Owning and running a car can be an expensive business and for first time drivers in particular, there are some additional costs to take into account. Everyday fuel charges are increased by inflated insurance premiums but there is a good selection of cars on the market.
1. Fiat Punto. The basic Punto models are cheap to buy, own and run with average miles per gallon (mpg) figures of around 58. Road tax is reduced and insurance is cheap too. The grouping will vary depending on which company you use but generally speaking, a Fiat Punto will fall into insurance group three.
2. Vauxhall Corsa. If you’re looking to buy a used car then the Corsa is arguably one of the cheapest as far as that initial sale is concerned. The mpg for base models averages at a shade under 40 while insurance is also extremely cheap.
3. Ford Fiesta. The Ford Fiesta has been in production since 1976 and there is therefore a huge range of second hand versions on the market. Fuel costs are low while repairs are straightforward and cheap and this is another factor that appeals to all insurers.
4. Renault Clio. This is another vehicle that comes with many different engine sizes so remember to look for the base models. These should comfortably come into insurance group seven while offering as much as 60 mpg in some cases.
5. VW Polo. Another car with longevity on its side, the first Polo rolled off the production line as far back as 1975. This longevity helps insurers maintain cheaper premiums because of a good safety record while some models can achieve a hugely impressive 70 mpg.
6. Smart Car. It’s no real surprise to see the Smart Car on this list as one of their chief selling points is their overall economy. Not only does this apply to the price of the car in the first place, it also extends to the running costs and the price of insurance, with the base models falling into group 3 as a general rule.
7. Vauxhall Astra. If you’re looking for a slightly bigger engine then the Astra may be right for you. Once again there are a number of available models so be careful which one you buy. The smaller, 1.2 engines are cheap in all areas – purchase price, fuel costs and insurance.
8. Peugeot 106. Turning back to the smaller engine cars, Peugeot produce a number of vehicles that are not expensive to run and the 106 is the cheapest of them all. Most insurers will classify this vehicle as group 3 while the expected mpg can reach up to 50.
9. Seat Ibiza. The most popular car in Seat’s range is the Ibiza and with running costs at a minimum, insurance premiums are very low too. While insurance grouping may vary the fuel economy is where this really scores with a claimed record for a private car of 97.4 mpg.
10. Audi A3. While most of the vehicles here are in the ‘Super Mini’ class, the A3 is a little bigger but if you prefer a 1.6 engine, the A3 is arguably the cheapest of this size to insure and comes with a reasonable 33 mpg.
