Car Insurance Group 24: Cars and Cost (UK 2026)
A group 24 car typically costs a mid-range UK driver around £800 to £1,100 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — think sportier or premium-badged models like the Mazda MX-5, BMW 2 Series and Jaguar XE.
What car insurance group 24 means
Every car sold in the UK is placed in an insurance group from 1 to 50, where group 1 is the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. Group 24 sits in the upper-middle of that scale — the territory of larger, sportier and premium-badged models. It is a clear step up from the practical family hatchbacks of groups 15 to 20, but still a long way below the high-performance cars that fill groups 40 and above.
The groups are set by Thatcham Research and a panel from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). They weigh five main factors: the cost of parts, how long repairs take, the car's performance, its new and used value, and its security features. A group 24 rating signals a car that is moderately expensive to repair, reasonably powerful and often premium-branded, but still mainstream enough to insure at a sensible price.
Cars registered from August 2024 are also being assigned a new Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) on a 1 to 99 scale, which insurers are adopting alongside the familiar 1 to 50 groups. For the millions of used cars on UK roads, the 1 to 50 group system remains the number most drivers will see when they get a quote.
Indicative group 24 premium by driver age
The table below shows indicative annual comprehensive premiums for a typical group 24 car in 2026, broken down by driver age band. These are illustrative ranges built from published UK market averages — your own quote depends far more on your age, postcode, mileage and claims history than on the group number alone.
| Driver age band | Indicative annual premium (comprehensive) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 17–24 | £1,900 – £3,000 | Youngest drivers pay the most; sportier group 24 models push quotes higher still |
| 25–34 | £900 – £1,300 | Premiums fall steadily as experience and no-claims build |
| 35–64 | £750 – £1,000 | The cheapest band; a little above the UK average of about £600 |
| 65+ | £800 – £1,150 | Costs edge up again in later years but stay manageable |
Sources: Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (Q1 2026); Association of British Insurers (ABI) motor premium tracker; Thatcham Research group rating methodology; Finder UK group 24 cost data. Figures are indicative ranges for a typical group 24 vehicle and are not quotes.
Cars often rated around group 24
Because the same model can span many groups depending on engine, trim and safety spec, no car is "always" group 24. A base petrol version might sit in the teens while a sportier or higher-powered variant of the same model lands in the mid-20s. That said, cars often rated around group 24 include:
- Mazda MX-5 (2.0 Sport) — the popular rear-wheel-drive roadster spans roughly groups 21 to 34; the higher-powered 2.0-litre trims sit around group 24.
- BMW 2 Series (Coupe / Gran Coupe) — the 2 Series range runs from about group 10 to 47; mid-range petrol variants commonly fall in or near group 24.
- Jaguar XE — this compact executive saloon is frequently rated around group 24 in its lower-powered trims.
- Mercedes-Benz A-Class — sportier and higher-spec A-Class variants land in the low-to-mid 20s, close to group 24.
- Ford Focus ST — the hot-hatch Focus sits near the top of the Focus range (up to group 26), with variants around group 24.
- Nissan Juke / Alfa Romeo Giulietta — higher-spec versions of these compact crossovers and hatchbacks are often rated around group 24.
Always check the exact group for the specific engine and trim before you buy — use our car insurance by vehicle tool to look up any make and model.
How to pay less in group 24
- Increase your voluntary excess — agreeing to pay more towards a claim usually lowers the premium, as long as you can afford the excess.
- Build and protect your no-claims discount — several years of no claims is one of the biggest levers on price, and it matters more in higher groups.
- Pay annually rather than monthly — monthly instalments add interest, often 20% or more over the year.
- Add a named experienced driver — a low-risk second driver can reduce the price (but never "front" a policy, which is illegal).
- Consider telematics (a black box) — especially valuable for 17–24 drivers, where it can cut hundreds off a sportier group 24 quote.
- Improve security and reduce mileage — a garage, a tracker and a lower annual mileage estimate all help, particularly on premium-badged cars.
- Compare widely and switch at renewal — loyalty rarely pays; shop around 3–4 weeks before renewal for the best price.
Group 24 car insurance: common questions
Group 24 is mid-range, leaning towards the pricier side. It sits in the upper-middle of the 1 to 50 scale, so it costs more to insure than a group 1 to 15 hatchback, but far less than a high-performance car in group 40 or above. For a typical mid-range driver, a group 24 car costs roughly £800 to £1,100 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026.
The group is only one input. Your age, postcode, driving history, annual mileage, job, no-claims discount, chosen excess and how you pay all move the price — usually more than the group number itself. A 19-year-old and a 45-year-old in the same group 24 car can pay wildly different premiums.
Check the exact engine and trim, not just the model name, because variants span different groups — an MX-5 or 2 Series can range across a dozen groups. You can look up any car with our car insurance by vehicle tool, or use a free group checker from Thatcham, Confused.com or MoneySuperMarket. The vehicle's V5C logbook and manufacturer spec sheet also help identify the precise variant.
Yes. Choosing a lower-powered engine or a lower trim of the same model can drop you several groups. If cheaper insurance is the priority, look at cars in groups 1 to 15 — small city cars, superminis and practical hatchbacks — or compare the adjacent group 23 and group 25 to see how much a single group shifts the price.
No. The group tells insurers how risky and costly the car is to repair and replace, but it is just one factor in a wider calculation. Two drivers in the same group 24 car can be quoted hundreds of pounds apart because of age, location, claims history and mileage. Treat the group as a guide, not a guarantee of price.
The traditional system rates cars from 1 to 50 and still applies to most cars on UK roads. For cars registered from August 2024, Thatcham introduced the Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) on a wider 1 to 99 scale, giving insurers finer detail on modern safety and repair technology. Both systems aim to reflect the same thing: how much a car is likely to cost to insure.
Sources and review
- Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (Q1 2026)
- Association of British Insurers (ABI) — motor premium tracking and group rating panel
- Thatcham Research — insurance group and Vehicle Risk Rating methodology
- Finder UK — insurance group 24 cars and costs
See all groups on our insurance groups guide and compare typical costs on the UK car insurance cost index.
Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team. Last updated: 2026-07-06.
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