Ranking · derived from our own data at build time

Cheapest hatchbacks to insure at 17, 19 and 21

Every hatchback in our first-car set, ranked by our estimated annual premium for a new driver, and priced again at each age we model.

The ranking

#CarEst. premium at 17At 19At 21Insurance groupTypical price
1Toyota Auris 1.33 (E150) (2008–2012)*£1,084–£2,502£927£2,139£792£1,829Group 10£1,920
2Hyundai i30 S 1.0 T-GDi 120PS (Mk3/PD) (2017–2020)£1,310–£2,357£1,120£2,016£957£1,723Group 8£7,682
3Volkswagen ID.3 City Pure Performance (2020–2026)*£1,319–£2,373£1,127£2,029£964£1,735Group 18£10,098
4Kia Ceed 1.0 T-GDi (Mk3/CD) (2018–2022)£1,331–£2,396£1,138£2,048£973£1,751Group 8£9,899
5Vauxhall Astra 1.0 Turbo (Mk7/K) (2017–2019)*£1,156–£2,669£988£2,280£845£1,950Group 10£5,180
6Mercedes-Benz A180 SE (W176, pre-facelift) (2013–2015)*£1,369–£2,464£1,170£2,106£1,000£1,800Group 18£4,808
7Ford Focus 1.6 Ti-VCT (Mk3, naturally aspirated) (2011–2012)*£1,191–£2,748£1,018£2,349£870£2,009Group 14£2,100
8Hyundai Ioniq 1.6 GDi Hybrid (2016–2022)*£1,193–£2,753£1,020£2,354£872£2,012Group 10£8,400
9Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost (2018–2020)£1,198–£2,765£1,024£2,364£876£2,021Group 10£8,995
10SEAT Leon 1.2 TSI S 103bhp (Mk3, pre-facelift) (2013–2016)£1,205–£2,781£1,030£2,378£881£2,033Group 12£4,974
11Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI (2017–2019)£1,210–£2,793£1,035£2,388£885£2,042Group 10£10,500
12Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI CR SE (2013–2015)£1,229–£2,835£1,050£2,424£898£2,072Group 13£4,770
13Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI Bluemotion Tech SE (Mk7, pre-facelift) (2013–2016)£1,467–£2,641£1,254£2,257£1,072£1,929Group 13£7,750
14Renault Megane 1.2 TCe Expression+ (Mk3) (2014–2016)*£1,273–£2,937£1,087£2,510£930£2,147Group 17£2,112
15Honda Civic 1.0 VTEC Turbo S (10th gen, hatchback) (2018–2022)£1,475–£2,654£1,260£2,268£1,077£1,939Group 15£10,990
16BMW 116i SE (1 Series, F20, pre-facelift, N13 1.6 turbo) (2013–2014)£1,480–£2,664£1,265£2,276£1,082£1,947Group 17£4,995
17Vauxhall Astra 1.2 (2019–2021)£1,284–£2,964£1,098£2,534£939£2,166Group 14£6,750
18SEAT Leon 1.0 TSI (2016–2020)£1,286–£2,969£1,100£2,538£940£2,169Group 13£9,745
19Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI (Mk6) (2009–2012)*£1,298–£2,996£1,110£2,561£949£2,190Group 17£2,877
20Audi A3 Sportback 1.6 TDI SE (3rd gen, 8V) (2013–2016)*£1,587–£2,857£1,357£2,442£1,160£2,087Group 18£4,368
21Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 TFSI (123bhp, post-2008-facelift) SE (2008–2013)£1,380–£3,185£1,180£2,723£1,008£2,327Group 19£3,742
22Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid (2018–2022)£1,387–£3,201£1,186£2,736£1,014£2,340Group 15£15,800
23Nissan Leaf 40kWh (2018–2022)£1,601–£2,882£1,369£2,464£1,170£2,106Group 21£7,999
24Toyota Corolla 1.2 VVT-i Turbo Icon (2018–2019)*£1,389–£3,206£1,188£2,741£1,015£2,343Group 17£8,203
25Audi A3 Sportback 1.4 TFSI (122/125PS, non-CoD) SE (2013–2016)£1,418–£3,272£1,212£2,798£1,036£2,391Group 18£7,995

Figures checked July 2026

How to read this

Every hatchback in our first-car set, ranked by our estimated annual premium for a new driver, and priced again at each age we model.

25 cars are listed below, out of the 32 in our set that qualify — the best 25 on this measure, not a selection anyone made. The order is worked out at build time from our own dataset every time it is regenerated, so when the underlying figures move, this page moves with them. £513 separates the top of the table from the bottom.

The order changes with age: 2 of the 25 cars below sit at a different position at a different age, by up to 1 place. That is why this page is ranked at one age rather than pretending one order fits all of them.

Estimates, not quotes. Insurance figures are our modelled expected annual premium for a new driver on a comprehensive black-box policy, and they are shown as a range because that is the honest way to present a model. The range is not the same width for every car: it widens where our own data is thinner, so a wider range means less certainty rather than a worse car. The ranking uses our central figure.

Every figure is anchored to London, because that is where our premium data is strongest, and London postcodes carry some of the highest premiums in the country. This page cannot know your postcode, so no row here gets our narrowest confidence band. Put your own postcode into the First-Car Finder and both the figure and the range get closer to you. Prices marked * are an editorial estimate rather than a measured listing median — worth cross-checking against live adverts.

How we work these figures out

Insurance estimates are expected annual premiums for a new driver on a comprehensive, black-box policy in London, calibrated against published young-driver premium datasets; the low–high range reflects how much real quotes vary from person to person. Running costs assume 6,500 miles a year at £1.51/L petrol or £1.65/L diesel, DESNZ Jul 2026 (and 26.1p/kWh, Ofgem cap for the electric ones) plus the standard MOT fee, and exclude servicing. Insurance groups, typical prices and MOT failure rates are read straight off our dataset, which is regenerated from its cited sources rather than edited by hand — so this page has no figures of its own to go stale.

These are estimates based on public data, not quotes, and Vouched does not give insurance advice. Treat the ranking as a starting point for comparison shopping, not a number to hold a provider to. When you're ready, we introduce you to authorised providers for a real quote.

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