Mr. Frugal Presents The 10 Cheapest Vehicles To Insure
So let’s say you’ve been “displaced”, like about 20 million of your friends, neighbors and countrymen. It’s time to sell the Porsche 911 GT2 and buy something a bit more… affordable. Sure, you can find good deals on cars these days from just about any manufacturer, but even a screaming deal on a Mustang GT is going to bite you in the ass when it comes time to pay the insurance bill.
If you’re a 40 year old male with a good driving record, here are the 10 cheapest 2010 vehicles to insure, based on a U.S. national average. Mind you, this also means that they’re the 10 least entertaining vehicles from the driver’s perspective, and most are base models with steel wheels and cheesy plastic wheel covers. The good news is you can park them with the keys in the ignition and a full tank of gas, and not worry too much about about finding your ride stolen.
List after the jump.
Mazda Tribute i 2wd
A rebranded and mechanically identical Ford Escape, the Tribute is an aging cute ute with questionable build quality and dated styling. How many of you even knew that Mazda still sold these? I certainly didn’t.
Honda Odyssey LX
Long the minivan of choice for growing families who want a trouble free chariot, it’s good to know that the Odyssey is cheap to insure. No worse to drive than any other minivan, at least you can count on the Odyssey to be predictably reliable.
Mazda Tribute i 4wd
If you live in snow country, this is the cheapest 4wd vehicle you can insure.
Chrysler Town & Country LX
The second minivan on the list, but certainly not the last. I guess minivan drivers aren’t known for their hoonage, and the Eastern European black market for stolen minivans isn’t exactly booming.
Jeep Wrangler X
I’m surprised to see a Wrangler on the list, since I always thought they were high theft vehicles. If you need a four wheel drive that can actually get you off road, and don’t mind a truck with the ride comfort of a hardtail chopper, the Wrangler is a good option.
Mazda Tribute S 2wd
Same as number one on the list, different trim level.
Dodge Grand Caravan SE
The same as its Chrysler cousin. Slightly more expensive, probably because more are on the road.
Toyota Sienna CE
Another base model minivan, this time from Toyota.
Hyundai Tucson GLS 2wd
The Korean automaker is selling the hell out of these right now, so much so that they’ve had to ramp up production. If you’re looking for a compact SUV with decent style, a comfortable interior and an unbeatable warranty, the Tucson is worth a look. Just don’t expect it to be a driver’s car.
Kia Sportage LX
Kia has come a long way, especailly under parent company Hyundai. Yes, they’re still a price point vehicle, but so was the mid-70s Toyota Corolla. If you need an inexpensive compact SUV, the Kia Sportage is a good place to begin your search.
Source: Insure.com
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I find it odd and a tad bit annoyed, that the cheapest vehicles to insure are all Minivans and SUVs — contributing to America’s addiction to larger cars.
Words by Lukas on March 18, 2010 at 1:58 pm | #
Lukas, it’s really about risk to the insurance compnaies in America. Minivans and compact SUVs are involved in fewer accidents and are less likely to be stolen; hence the lower insurance rates.
Americans (incorrectly) associate size with safety. Since we’re never taught how to drive, most Americans prefer to have as much sheetmetal around them as possible. Me? I’d rather have a vehicle capable of avoiding an accident, thanks.
Words by Kurt on March 18, 2010 at 3:40 pm | #
great tips, I always forget to check the insurance rates when i am thinking of buying a new car and have nearly made some terrible mistakes in the past.
good to know someone is keeping their eye on the ball
Words by Kate on March 19, 2010 at 8:16 am | #
Kate, I nearly bought the twin-turbo 300ZX back in 1991, until I priced insurance. It was triple the cost of insuring a Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX and way more than I could afford.
Lesson learned? Always get an insurance quote before you sign the purchase agreement.
Words by Kurt on March 20, 2010 at 1:08 pm | #
I recently traded a 2004 Ford T-bird in for a 2006 Nissan Xterra, just about a straight up trade and was pleasantly surprised that the insurance was $250 per year cheaper.
I was wondering you could write an ariticle about cheaper to insure cars that we’d actually like to drive or at least want to be seen driving.
Words by inthebuff on April 7, 2010 at 6:54 am | #
Good call itb, I’ll have to do some research on that one…
Words by Kurt on April 7, 2010 at 7:13 am | #
The Mazda tribute is actually really good on gas.
Words by Tiffany on July 4, 2010 at 2:50 am | #