Car Insurance Group 4: Cars & Cost (UK 2026)
A typical group 4 car costs a mid-range UK driver roughly £400–£550 a year for comprehensive cover in 2026 — among the cheapest to insure, well below the ~£600 national average. Cars often rated around group 4 include the Fiat 500 1.0, Skoda Fabia 1.0 MPI and Kia Picanto.
What car insurance group 4 means
Every car sold in the UK is placed into an insurance group that helps insurers price cover. The traditional scale runs from 1 to 50, where group 1 is the cheapest to insure and group 50 the most expensive. Group 4 sits firmly in the cheapest band — the small, low-powered city cars near the bottom of the ladder.
Cars land in group 4 because they are inexpensive to repair, use readily available and affordable parts, have modest performance, hold a low-to-moderate value and carry reasonable security. That combination keeps the risk — and therefore the premium — low. Because it is only four steps up from the bottom, group 4 is generally considered cheap to insure, though your age, postcode and driving history usually move the price far more than the group number alone.
Insurance groups are set by Thatcham Research and the Association of British Insurers (ABI), who assess repair cost and time, new-car price, performance, and security. Cars registered from August 2024 also carry a newer 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating (VRR), but the familiar 1–50 group remains the reference most drivers see when they shop for cover.
How much does a group 4 car cost to insure?
As a low group, group 4 keeps the vehicle-related part of your premium down — but the driver still dominates the quote. The table below shows indicative annual comprehensive premiums for a typical group 4 car by driver age band. These are illustrative ranges for planning only; your own quote depends on postcode, mileage, no-claims bonus, occupation and claims history.
| Driver age band | Indicative annual premium (group 4 car) | How it compares |
|---|---|---|
| 17–24 | £1,100–£1,700 | Well below typical young-driver averages, which run past £1,700 at 17 |
| 25–34 | £550–£800 | Around or a little under the UK average |
| 35–64 | £400–£550 | Cheapest band — comfortably below the ~£600 average |
| 65+ | £450–£650 | Rises slightly again in later years |
Sources: indicative ranges compiled by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team from the Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (Q2 2026, ~£719 overall average and young-driver figures), the ABI, and Thatcham Research group data. Figures are illustrative, not quotes; actual premiums vary by driver and postcode.
Cars often rated around group 4
Insurance groups vary by exact trim, engine and gearbox, so the same model name can appear in more than one group. Cars often rated around group 4 (frequently the entry-level, small-engine versions) include:
- Fiat 500 1.0 — the base petrol 500 is commonly rated around group 4, though sportier and higher-spec trims climb into higher groups.
- Skoda Fabia 1.0 MPI (79hp) — the non-turbocharged entry engine is a classic group 4 supermini; turbo TSI versions sit higher.
- Kia Picanto — certain trims of Kia's city car fall in group 4 (others sit in group 3), and it pairs low cover cost with a long warranty.
- Suzuki entry-level city cars (e.g. small-engine Ignis/Swift variants) — light, low-powered versions frequently land in the group 3–5 range.
- Toyota Aygo / SEAT and VW city cars — older or base variants of these superminis are often found around groups 3–5.
Always confirm the group for the exact version you are considering — a different engine or trim can shift a car up or down several groups. Use a car insurance group checker or the manufacturer's specification before you buy. To browse by model, see our car insurance by vehicle guides.
How to pay less in group 4
- Pay annually, not monthly — monthly instalments add interest that can top 20% APR.
- Build and protect your no-claims bonus — the single biggest long-term discount you control.
- Consider a telematics (black box) policy — especially valuable for younger drivers in group 4 cars.
- Increase your voluntary excess sensibly — a higher excess lowers the premium, but only raise it to an amount you could actually pay.
- Add an experienced named driver — a low-risk second driver can reduce the price (never "front" a policy, which is fraud).
- Shop around and set a renewal reminder — compare quotes 20–26 days before renewal, when prices are typically lowest, and check that even a low group is still competitively priced across insurers.
For the wider pricing picture, see the UK car insurance cost index.
Group 4 car insurance: frequently asked questions
Our sources
- Association of British Insurers (ABI) — car insurance group system and setting methodology.
- Thatcham Research — vehicle group ratings and the 1–99 Vehicle Risk Rating.
- Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index (Q2 2026) — UK average premium (~£719) and driver-age pricing.
Compare across the whole scale on our all insurance groups hub, or step to the neighbouring bands: group 3 and group 5.
Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team. Last updated: 2026-07-06.
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