Because of the high theft rate, these cars cost more to insure. Avoid them if you want a lower premium:

• Honda Accord
• Toyota Camry, Corolla, and Pickups
• Ford F-150
• Acura Integra
• Cadillac Escalade
• Chevrolet Corvette convertibles

Meanwhile, the Buick LeSabre, The Volvo V70 station wagon, and the Mercury Grand Marquis — all older vehicles — have low theft rates and make good purchases.

Read more: Compare Station Wagon Insurance Rates

Free Car Insurance Comparison

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Be Aware of Injury Claims

Some of the most expensive insurance claims come from personal injury suits. Some of the most expensive personal injury claims come from accidents involving Kia Rios, Mitsubishi Mirages, Chevrolet Silverados and Kia Spectras. Avoid these cars to avoid high premiums.

On the other end of the spectrum, some of the safest and least expensive cars to insure against personal injury are the Subaru Impreza, the Acura RSX, and the Ford Excursion. These vehicles are all cheap to insure. If safety is a top priority, check out this list of the 10 safest cars in America.

Read more: Compare Subaru Car Insurance Rates

The General Guidelines

• Sedans are cheaper
• Older vehicles are cheaper
• Safety-equipped vehicles have lower premiums
• Cars with alarms are cheaper

Each of these general guidelines helps to lower the cost of your vehicle insurance.

Sedans are cheaper to insure than trucks and SUVs. They tend to be driven less and have a smaller chance of being in a collision. They’re also smaller and lighter in comparison, which means they’ll do less damage in an accident and require less money to repair.

Often they’re cheaper than SUVs and trucks, which means the cost to replace a totaled vehicle is much lower.

Additionally, two-door sedans are more expensive than their four-door cousins. Four-door vehicles tend to be more designed with safety in mind, due to the frequent presence of family in the back seat. They’re also driven by more cautious people who are less prone to joyriding. All of these factors affect insurance premiums.

Older vehicles are almost always cheaper to insure than brand new models. Because they’re older, the purchase price is lower, and thus the cost to replace it is lower for insurance. Vehicles that are too old to replace easily suffer higher insurance costs but tend to be show cars or are taken care of and not driven recklessly.

It should be obvious why a safe vehicle is cheaper to insure than the same vehicle without safety measures. The lower the chance of injury while driving, the lower insurance premiums work out to be. Safety features that may cost more to purchase for a new vehicle but lower insurance premiums over time include anti-lock brakes and air bags.

The one thing to watch out for is whether or not an older vehicle has had certain safety measures recalled in the past. It’s also worth it to make sure the vehicle safety measures are functional, which a professional mechanic can do for you.

Anti-theft measures always reduce the cost of insuring your vehicle. The reasoning is simple. If the vehicle is equipped with an alarm, it’s less likely to be stolen.

Most thieves will avoid vehicles that could get them caught.

Likewise, if a car is equipped with a GPS tracking unit, the chances of recovering it increase drastically. This means the insurance company won’t have to pay to replace it, which means lower insurance premiums.

Typical Usage

The more a car is used, the more likely it is to be in a collision, and the more it will cost to insure. If your commute to work is over 15 miles, you may see a rise in insurance costs. Many other factors can affect your insurance as well, including collision history for both yourself and your vehicle.

Most of these factors are not changed by your vehicle. Age, better driving habits, and less usage will all decrease premiums.

Free Car Insurance Comparison

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Cars With the Lowest Insurance Rates

Some of the best cars to insure are listed below. Some of them don’t fit every rule above, which only proves that they excel in another category. The specific models may change, but often the new year’s version of the vehicle will take the place of the older one on this list:

• Chevrolet Impala
• Honda CR-V
• Subaru Outback
• Lincoln Towncar
• Suzuki Forenza
• Honda Accord
• Jeep Wrangler
• Volkswagen Passat
• Chrysler Town and Country
• Saturn VUE
• Hyundai Sante Fe

Read more:

• Compare Chevrolet Cruze Car Insurance Rates
• Compare Honda Car Insurance Rates
• Compare Jeep Car Insurance Rates
• Compare Suzuki Car Insurance Rates
• Compare Volkswagen Car Insurance Rates

One thing to be aware of is that not every car fits in both the cheap to insure and cheap to purchase category. Many of the newest vehicles that are cheap to insure tend to be more expensive to buy than other vehicles. You’ll have to balance a number of factors when you’re looking to buy your new vehicle.

Read more: The Top 97 Most Reliable Vehicles (Updated)

Some things to keep in balance include your purpose for owning the vehicle, the cost of a newer versus an older model, and the safety features and extra accessories the vehicle comes with.

The key to buying a new vehicle that’s cheap to insure is finding the right balance among all of these factors.

You don’t want to spend very little on a vehicle that’s more expensive to insure because you may pay more in the long run. Do your research, and you can find the right vehicle for you. No matter what kind of car you own, we can help reduce your car insurance costs.

Read more: How much does car insurance cost for a Honda CR-V?

Enter your ZIP code below to get started!

Case Studies: What Cars Have the Lowest Car Insurance Rates?

Case Study 1: Honda CR-V

Samantha was in the market for a new car and wanted to find one with affordable insurance rates. After doing her research, she discovered that the Honda CR-V had one of the lowest insurance rates among similar vehicles. She decided to purchase the Honda CR-V and was pleased with the savings she gained on her car insurance premium.

Case Study 2: Jeep Wrangler

Mike was an adventurous person and loved going on off-road trips. When he was looking for a new car, he wanted something that could handle his outdoor lifestyle. After comparing insurance rates, he found that the Jeep Wrangler had relatively low insurance premiums. He purchased the Jeep Wrangler and enjoyed both the vehicle and the affordable insurance coverage.

Case Study 3: Subaru Outback

Lisa needed a reliable and safe car for her family. She researched vehicles that were known for their safety features and lower insurance rates. The Subaru Outback stood out as a top choice. With its excellent safety ratings and reasonable insurance premiums, Lisa felt confident in her decision to buy the Subaru Outback for her family’s needs.

Free Car Insurance Comparison

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption