Car Insurance Group 16: Cars & Cost (2026)
A group 16 car typically costs a mid-range UK driver around £600–£800 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — group 16 sits mid-table for affordable family hatchbacks and small SUVs.
What car insurance group 16 means
Every car sold in the UK is placed in one of 50 insurance groups, numbered 1 (cheapest to insure) to 50 (most expensive). The ratings are set by the Group Rating Panel, administered by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), based on five main factors: the cost of parts, repair times, new-car value, performance, and security features. Cars first registered from August 2024 are instead scored on the newer 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating scale, but the 1–50 groups still apply to the vast majority of cars on the road.
Group 16 sits just below the mid-point of the scale. Cars here are usually affordable family hatchbacks, superminis and small SUVs with modest engines (roughly 1.4–2.0 litres), readily available parts and reasonable repair costs. That makes them cheaper than average to insure but not the very cheapest — a comfortable middle ground for everyday drivers. As an indication, cover for a group 16 car costs a typical driver about £600–£800 a year, close to the overall UK average of roughly £600. Bear in mind the group is only one input: your age, postcode, mileage, claims history and no-claims discount usually move the price far more than the group number itself.
Group 16 insurance cost by driver age
The table below shows indicative annual comprehensive premiums for a group 16 car by driver age band. These are illustrative averages, not quotes — your own price depends heavily on location, vehicle version, mileage and history.
| Driver age band | Indicative annual premium | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| 17–24 | £1,400–£1,900 | Young/new drivers pay the most; a black box policy can cut this sharply |
| 25–34 | £650–£850 | Falls fast as no-claims discount builds |
| 35–64 | £540–£700 | Lowest-risk band; often below the group 16 average |
| 65+ | £600–£800 | Creeps up gradually with age but stays moderate |
Sources: Indicative figures compiled from published group-16 average-quote data (Finder UK, MoneySuperMarket) and the UK market average reported by Confused.com. Insurance groups are set by Thatcham Research / ABI. Figures are indicative for a group 16 car and are not quotes.
Cars often rated around group 16
Insurance groups vary by exact trim, engine and model year, so the same nameplate can span several groups. The cars below are examples that are often rated around group 16 in popular mid-range versions — always check your specific registration with a group checker before you buy.
| Car | Why it lands near group 16 |
|---|---|
| Volkswagen Polo (higher trims) | Popular supermini; well-equipped versions with larger engines edge into the mid-teens |
| Audi A1 (mid trims) | Premium supermini — higher parts cost nudges it up the scale |
| Ford Focus (mid engines) | Family hatchback spanning groups 7–26; mainstream petrol trims sit around here |
| Toyota Yaris (hybrid trims) | Reliable supermini; some hybrid and higher-spec versions reach the mid-teens |
| BMW 1-Series (entry versions) | Entry premium hatchback; brand and parts cost lift it above mainstream rivals |
| Nissan Qashqai (mid trims) | Best-selling small SUV spanning roughly groups 13–26; mid versions land near here |
Sources: Example placements compiled from Finder UK, MoneySuperMarket and Thatcham/ABI group-rating data. Ratings differ by exact version and year — confirm your car's group with an official checker.
How to pay less in group 16
- Pay annually rather than monthly — monthly instalments add interest, typically making cover 10–20% dearer overall.
- Build and protect your no-claims discount — the single biggest lever on price for group 16 drivers.
- Consider a black box (telematics) policy, especially if you are 17–24, to reflect careful driving.
- Increase your voluntary excess sensibly — only as much as you could realistically afford to pay after a claim.
- Add an experienced named driver and keep the car on a driveway or in a garage where possible.
- Compare quotes and renew early — buying around three weeks before renewal is usually cheaper than on the day.
For the wider picture of how prices are moving, see our UK car insurance cost index or browse all insurance groups.
Group 16 car insurance FAQs
Group 16 is cheaper than average but not the very cheapest. It sits just below the middle of the 1–50 scale, so cars here cost a typical driver around £600–£800 a year — broadly in line with the overall UK average of roughly £600. Genuinely cheap-to-insure cars usually sit in groups 1–10.
The insurance group is only one factor. Your age, postcode, annual mileage, claims history, no-claims discount, occupation and the level of cover you choose usually influence the price more than the group number. A 40-year-old and a 19-year-old in the same group 16 car can pay hugely different premiums.
Use a free online group checker (Thatcham Research, Confused.com, Compare the Market and others offer one) and enter your registration or exact make, model, trim and year. You can also find the group on a new car's specification sheet. Because ratings vary by version, always check your specific car rather than assuming from the model name. Browse related cars via insurance by vehicle.
No. Insurers use the group as a starting point for the vehicle's risk, then layer on your personal risk profile. Two people insuring identical group 16 cars can be quoted very different premiums, so it is always worth comparing quotes rather than relying on the group number alone.
Cars first registered from August 2024 are scored on the newer 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating scale rather than the 1–50 groups. However, the traditional groups — including group 16 — still apply to the large majority of used and slightly older cars on UK roads today.
Sources & editorial
- Thatcham Research & the ABI — car insurance group rating system
- Confused.com — UK average car insurance premium data
- Finder UK and MoneySuperMarket — published group-16 average-quote figures
Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team. Last updated: 2026-07-06.
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