Cheapest Cars to Insure for New Drivers (2026) — Real Insurance-Loss Data

Q: What is the cheapest car to insure?

The Chevrolet Express is the cheapest car to insure in our data — about $690/yr at the US average, roughly 52% below a typical car.

Q: How is this ranking calculated?

We rank cars by their real HLDI insurance-loss index (how much each costs insurers versus an average car, 100 = average) and estimate the premium as the US-average premium × that index. It's an estimate for a typical driver, full coverage — not a quote.

Cheapest cars to insure

The cheapest cars to insure share a clear profile: low theft, low repair cost and low injury claims. On our data the Chevrolet Express is cheapest — about $690/yr at the US average, roughly 52% below a typical car. Every figure below is the state-average premium × each car's real HLDI insurance-loss index — use the calculator for your state.

CHEAPEST

Express

cheapest ($690/yr)

PER YEAR

$690

cheapest est. premium

GROUP AVG

$1,798

average for these cars

RANKED

575

cars with real data

Cheapest Cars to insure — full ranking

Estimated annual premium at the US average, cheapest first — real HLDI insurance-loss index. Click a model for its full page.

FIG.01

#	Vehicle	Est. premium	vs average	Verdict
1	Chevrolet Express	$690/yr	48% of avg	Cheap
2	Volvo S60 Cross Country	$902/yr	63% of avg	Cheap
3	Buick Rendezvous	$938/yr	65% of avg	Cheap
4	Subaru Forester	$946/yr	66% of avg	Cheap
5	Buick Terraza	$951/yr	66% of avg	Cheap
6	Ford E-350	$951/yr	66% of avg	Cheap
7	GMC Acadia	$958/yr	67% of avg	Cheap
8	Mini Cooper	$959/yr	67% of avg	Cheap
9	Subaru Outback	$959/yr	67% of avg	Cheap
10	GMC Savana	$961/yr	67% of avg	Cheap
11	Subaru Crosstrek	$978/yr	68% of avg	Cheap
12	Subaru Ascent	$989/yr	69% of avg	Cheap
13	Volvo XC40	$989/yr	69% of avg	Cheap
14	Volkswagen Golf Alltrack	$992/yr	69% of avg	Cheap
15	Volkswagen Golf	$1,001/yr	70% of avg	Cheap
16	Ford Freestyle	$1,002/yr	70% of avg	Cheap
17	Acura RDX	$1,011/yr	70% of avg	Cheap
18	RAM ProMaster 3500	$1,011/yr	70% of avg	Cheap
19	Ford Five Hundred	$1,015/yr	71% of avg	Cheap
20	Nissan Xterra	$1,018/yr	71% of avg	Cheap
21	Ford Transit	$1,020/yr	71% of avg	Cheap
22	Honda Pilot	$1,020/yr	71% of avg	Cheap
23	Ford Taurus X	$1,021/yr	71% of avg	Cheap
24	Ford Ranger	$1,038/yr	72% of avg	Cheap
25	Lexus GX	$1,041/yr	72% of avg	Cheap
26	Hyundai Entourage	$1,044/yr	73% of avg	Cheap
27	Volkswagen GTI	$1,047/yr	73% of avg	Cheap
28	Fiat 500X	$1,054/yr	73% of avg	Cheap
29	Toyota FJ Cruiser	$1,064/yr	74% of avg	Cheap
30	Mazda CX-50	$1,067/yr	74% of avg	Cheap

ROWS 30·SOURCE HLDI × NAIC

Top 15 cheapest cars to insure

Estimated annual premium at the US average — the cheapest cars to insure.

FIG.02

Chevrolet Express48% of avg$690

Volvo S60 Cross Country63% of avg$902

Buick Rendezvous65% of avg$938

Subaru Forester66% of avg$946

Buick Terraza66% of avg$951

Ford E-35066% of avg$951

GMC Acadia67% of avg$958

Mini Cooper67% of avg$959

Subaru Outback67% of avg$959

GMC Savana67% of avg$961

Subaru Crosstrek68% of avg$978

Subaru Ascent69% of avg$989

Volvo XC4069% of avg$989

Volkswagen Golf Alltrack69% of avg$992

Volkswagen Golf70% of avg$1,001

TOP 15·UNIT est. $/yr (US avg)·SOURCE HLDI × NAIC

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What makes a car cheap to insure

Insurers price a car on how much it costs them — exactly what the HLDI loss index measures. The big factors:

Repair costCheap, common parts and simple builds keep collision claims low.

Theft rateRarely-stolen models keep comprehensive premiums down.

Power & speedModest engines mean fewer and less-severe crashes.

SafetyStrong crash ratings and driver-assist cut injury claims.

Who drives itFamily-oriented cars are driven more carefully; sporty ones aren't.

ValueA pricier car costs more to replace, raising collision and comprehensive.

Check any car in your state

This ranking uses the US average. Pick a specific car and state below for its estimated annual premium — same real HLDI loss data.

Brand

Model

State

$—

—

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Cheapest Cars to Insure for New Drivers — FAQ

What is the cheapest car to insure?

The Chevrolet Express is the cheapest car to insure in our data — about $690/yr at the US average, roughly 52% below a typical car.

How is this ranking calculated?

We rank cars by their real HLDI insurance-loss index (how much each costs insurers versus an average car, 100 = average) and estimate the premium as the US-average premium × that index. It's an estimate for a typical driver, full coverage — not a quote.

Are cars cheaper to insure than other cars?

The cars on this list run well below the average car; cars with low theft, repair and injury losses are among the cheapest vehicles to insure overall.

Does the state I live in change this?

Yes — these figures use the US average. Your state can move the premium up or down by 30%+ . Use the calculator or see cost by state.

Ranking computed by ForCar from HLDI/IIHS insurance-loss indices (relative losses versus an average car, 100 = average) combined with NAIC US average premium (2023). Estimates assume a typical driver, full coverage; your quote varies with state, age, record and coverage. For research and comparison, not a quote. Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.