Cassie Sheets has a background in home and garden and real estate content. At Insurify, she translates industry jargon into insights that empower insurance buyers.
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
Mark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
Why you can trust Insurify: Insurify’s expert insurance writers and editors operate independently of our insurance partners. As an independent agent and insurance comparison website, we make money through commissions from insurers. But that does not influence any editorial content, including reviews. Learn more.
Looking for a new car? Don’t forget to take your future car insurance premium into account. Car insurance rates vary widely, and picking a specific model could save you hundreds of dollars on car insurance every month.
For example, the cheapest car to insure, the Subaru Forester, costs an average of $268 less monthly than the more expensive vehicle, the Chevrolet Camaro.
This article is your guide to how your vehicle type affects your insurance rate, based on Insurify’s database of more than 4.6 million insurance applications.
Find Cheap Car Insurance for Any Make and Model
Compare policies and see discounts for your vehicle's safety features
Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
Based on 3,806+ reviews
4.8/5
The top 10 cheapest cars to insure
Insurance companies look at safety features, the value of your vehicle, average repair costs, and more when pricing your car insurance premium. As a result, some vehicles are less expensive to insure than others. If you want to save on your monthly insurance costs, consider buying one of these 10 models the next time you’re in the market for a new vehicle.
Vehicle
Average Monthly Quote
MSRP
Subaru Forester
$250
$26,395
Subaru Outback
$256
$28,395
Honda CR-V
$265
$28,410
Hyundai Santa Fe
$280
$28,750
Subaru Crosstrek
$286
$23,645
Kia Telluride
$296
$35,890
Hyundai Tucson
$298
$26,900
Chevrolet Trailblazer
$299
$22,100
Toyota Highlander
$299
$36,620
Kia Seltos
$302
$23,340
Cheapest car brands to insure
Insurance companies favor car manufacturers that produce reliable vehicles with modern safety and anti-theft features. These 15 car brands have the most affordable car insurance rates.
Company
Average Monthly Premium
Subaru
$292
Buick
$315
RAM
$324
GMC
$328
Jeep
$335
Hyundai
$338
Ford
$343
Honda
$349
Chevrolet
$358
Mazda
$358
Volkswagen
$360
Toyota
$362
Kia
$362
Nissan
$369
Acura
$376
Why the car you drive affects your car insurance rates
Insurance companies consider multiple factors when formulating your quote, but they typically offer lower rates on cars with advanced safety features like collision-warning systems, lane-departure warnings, anti-lock brakes, adaptive cruise control, and rearview cameras. These features reduce your risk of accidents and injuries, making you less likely to file a claim.
Insurance companies also rely on historical data, examining the accident rates and claims history associated with certain car models. Insurers typically view high-performance vehicles and sports cars as a greater risk and charge accordingly. New cars have higher rates since the price of repairing or replacing a new vehicle is greater.
Luxury cars and vehicles with specialized parts also have high repair costs, and insurance companies consider those costs when determining applicable premiums. Car models with high theft rates can also have higher premiums, but anti-theft features often reduce the price of insurance.
If your car model has a high value, lacks safety features, or gets into more accidents than average, insurance companies might charge more for your premium. The theft risk also factors into insurance rates, which explains the Kia Rio’s spot in the top-10 most expensive cars to insure. Kia was targeted in a 2022 viral TikTok challenge encouraging viewers to steal the vehicle, prompting some insurers to stop writing new policies for certain Kia models in some states.[1]
Vehicle
Average Monthly Quote
MSRP
Chevrolet Camaro
$518
$26,400
Dodge Charger
$505
$34,240
Dodge Challenger
$501
$31,965
Tesla Model 3
$446
$40,240
Kia Rio
$431
$16,750
Toyota Camry
$410
$26,320
Nissan Sentra
$405
$20,050
Kia K5
$405
$25,290
Nissan Altima
$401
$25,490
Mazda 3
$395
$22,550
Find Cheap Car Insurance for Any Make and Model
Secure. Free. Easy-to-use.
Based on 3,806+ reviews
4.8/5
What other factors affect car insurance rates?
While the type of vehicle you drive plays a large role in how much you pay for car insurance, it’s not the only thing insurance companies consider. Here are some other factors influencing your car insurance rates:
Driving record
The better your driving record is, the less you’ll pay for auto insurance. A history of accidents, traffic violations, speeding tickets, or DUIs, this will cause your rates to be higher than average.
Usage
The more time you spend on the road, the more at risk you are of being in an auto accident. So drivers who log high mileage will pay more for car insurance, while low-mileage drivers may qualify for a discount on their premium.
Location
The area you live in can also affect your insurance premiums. For example, you can expect to pay more if you live in an urban area with more frequent and serious accidents, or higher vehicle theft and vandalism rates.
Age
Age plays a significant factor in how much you pay for auto insurance in most states. Older, more experienced drivers will pay less for insurance. Teen drivers will typically be the most expensive age group to insure because of their relative inexperience behind the wheel and higher accident rates.
Gender
Statistically, women get in fewer accidents and receive fewer DUIs than men. When women do get into accidents, they tend to be less serious than accidents involving men. So women usually pay less for car insurance than men when all other rating factors are equal.
Credit
When you apply for auto insurance, the insurance company will look at your credit history to create a credit-based insurance score. If you have a history of poor credit, this can raise your insurance premiums, depending on your state. Some states prohibit the use of credit as a rating factor.
Coverage level
The amount of coverage you choose and the deductibles you set also affect your insurance rates. Higher coverage levels and lower deductibles typically result in higher insurance costs.[2]
5 ways to lower your car insurance costs
Insurers look at numerous factors — including your ZIP code, age, driving history, credit history, type of vehicle, and additional features in your car — when determining your car insurance premium. While you can’t change your age or undo past accidents, you have ways to lower your auto insurance:
Increase your full-coverage deductible. Your deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your collision and comprehensive insurance covers aclaim. Setting a higher deductible will usually lower your monthly premium because you’re taking on more of the up-front costs. However, it’s important you never set adeductible higher than you can affordshould you need to file a claim.
Choose a car with advanced safety and anti-theft features. Many of the cheapest car models to insure come equipped with these features, which signals a lower risk of accidents or theft to insurance companies. Keep in mind your car choice could affect your rates the next time you buy or lease a vehicle.
Take a safe driving course. Some companies offer a discount on car insurance if you complete a defensive driving course through your insurer or an approved third party. You can also contact your insurance company to find out what’s available to you. Typically, you'll need to have a clean driving record for at least three years to qualify for a safe driving course discount.
Join a usage-based insurance (UBI) program. Your insurance company may have an optional UBI telematics program that tracks driving behaviors — including hard braking, speeding, fast turns, and phone usage — through your car’s diagnostic system and your phone. Programs like DriveEasy by GEICO and Drivewise by Allstate reward a clean driving record, fewer accidents, and safe habits with lower rates.
Shop around for a better rate. Regularly comparing quotes from several insurance companiesensures you’re not overpaying for car insurance. However, it’s important to do your research and ensure a less expensive policy has the coverage you need before you make a switch.
If you still have questions regarding the cheapest cars to insure, the following information can help. Read on to find your solutions and remember, you can always contact your insurer with any follow-up questions.
Are newer or older cars cheaper to insure?
In general, newer cars tend to be more expensive to insure than older cars because they’re worth more and cost more to repair or replace. But if older cars lack certain safety features, you could pay more for insurance.
Which car is the cheapest to insure?
The Subaru Forester, an all-wheel drive compact SUV, is the cheapest car to insure in 2023. The Forester features the kind of cutting-edge safety features like EyeSight Driver Assist Technology that acts as an extra pair of eyes and can automatically brake to prevent accidents. Automatic emergency steering also helps Forester drivers avoid collisions. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a nonprofit organization that ranks vehicle safety, also named the Subaru Forester a 2023 Top Safety Pick.[3] Cars with high safety ratings tend to come with lower average insurance rates.
Is it cheaper to insure an SUV or a car?
Sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, tend to be cheaper to insure. These spacious vehicles often come equipped with robust safety features and are popular family cars. On average, it costs $225 per month to insure an SUV, according to Insurify’s 2023 data. Pickup trucks aren’t far behind, with an average price of $226 monthly.
Sedans cost an average of $271 per month to insure — about 20% more than SUVs. Predictably, sports and luxury vehicles have the most expensive car insurance premiums, with an average monthly cost of $305.
Are less expensive cars cheaper to insure?
The most inexpensive cars to insure aren’t necessarily the cheapest cars you can buy. Insurance companies consider the value of your car and what it would cost to repair or replace it, but it’s not the only factor that determines your premium. The average MSRP for the 10 cheapest cars to insure is $28,045 — a higher price than the $26,930 average MSRP for the 10 most expensive cars to insure.
The Tesla Model 3’s $40,240 base price plays a role in the model’s high insurance rates, but when it comes to the $16,750 Kia Rio, insurers were probably more concerned about poor anti-theft features.
What’s the cheapest car color to insure?
Most new drivers are steered away from flashy red cars with a warning that brightly colored vehicles have higher car insurance rates. Fortunately, for those who prefer a bolder ride, car color doesn’t influence the average cost of insurance premiums.
The myth that red cars cost more to insure persists, but many insurance agencies don’t even ask for the color of your vehicle when you apply for insurance. Insurify put this misconception to bed by polling insurance shoppers about the color of the primary car on their policy and found no correlation between car color and insurance rates. Owning a red car doesn’t automatically mean you can’t find cheap car insurance.
Cassie Sheets has more than nine years of experience creating compelling content for clients, brands, and local news sites. She started her career at Movoto Real Estate, where she transformed dry data into interesting insights for potential homebuyers. She’s since covered a wide range of topics, from pop culture news to home and garden trends.
Before joining Insurify, Cassie wrote engaging landing pages and blog posts for medical practices at MyAdvice. Now, she uses her knack for diving into the latest data and pulling out key details to empower insurance buyers.
Cassie holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago. In her free time, you can find her exploring the city with her dog, trying not to fall over in yoga classes, and petting cats at the shelter.
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
Mark FriedlanderDirector, Corporate Communications
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
