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Insurance is usually the largest single cost in a new driver's first year on the road, and the car itself is one of the few parts of that calculation you can control before you buy. Small petrol hatchbacks and city cars with modest engines tend to sit in the lowest insurance groups, which is why the same handful of models appear on most first-car shortlists. This guide explains how insurance groups are set, which cars available through Eden Motor Group typically sit at the cheaper end of the scale, and what else affects the price of a first policy.
Every car sold in the UK is placed in an insurance group by the Group Rating Panel, which is run by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers. Cars registered before August 2024 sit on the familiar 1–50 scale, where group 1 is the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. Newer vehicles increasingly use the Vehicle Risk Rating system, a 1–99 scale that scores damageability, repair cost, performance, safety and security separately rather than combining them into one number.
The panel looks at how much a car costs to repair after a typical low-speed shunt, how long that repair takes, the price and availability of parts, engine power, and the standard of security and safety equipment fitted. A car with cheap, widely stocked panels and a small engine will almost always be rated lower than a similar-sized car with specialist parts.
Groups are reviewed regularly, and different engines and trim levels of the same model can sit several groups apart. It is worth checking the group of the exact vehicle you are considering rather than the model range as a whole.
For drivers in their late teens and early twenties, the difference between a low group and a mid group car can be significant, because insurers apply the risk of an inexperienced driver on top of the car's rating. A few characteristics consistently keep premiums down:
Performance versions catch people out most often. A standard supermini may sit in the low single-digit groups while the sporting variant of the same car sits in the twenties or higher, so the badge on the boot matters as much as the shape of the car.
The models below are all sold through the Eden network, either new or as used vehicles. Availability changes regularly across our dealerships, and insurance groups vary by engine, trim and model year, so treat these as a starting point for your search rather than a fixed list.
The i10 is one of the most consistently recommended first cars in the UK on insurance grounds alone. The range spans roughly groups 1 to 12, with the entry 1.0-litre petrol sitting at the very bottom of the scale and larger-engined or higher-trim versions climbing from there. It is a genuine five-seat city car with more interior space than its footprint suggests, and its light steering and small dimensions make it easy to place on narrow roads and in tight parking spaces.
The Corsa is the default first car for a large number of UK drivers, partly because there are so many of them on the used market. Insurance groups across the range typically run from around group 3 for basic 1.0 and 1.2-litre petrol models up to the mid teens for turbocharged and higher-specification versions. Its size makes it manageable in town, parts are widely available, and the sheer volume of used stock means there is usually a version to suit most budgets.
The i20 is the step up from the i10 and suits new drivers who want a larger boot and more rear passenger space. Insurance groups sit higher than the i10, with many petrol trims landing around group 10 and better-equipped versions rated higher again. It is worth comparing a well-specified i10 against a basic i20 on both purchase price and insurance group before deciding, as the two ranges overlap more than the model numbering suggests.
The MG3 is a supermini that has long been positioned on value, with a good level of standard equipment for the money. Earlier petrol models were rated in the lower insurance groups, while the current hybrid version sits higher because of the additional powertrain components. If insurance is the deciding factor, check the group rating of the specific generation and engine you are looking at, as the difference between them is considerable.
The Mazda2 is a supermini that tends to be rated a little above the cheapest city cars, commonly around groups 11 to 13 depending on version, with the hybrid model rated separately. It appeals to new drivers who want something more refined to drive than the lowest-group options and are prepared to pay slightly more to insure it. As a second-year car, once some no-claims discount has built up, it becomes a more comfortable proposition.
The 208 is the most style-led option here and generally sits in the middle of the scale, with most versions rated from around group 10 upwards depending on engine and trim. Entry-level petrol models are the ones to look at if premiums are the priority. Higher-output and electric versions move up the scale, so the specification you choose has a large bearing on the quote you receive.
Electric cars are usually rated several insurance groups above the petrol equivalent of a similar size. The reasons are practical rather than punitive: battery packs are expensive and can lead to a car being written off after a moderate impact, the network of approved repairers is smaller, and repairs can take longer. Against that, running costs are typically lower, particularly for drivers who can charge at home overnight.
For a new driver, that trade-off usually means an electric car makes more sense once a couple of years of no-claims discount have been built up, unless the annual mileage is high enough for the fuel and tax savings to outweigh the higher premium. Eden represents several electric brands, so the team can talk through the running-cost comparison for a specific model if you want to weigh it up properly.
The car is the biggest single lever, but it is not the only one. There are many ways to lower the cost of your insurance:
Always get quotes on a shortlist of two or three specific cars before committing to one. Two superminis that look similar on a forecourt can produce noticeably different quotes.
Eden Motor Group has more than 20 showrooms across the south of England and represents Vauxhall, Hyundai, Mazda, MG, Peugeot and other brands, alongside a large approved used range. Used stock covers city cars, superminis and hatchbacks across a range of engines, trims and budgets, which is where most first-car buyers will find the lowest insurance groups.
Part-exchange is available if you already have a vehicle to put towards the purchase, and finance may be available subject to status and the terms of the agreement. Options vary depending on the vehicle, deposit and repayment period, and our team can explain what is available on a particular car.
Browse current used cars online, then contact your nearest Eden dealership to check the insurance group of a specific vehicle and arrange a test drive.
Cars in the lowest insurance groups tend to produce the cheapest quotes, and for drivers in their late teens or early twenties the difference is significant. Premiums generally rise more steeply once you move beyond the first ten groups.
Groups are set by a panel run by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers, using the 1 to 50 scale for cars registered before August 2024. Newer vehicles increasingly use the Vehicle Risk Rating system, which scores repair cost, performance, safety and security separately.
Bear in mind that different engines and trim levels of the same model can sit several groups apart, so it's worth checking the rating of the exact vehicle rather than the model range as a whole.
Engine size and power are among the main factors in a car's insurance group, but they aren't the only ones. Repair costs, the price and availability of parts, security equipment and the value of the car all feed into the rating.
This is why some small cars with expensive or specialist parts sit in higher groups than larger, more common models. A high-volume hatchback with widely stocked panels can be cheaper to insure than a compact car built in smaller numbers.
Performance versions catch people out most often. The sporting variant of a supermini can sit many groups above the standard car despite looking almost identical, so the specification matters as much as the shape.
Used cars are often cheaper to insure because their market value is lower, so an insurer would pay out less if the vehicle were written off.
That said, newer cars usually carry more standard safety and security equipment, such as autonomous emergency braking and Thatcham-approved alarms, and this can pull the insurance group down. The two effects work against each other, so the outcome varies by model.
The most reliable approach is to run quotes on a newer and an older version of the same car and compare the results, rather than assuming either way.
Electric cars are typically rated several insurance groups above a petrol car of a similar size. Battery packs are costly and can lead to a vehicle being written off after a moderate impact, and the network of approved repairers is smaller, which can extend repair times.
Against that, running costs are usually lower, particularly for drivers who can charge at home overnight rather than relying on public chargers.
For most new drivers, an electric car becomes easier to justify once a couple of years of no-claims discount have been built up, unless annual mileage is high enough for the fuel savings to offset the higher premium.
Choosing a car in a low insurance group is the biggest single lever, but several other factors affect the price. A telematics or black box policy can reduce premiums for careful driving, although these usually come with mileage limits or curfews.
Where the car is kept also makes a difference, with off-street parking generally attracting a lower premium than parking on the road. Paying annually rather than monthly avoids the interest charged on instalments, and a voluntary excess can bring the price down, provided it's set at a level you could genuinely afford after a claim.
Adding an experienced named driver can help, but the person who actually uses the car most must be listed as the main driver. Registering someone else as the main policyholder is known as fronting, which is illegal and would invalidate the policy.
It's worth getting quotes on two or three shortlisted vehicles before committing. Cars that look similar on a forecourt can produce noticeably different prices.
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Eden Automotive Ltd/Eden Motor Retail Ltd is a credit broker not a lender. We work with a number of carefully selected lenders who may be able to offer you finance for your purchase. The lender will pay us a commission for arranging finance for you. The commission amount will be disclosed to you in good time before you enter into the agreement. You will be required to provide your consent to the commission before proceeding. The lender will require a credit check and conduct an affordability assessment before making any offer of finance to you. All finance is subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.
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