Car insurance group 22

When it comes to insurance, all vehicles are assigned an insurance group from 1 (cheapest) to 50 (most expensive), and this helps work out the cost of your car insurance premiums.

There are 50 groups in total, and insurance group 22 vehicles are on the cheaper side to insure.

The cars that fall in this group usually score well in factors used to determine the insurance group ratings, such as having good car safety and security features and possessing less powerful engines.

Car insurance groups explained

These 50 groups were created by Thatcham Research to help insurers determine how much to charge to insure a particular vehicle.

The insurance group a particular model falls into depends on a variety of factors. These include security features, the cost of repairs and vehicle performance.

These aren’t the only factors that insurers take into account. They’ll also take personal factors, such as your age, driving history and location, into account.

Car makes and models in insurance group 22

Here is a shortlist of the more popular cars in insurance group 22. These are all likely to fall on the cheaper side when it comes to your car insurance premiums.

Cars in insurance group 22 and the average cost by driver’s age

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

• 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: April 2024 (source: Confused).

Why are cars in group 22 one of the cheapest?

Cars in insurance group 22 tend to score well for the following attributes:

• Lower market value
• Good security features
• A vast range of safety features
• Inexpensive to source parts
• Inexpensive to make repairs
• Smaller engine size
• Quicker repair times

What other factors affect your car insurance premium?

Along with your car’s insurance group, these three factors also have a significant impact on the cost of your insurance:

• Engine type and capacity. The bigger your engine, the more you’re likely to pay for insurance. With a smaller engine, you’ll usually be seen as a lower risk to an insurer. This is usually reflected with a lower premium.
• Driver location. Your location has a big impact on the likelihood of your car being stolen or involved in an accident. Insurers will consider this when calculating your insurance premium. A 30-year-old in central London will pay £1,114 for insurance for a Volvo V40 D3 ES (Nav) 5d, while the same 30-year-old in Newcastle may only pay £770.
• Driver age. The age of the driver plays a huge role in determining the cost of your insurance premium too. The average 20-year-old driver in London could pay £6,804 for the Volkswagen Passat SE 2.0 TDI Evo SCR 150PS DSG auto 5d, while the average 40-year-old Londoner will only pay £1,021.

Various other factors are also used to calculate the cost of your premiums. These include the following:

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

How can I save on my car insurance premiums?

Choosing a car in insurance group 22 (or lower) is a great way to reduce the price of your premium.

On top of that, there are many other things you can do to drive down the cost of your car insurance.

Here are some ideas:

• Drive safely. It may sound obvious but having driving convictions on your record will make your premium skyrocket.
• Don’t use your car all of the time. You could save money on your insurance by reducing the number of miles you drive in your car per year. Consider whether it’s possible to opt for public transport or to walk for a specific journey.
• Pay annually. By paying annually, you’ll usually end up with a cheaper deal since you won’t be charged interest on your monthly instalments.
• Install extra safety precautions. The safer you make your car, the less of a risk you’ll appear to insurers and the cheaper your premium will be.
• Shop around. When it’s time for renewal, don’t blindly accept your renewal quote. Shop around to find the best deal from other insurance companies.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the lowest insurance group?

  Car insurance group 1 is the lowest and features the cheapest cars to insure.

• Does a lower insurance group mean cheaper car insurance?

  In theory, the lower your car insurance group number, the less you will pay for your car insurance. However, other factors can influence the cost of your car insurance, such as your age, your address, your driving history and other factors related to your personal circumstances.

• What do the letters mean in insurance groups?

  This refers to the safety features on the vehicle that are fitted as standard.

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

  There are 50 car insurance groups in total.

• 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.

• Who decides on the car insurance groups?

  In the UK, The Group Rating Panel, administered by Thatcham Research, assigns new car models to an insurance group from 1 to 50.