Most popular first cars for young drivers

February 26, 2021

The average car insurance premium for a 17-24 year old is now £1,154. That’s according to figures released by Comparethemarket.

One in 10 new drivers is involved in a collision within the first six months of passing their test, while 10 percent are caught committing a driving offence within the first two years. A greater risk to insurance providers results in higher premiums for young drivers.

All cars are given an insurance group rating, ranging from 1 to 50. The higher the group, the more you’ll pay for cover. Other factors come into play, such as where you live, your occupation and your annual mileage, but the choice of car can have the biggest impact on the amount you pay.

Cars in the lowest groups tend to be city cars and superminis powered by a lowly 1.0-litre engines. Some versions of Volkswagen Polo, Nissan Micra and Ford Fiesta should be relatively cheap to insure, even for the youngest drivers.

Car insurance is the ‘biggest expense’

New Comparethemarket data reveals the most popular first cars for young drivers. Predictably, the list is dominated by small cars available with small engines. That said, with the exception of two models, the average car insurance premium paid by a young driver runs into four figures.

After two years at the top, the Vauxhall Corsa has been dethroned by the Ford Fiesta as the most popular car for first-time drivers. It’s encouraging to note that the price of cover in 2020 was £94.56 lower than it was in 2019.

Dan Hutson, head of motor insurance at Comparethemarket, said: “Buying your first car is an exciting experience for new drivers and deciding on the make and model is a big decision. It’s worth looking into the overall running costs for your desired car before you make the purchase, as these can fluctuate depending on which car you choose.

“The biggest expense apart from the car itself is the annual car insurance premium. Car insurance for those aged between 17-24 can be high as this age group is generally deemed to be a higher risk than more experienced drivers.

“There are, however, ways first-time drivers can look to keep their car insurance costs down – one of the most popular is to install a telematics box which tracks your driving habits, passing the information back to your insurer, which could help lower your insurance premium.”