What Are The Cheapest Cars To Insure For 17-Year-Olds
The cheapest cars to insure for a 17-year-old are small hatchbacks with 1.0 litre engines in insurance groups 1 to 5. Models like the Hyundai i10, Volkswagen up!, Kia Picanto, and SEAT Mii consistently produce the lowest quotes.
At 17, insurance is often more expensive than the car itself. Choosing a vehicle in a low insurance group is the single biggest step you can take to keep costs manageable.
This guide covers which models are cheapest, why insurance groups matter so much at this age, and what else you can do to bring the premium down.
The cheapest cars to insure at 17 are small hatchbacks in insurance groups 1 to 5, like the Hyundai i10, Volkswagen up!, and Kia Picanto. At this age, choosing a low group car matters more than almost any other decision.
Compare young driver insurance quotes to see what your car would cost to cover.
- What are the cheapest cars to insure for a 17-year-old?
- Why are these cars the cheapest to insure?
- How much do insurance groups affect a 17-year-old’s premium?
- What else can you do to reduce insurance costs at 17?
- Which cars should a 17-year-old avoid?
- Should you buy new or used as a 17-year-old?
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What are the cheapest cars to insure for a 17-year-old?
City cars and small superminis with 1.0 litre engines dominate the lowest insurance groups. These are the models that consistently produce the most affordable quotes for first-time drivers.
Which models produce the lowest quotes?
The table below shows the most popular low-group cars for 17-year-olds. Insurance groups range from 1 to 50, and the lower the group, the cheaper the cover.
| Car | Engine | Insurance group | Used price range |
| Hyundai i10 (base SE) | 1.0L | 1–2 | £4,000–£7,000 |
| Volkswagen up! | 1.0L | 1–2 | £3,500–£6,000 |
| SEAT Mii | 1.0L | 1–2 | £3,000–£5,000 |
| Skoda Citigo | 1.0L | 1–2 | £3,000–£5,000 |
| Kia Picanto (base) | 1.0L | 1–3 | £4,500–£7,500 |
| Citroen C1 | 1.0L | 1–3 | £3,000–£5,500 |
| Ford Ka+ (1.0) | 1.0L | 1–3 | £4,000–£6,000 |
| Toyota Aygo (pre-2023) | 1.0L | 2–4 | £3,500–£6,000 |
| Peugeot 108 | 1.0L | 2–5 | £3,500–£6,500 |
| Fiat 500 (base 1.0) | 1.0L | 3–7 | £5,000–£8,000 |
Does the trim level affect the insurance group?
Yes. A base-spec Hyundai i10 SE sits in group 1, while a top-spec i10 Premium with larger alloys and more features can land in group 3 or 4. Always check the group rating for the exact trim you’re considering.
The same applies to engine variants. A Volkswagen Polo 1.0 might be group 2, but the turbocharged TSI version of the same car could be group 8 or higher.
Why are these cars the cheapest to insure?
Low engine power, affordable replacement parts, strong safety ratings, and low theft rates all push these cars into the lowest insurance groups.
How are insurance groups assigned?
The Group Rating Panel, a joint body of the Association of British Insurers and Thatcham Research, assigns every car to an insurance group from 1 to 50. The rating is based on repair costs, performance, safety features, and theft data.
Cars with small engines produce modest power, typically 60 to 80 horsepower, which reduces perceived accident risk. Their bumpers, wings, and windscreens cost a fraction of what premium car parts cost, keeping how your premium is calculated in your favour.
Do safety features and theft rates matter?
Modern city cars include multiple airbags, electronic stability control, and autonomous emergency braking as standard. These features reduce injury claims and push the group rating down.
Small hatchbacks are also rarely targeted by thieves compared to performance or luxury vehicles. Low theft rates mean fewer claims for insurers, which feeds directly into lower group ratings.
How much do insurance groups affect a 17-year-old’s premium?
For a 17-year-old, even a small jump in insurance group has a significant impact. Moving from group 1 to group 10 can add several hundred pounds to an already expensive policy.
Why is the effect bigger for young drivers?
Insurers treat 17-year-olds as the highest-risk age group because they have no driving experience and no no claims bonus. The insurance group of the car multiplies this base risk, so a high-group car on top of a young driver’s profile produces very expensive quotes.
This is a key reason why young driver insurance is so expensive. The car you choose is one of the few factors you can actually control at 17.
How much more does a higher group car cost to insure?
Sticking to groups 1 to 5 keeps the base premium as low as possible. Moving up to groups 8 to 10 for a slightly larger or more powerful car can add £300 to £600 to the annual cost.
At groups 15 and above, the premium for a 17-year-old can easily exceed £3,000 to £4,000 a year. At that point, the insurance costs more than a used group 1 car.
What else can you do to reduce insurance costs at 17?
Beyond choosing a low-group car, telematics insurance, paying annually, accurate mileage declarations, and increasing your voluntary excess all help bring the premium down.
Is telematics insurance worth it at 17?
Telematics policies monitor your driving and reward safe behaviour with lower premiums. For 17-year-olds, black box insurance can produce meaningful savings, particularly if you drive carefully and avoid late-night journeys.
Providers like Admiral LittleBox, Zego, and Direct Line DrivePlus are among the top-rated black box insurers for new drivers. App-based options avoid the hassle of having a physical device fitted.
What other steps can lower the premium?
Paying the full annual premium upfront avoids the 10 to 20 percent interest that monthly instalments add. If the lump sum is difficult, some insurers offer interest-free monthly options.
Declaring accurate mileage matters. If you only drive 5,000 miles a year, declare that rather than rounding up to 10,000. Increasing your voluntary excess also reduces the premium, but make sure you can afford to pay it if you need to claim.
Adding security features like a Thatcham-approved alarm or steering lock can also help. Parking on a driveway rather than the street lowers risk in the insurer’s eyes. There are more practical ways to cut your premium beyond the car itself.
Which cars should a 17-year-old avoid?
Avoid performance models, turbocharged variants, and anything in insurance groups above 10. The premium increase from a sportier car far outweighs any appeal at this age.
Which popular cars are too expensive to insure?
A Ford Fiesta ST, BMW 1 Series, or Volkswagen Golf GTI might look appealing, but the insurance premium for a 17-year-old could be double or triple that of a group 1 city car.
Even mild performance variants catch you out. A Polo TSI or Fiesta EcoBoost can push the group up significantly compared to the naturally aspirated version of the same car.
Do modifications affect the premium?
Alloy wheels, body kits, engine tuning, and aftermarket exhausts all increase the insurance group or attract additional loadings. Always declare modifications to your insurer. Failing to do so could void your policy, which is treated as if your cover never existed.
Should you buy new or used as a 17-year-old?
Insurance group ratings do not change with the car’s age, so a new and used version of the same model cost roughly the same to insure. The choice comes down to your budget.
How do the costs compare?
A new Hyundai i10 starts from around £15,000 to £19,000 depending on trim and comes with a five-year manufacturer warranty. A three to five year old equivalent costs £5,000 to £8,000 but may be outside warranty.
For a first car that may pick up the occasional scrape, many 17-year-olds prefer a used example where minor damage is less financially painful. Just make sure the car has a valid MOT and full service history.
Does age of the car matter for insurance?
The insurer cares about the model, engine, and trim, not the year of manufacture. A 2019 Kia Picanto 1.0 and a 2024 Kia Picanto 1.0 sit in the same insurance group. What does differ is the car’s value, which affects comprehensive cover payouts if the car is written off.
For lower-value used cars, third-party fire and theft is sometimes cheaper. But young driver policies with fully comprehensive cover are often similar in price because insurers view comprehensive policyholders as lower risk. It’s worth running a quick quote for both cover levels to see which works out cheaper.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Premiums for 17-year-olds vary by car, location, and policy type, but they are among the highest of any age group. Choosing a car in groups 1 to 3 is the most effective way to keep costs down.
No. The no claims discount belongs to the policyholder only. Named drivers do not accumulate their own NCD. You need your own policy as the main driver to start building a discount.
No. Vehicle colour has no effect on UK insurance premiums. Insurance groups are based on engine size, repair costs, safety features, and performance.
Most modifications increase insurance costs. Engine tuning, body kits, alloy wheels, and exhaust changes can all move the car into a higher effective group. Always declare modifications to your insurer.
Fewer insurers now offer Pass Plus discounts than in previous years. Check whether your chosen insurer offers a reduction before paying for the course. The driving skills are valuable, but the insurance saving is no longer guaranteed.
Third-party insurance is the legal minimum in the UK. However, comprehensive cover is often a similar price because insurers view comprehensive policyholders as lower risk.
Telematics policies often produce cheaper quotes for careful young drivers. Learner and new driver insurance with a black box is worth comparing alongside standard quotes to see which is cheaper for your situation.
Not usually. Electric cars tend to sit in higher insurance groups because battery repairs are expensive and specialist technicians are needed. A petrol city car in group 1 to 3 will almost always be cheaper to insure.