By Jasmine Carter · Staff Writer
Published · Updated
Answer in brief
Vehicle choice can move an 18-year-old's premium by 30–50%. Cheapest to insure: mid-size sedans and small SUVs, a few years old, with modest engines, good crash ratings, common parts and low theft rates. Most expensive: sports cars and performance trims, luxury brands, very small cars and large trucks. Always quote the specific car—year, make, model, ideally VIN—with yourself listed before buying it.
What insurers price in a car
- Claims history for the model—how often it is crashed and what it costs to fix.
- Horsepower and performance image—rated more heavily for young drivers.
- Size—mid-size protects occupants; very small raises injury claims; very large raises damage to others.
- Repair cost—sensors, aluminium, luxury parts.
- Theft rate—regional.
- Safety equipment—stability control, automatic braking, crash ratings.
The sweet spot
Safety researchers' guidance for young drivers—mid-size or larger, no sports cars, electronic stability control, good crash ratings, a few years old—also describes the cheapest-to-insure profile. Mainstream mid-size sedans, small and mid-size SUVs and minivans fit.
To avoid
- Sports cars and performance trims of ordinary models.
- Luxury brands.
- Very small cars.
- Full-size pickups and large SUVs.
- Modified vehicles.
Quote finder
Find auto insurance quotes that fit your situation
Check first
Quote two or three candidates with yourself as the driver before negotiating a purchase. The difference between similar-looking cars can be $1,000 a year.
Questions & answers
What is the cheapest type of car to insure at 18?
A mid-size sedan or small SUV, a few years old, with a modest engine and good crash ratings.
Are trucks expensive to insure for young drivers?
Full-size trucks usually are, because they cause more damage to others and cost more to repair.
Does an older car always mean cheaper insurance?
Lower value lowers collision/comp, but very old cars lack safety features that lower injury claims. A 5–10 year old car is usually the balance.
Terms used in this guide
- Vehicle rating symbol
- A number assigned to each make/model/year from claims data, driving collision and comprehensive premiums.
- Collision coverage
- Repairs your own car after a crash, minus the deductible.
- Comprehensive coverage
- Theft, weather, vandalism, fire, animal strikes, glass.
Sources and references
Legal figures on this page (minimum limits, filing periods, statutory benefits) are checked against the primary law or the state insurance regulator listed below. Links and figures last verified Nov 2026.
- Teenagers — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyIndependent researchTeen crash risk, graduated driver licensing research and vehicle recommendations for young drivers.
- Graduated licensing laws by state — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyIndependent researchState-by-state learner, intermediate and full-licence ages, night-driving and passenger restrictions.
- Vehicle ratings — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyStatistical dataCrashworthiness and crash-avoidance ratings by make and model.
- Insurance losses by make and model — Highway Loss Data InstituteStatistical dataRelative claim frequency and severity by vehicle under collision, property damage, comprehensive, PIP, MedPay and bodily injury coverages.
- Fatality facts: Teenagers — Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (2024)Statistical dataFatal crash rate per mile driven for 16–19-year-olds is just over 3 times the rate for drivers 20 and older (2022 travel data); all-severity crash rate is over 4 times; risk is highest at 16–17.
- Drivers in fatal motor vehicle crashes by age, 2023 — Insurance Information Institute (2025)Statistical dataFatal-crash involvement per 100,000 licensed drivers: 42.40 (16–20), 35.34 (21–24), 28.97 (25–34), 24.18 (35–44), 21.70 (45–54), 19.45 (55–64), 15.44 (65–74), 16.63 (75+).
- Top Safety Pick awards — Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyStatistical dataCurrent award winners; useful when choosing a vehicle for a new or young driver.
- Auto insurance for teen drivers — Insurance Information InstituteConsumer guidanceAdding a teen to a parent's policy versus a separate policy; good-student and driver-training discounts; vehicle choice.
Practical guidance on this page is original editorial work. Cited sources support factual statements and do not endorse this site. Dollar ranges described as typical or illustrative are editorial estimates, not figures from these sources.
Guide
What Coverage an 18-Year-Old Needs
Liability limits, uninsured motorist, collision and comprehensive for an 18-year-old's first policy—what matters and what to skip.
Guide
How Much Car Insurance Costs at 18
What 18-year-olds pay for car insurance on their own policy and on a parent's, why 18 is priced the way it is, and what changes by 19, 21 and 25.
Guide
Car Insurance Discounts for 18-Year-Olds
Good student, telematics, driver training, distant student, multi-car and payment discounts available to 18-year-olds, with realistic ranges.