List of cars in insurance group 18

What is insurance group 18?

Insurance group 18 cars are among the cheaper vehicles to insure. Thatcham Research created these insurance groups to help insurers offer appropriate premiums to their customers. There are 50 groups in total.

With group 18 being at the lower end of these groups, the cars that fit into this category usually score well in the factors used to determine the group ratings. You can expect these cars to have good safety features and be inexpensive to repair.

These aren’t the only factors used to calculate your premium. Insurers will also consider a range of your personal attributes too.

In this guide, we’ll explore the factors used to place vehicles in specific insurance groups and what you can expect from cars in insurance group 18.

Car makes and models in insurance group 18

There are a number of well-known vehicles in insurance group 18. Here is a list of some of the most popular cars in the group.

Insurance group	Car make/model	Details
18	Audi A4	The Audi A4 oozes class and style and features a cultured 2-litre engine. It comes with automatic emergency braking as standard.
18	Citroen C4	This compact car is affordable and safe to drive with some useful interior options.
18	BMW 1-Series	This premium hatchback has bright front-wheel drive steering; its strong and sturdy craftsmanship saw it scoop best Family Car at the What Car? Awards 2020.
18	Mercedes-Benz A-Class	The premium hatchback is praised for its ride quality, interior comfort and low running costs.
18	Ford Focus	This top-selling family hatchback delivers a comfortable and engaging ride with its 1-litre EcoBoost engine. Its reputation as a reliable family car has been running strong since 1998.
18	Kia Ceed	This compact car received one of the top reliability scores from Euro NCAP and provides great value for money.
18	Renault Megane	The Megane is a small family car equipped with affordable parts and good safety features.
18	Nissan Qashqai	A great value choice compared to other SUV models. Its 1.3-litre petrol engine and 1.5-litre diesel engine provide a smooth driving experience.

Cars in insurance group 18 and the average cost by driver’s age

Using the table below, you can work out how much you’re likely to pay for your car insurance, based on your age and the make and model of your vehicle.

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• How we got these rates

  These rates are based on the average cost of cover for cars in the insurance groups shown for drivers of different ages with a Newcastle (NE1) postcode, which our research suggests represents an average for insurance rates in the UK. Updated: June 2024 (source: Confused).

Insurance group 18 categories

• 18E: Surpasses the security requirements for this type of car, leading to a lower insurance group rating.
• 18A: Meets the standard security requirements for this type of car.
• 18D: Falls short of security requirements for this type of car, resulting in a higher insurance group rating.
• 18U: Security standard is unacceptable. The insurer might require upgraded aftermarket security before providing coverage.
• 18P: Provisional status. Insufficient data is available at launch for classification. This will likely be updated once Thatcham can evaluate the new car.
• 18G: Grey import. Thatcham tests only officially sold UK cars, so imports are evaluated based on the insurer’s pricing.

Average insurance group 18e cost

To provide you with an idea of how much it may cost you to insure your insurance group 18 car, we ran several quotes to find an average figure. Based on our results, on average, you could insure your car with a comprehensive policy for the monthly price of £60.76, or an annual sum of £607.

• How we calculated this price

  We generated these quotes using the following assumptions about the vehicle and the driver.

  The vehicle is/has:

  • Insurance group 18 model
  • Factory fitted alarm system
  • Not modified
  • Used for social, domestic and commuting purposes
  • 10,000 mileage per year
  • Parked in a work car park during the day
  • Parked on a driveway at night

  The driver is/has:

  • A 30-year-old, single teacher from London
  • A homeowner
  • Five years no-claims discount
  • No driving or other convictions in the last 5 years

Why are cars in group 18 on the cheaper side?

Cars in insurance group 18 are usually the cheaper cars to insure because they score well for the following factors:

• Good security features
• Good safety features
• Cheap parts to source
• Cheap cost of repair
• Fast repair times
• Smaller engine
• Low market value

Which other factors affect your car insurance premium?

These three factors will also be considered when insurers are calculating the cost of your insurance.

• Engine type and capacity. The larger and more powerful that your engine is, the more it will cost to repair or replace. With a smaller engine, you’re likely to be seen as less of a financial risk to an insurer. In most cases, this will be reflected with a lower premium.
• Driver location. Vehicles are more likely to be damaged or stolen in certain areas of the UK. That’s why insurers ask for your address and alter your premium based on this. As an example, a 30-year-old in central London will pay £942 for insurance for a Nissan Qashqai 1.6 dCi N-Tec+ 5d, while the same 30-year-old in Newcastle may only pay £613.
• Driver age. Your age has a significant impact on the car insurance premiums offered to you. Younger drivers are more likely to make claims, so are typically offered larger quotes. The average 20-year-old driver in London could pay £2,356 for the 1.4 TSI SE 5d, while the average 40-year-old Londoner will only pay £798.

There are a lot of other factors that can also impact the price of your premiums. Here are some more to bear in mind.

• Your marital status
• Your credit history and job
• Your car’s safety rating
• Your car’s security feature
• Your car’s anti-theft precautions
• The model and age of your car
• Your driving activity
• Your driving history
• Your no-claims discount

How can I save on my car insurance premiums?

Driving a car in insurance group 18 (or lower) is an intelligent way to reduce the price of your premium. However, it’s not the only way.

There are a number of other things you can do to cut your car insurance premium, and we’ve listed some of them below:

• Avoid driving convictions. These will send your premium rocketing since they provide proof of unsafe driving.
• Be economical about your car usage. The fewer miles you drive per year, the bigger discount an insurer may offer you on your premium.
• Pay annually rather than monthly. By paying annually, you avoid paying interest on monthly instalments.
• Install extra safety precautions. The safer you make your car, the lower your premium can drop.
• Shop around for the best deal every year. Insurance companies don’t offer the best deal to existing customers. So, instead of blindly accepting your renewal quote, look around for the best deal on the market.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the lowest insurance group?

  Car insurance group 1 is the lowest. If you’re looking for the cheapest cars to insure, you’ll find them here.

• Does a lower insurance group mean cheaper car insurance?

  In theory, yes. That’s why these groups were created. However, bear in mind that insurers will also consider your personal circumstances when calculating your premium.

• Are cars in insurance group 1 good for younger drivers?

  Yes, because they are cheaper to insure. They also tend to have less powerful engines and have a lot of safety features. Perfect for inexperienced drivers.

• What do the letters mean in insurance groups?

  On any particular vehicle, the insurance group will be listed as a number and letters. The letters refer to the security features fitted as standard.

• What does Thatcham Research analyse?

  Thatcham Research analyses a number of criteria to calculate a car’s group rating. One of its key tests is a 15km/h crash impact assessment, based on an internationally recognised insurance standard. Following the crash, Thatcham’s engineers work out the cost of the time and parts to return the car to its pre-accident condition. The group rating also takes into account new car values, car performance (including top speed and acceleration time), parts pricing, safety and security features, and the alignment and structure of a car’s bumpers.

• How many car insurance groups are there in the UK?

  There are 50 car insurance groups in total.

The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.

*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (July ’24). 51% of car insurance customers could save £523.17