Car Insurance Group 25: Cars and Cost (UK 2026)
A car in insurance group 25 typically costs a mid-range driver around £800–£1,100 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — an indicative figure, as your age, postcode and history matter more than the group itself.
What insurance group 25 means
Every car sold in the UK is placed in one of 50 insurance groups, from group 1 (cheapest to insure) to group 50 (most expensive). The ratings are set by the Group Rating Panel, run by Thatcham Research on behalf of the Association of British Insurers (ABI), based on factors such as new and used value, repair cost, repair time, parts prices, performance and security.
Group 25 sits squarely in the middle of the scale — the territory of larger family hatchbacks, sportier trims and entry-level premium-badged models. It is not a low-group city car, but nor is it a high-performance group 40-plus car. A group 25 car is generally cheaper to insure than a comparable group 30 or 35 model, and dearer than a group 15 or 20 supermini.
It helps to keep perspective: the overall UK average comprehensive premium was around £600–£720 in 2026 according to the Confused.com Price Index. The group is only one ingredient in your quote — a careful 40-year-old in a low-risk postcode may pay far less than the indicative range below, while a newly qualified 18-year-old in the same car can pay several times more.
Note: cars first registered from August 2024 are increasingly rated on the new 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system, which is replacing the 1–50 groups over time. Most cars on UK roads in 2026 still carry a 1–50 group number.
Group 25 insurance cost by driver age (2026)
The figures below are indicative annual comprehensive premiums for a typical group 25 car, shown by driver age band. They are illustrative ranges built from published UK market averages and the spread between age bands — not quotes. Your own price depends heavily on postcode, mileage, no-claims bonus, job and claims history.
| Driver age band | Indicative annual premium (comprehensive) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 17–24 | £1,900–£3,200 | Young/new drivers pay the most; a black box policy can cut this sharply |
| 25–34 | £950–£1,500 | Falls quickly as no-claims bonus builds |
| 35–64 | £700–£1,050 | Lowest-risk band; the core £800–£1,100 estimate sits here |
| 65+ | £780–£1,200 | Edges up again with age and medical/mileage factors |
Sources: Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (Q2 2026); ABI motor insurance data; Thatcham Research group rating methodology. Figures are indicative illustrative ranges for a representative group 25 car, not quotes.
Cars often rated around group 25
Group ratings vary by exact engine, trim, gearbox and year, and a single model range can span many groups — so treat these as representative examples rather than a guarantee that a specific version is group 25. Cars often rated around group 25 include:
- Audi A1 / A3 — mid and higher trims of the premium supermini and small hatch frequently land in the low-to-mid 20s.
- BMW 2 Series Coupe / older 3 Series — entry petrol variants of these premium-badged models sit around the mid-20s.
- Volkswagen Golf — sportier or higher-powered Golf trims (and the Polo GTI) are commonly rated in the mid-20s.
- Mercedes-Benz A-Class — the current premium hatch reaches into the 20s on many petrol trims.
- Ford Focus — higher-output ST-Line and performance-leaning Focus variants can be rated around group 25.
- Mazda MX-5 — the roadster's sportier appeal pushes several versions into the mid-20s.
To check the exact group for a specific car, use a registration-based group checker — or browse our insurance costs by vehicle pages. See how group 25 compares with the adjacent group 24 and group 26.
How to pay less in group 25
- Compare widely and switch. Loyalty rarely pays — run several comparison sites and check direct-only insurers before renewing.
- Build and protect your no-claims bonus. This is one of the biggest levers on price for a mid-group car.
- Increase your voluntary excess sensibly — a higher excess lowers the premium, but only raise it to a figure you could afford to pay in a claim.
- Add a low-risk named driver such as an experienced parent or partner, where genuine — never "front" a policy, which is fraud.
- Consider a telematics (black box) policy if you are young or new — it can dramatically cut the 17–24 figures above.
- Pay annually if you can to avoid monthly interest, and improve security (approved alarm, immobiliser, off-road parking).
For the wider market picture, see the UK car insurance cost index, and explore every band on our all insurance groups hub.
Group 25 car insurance FAQs
Group 25 is mid-range — it sits exactly halfway up the 1–50 scale. It is more expensive to insure than a low-group supermini (groups 1–15) but noticeably cheaper than a high-performance car in groups 40–50. For a typical mid-age driver, expect an indicative £800–£1,100 a year for comprehensive cover.
The group is only a starting point. Your driver age, postcode, annual mileage, no-claims bonus, occupation, claims and convictions history, chosen excess and cover level all move the price — often by more than the group itself. Two drivers in the same group 25 car can pay wildly different premiums.
Use a free registration-based group checker (offered by most comparison sites), or look up the exact make, model, engine and trim on a group listing. Because a single model range can span many groups, always check your specific version rather than assuming from the badge.
If you want a lower premium, look at lower-powered trims of the same models or step down to groups 15–20 — smaller-engine superminis and family hatchbacks. Dropping even a few groups, for example to group 24, can shave money off a like-for-like quote.
No. The group reflects the car's risk and repair profile, but insurers weight your personal risk factors far more heavily. A group 25 car can be cheap for a low-risk 45-year-old and very expensive for a new 18-year-old — the group number does not change, but the quote does.
Increasingly they use the new 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR) system that is gradually replacing the 1–50 groups. Most cars on UK roads in 2026 still carry a 1–50 group number, so group 25 remains a useful reference point — but always check whether your car is rated on VRR instead.
Our sources
- Thatcham Research — car insurance group rating methodology (Group Rating Panel).
- Association of British Insurers (ABI) — motor insurance data and group rating oversight.
- Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index — Q2 2026 UK average premium data.
Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team.
Last updated: 2026-07-06
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