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Working out the logic behind insurance quotes can sometimes be like attempting to crack the Enigma code. While blindfolded. And battling an enraged octopus at the same time.
As you'll know if you've ever tried haggling with an insurance company, not only will seemingly similar cars generate wildly different quotes, but arbitrary factors appear to have a disproportionate effect on the premium. ("You usually have eggs for breakfast on Wednesdays, Mr Jones? That'll add another £100, I'm afraid...")
But, all other things being equal, the cars in the lowest insurance categories - 1 and 2 - will be cheaper to cover than cars from higher categories. Revolutionary stuff, right?
So we've rounded up the cars with the lowest insurance groups in the UK. Remember, not all variants of these cars will be cheap to insure - as a general rule, the smaller the engine and more depressing the acceleration, the lower the cost of your cover.
Remember, too, that not all insurers are equal, so make sure you shop around for the lowest quote. And don't forget there's fun to be had in even the cheapest of runabouts.
Have a click through our round-up of the UK's cheapest cars to insure, and tell us - which is the most fun of the bunch?
Advertisement - Page continues belowChevrolet Spark
We like: Far less woeful than the Matiz it replaced. Could optimistically be considered first cousin of the Corvette.
We don't like: It's tall, so it rolls a lot in corners. Very much not actually a first cousin of the Corvette.
Fiat Panda
We like: Pretty much everything, actually. Looks interesting, decent to drive, plenty of space inside. 4WD versions are unlikely, plucky off-road heroes.
We don't like: Trim lines with grating names like ‘Pop', ‘Easy' and ‘Lounge'. Two-cylinder ‘TwinAir' engine is characterful, but not as economical as claimed.
Advertisement - Page continues belowHyundai i10
We like: Surprisingly refined for a tiny, cheap Korean offering. Handles motorways like a bigger, more expensive car.
We don't like: PPI cold-callers.
Kia Rio
We like: Looks good, sharp enough to drive. Diesel offerings are smooth and economical, seven-year warranty is a bonus.
We don't like: Too much road noise. Not much else to complain about here. Annoyingly competent in all departments.
Seat Mii
We like: Very slightly cheaper than the VW Up with which it shares, um, pretty much everything.
We don't like: Very slightly more expensive than the Skoda Citigo with which it shares, um, pretty much everything.
Skoda Citigo
We like: Very slightly cheaper than both the VW Up and Seat Mii with which it shares... yeah, you've got the picture, right?
We don't like: Long queues at the post office. Oh, with the car, you mean? Not much at all. It's a cracker.
Advertisement - Page continues belowVauxhall Corsa
We like: New version is far, far better than the lumpy old Corsa. 1.0-litre three-cylinder triple is a cracker.
We don't like: Driving manners aren't quite so good as the Ford Fiesta. Neither is the driving position.
Volkswagen Up
We like: All of it. Looks smart, pleasant to drive, economical engines. One of the very best city cars in the business.
We don't like: VW insisting the Up should have an exclamation mark on the end. Up! No.
Advertisement - Page continues belowCitroen C1
We like: New version is less... divisive-looking than its mechanically identical cousins, the Toyota Aygo and Peugeot 108.
We don't like: Not as refined or expensive feeling as the VW Up. Or the Hyundai i10. Or the Fiat Panda. Or...
Citroen C3
We like: Um. Ah. It's quite comfortable on motorways. And quite nice on the inside.
We don't like: Getting rather long in the tooth. Doesn't like to be driven fast. Or even slightly briskly. One for the bus-pass crowd.
Dacia Sandero
We like: The almost implausible price tag. The Sandero starts at £5,995, making it the cheapest car you can buy in the UK. Good news!
We don't like: The quality commensurate with a £5,995 price tag. You can tell where Dacia have saved money here: the interior is short on flair, and the overall quality isn't exactly Bentley-spec. Less-than-perfect EuroNCAP rating is a concern, too.
Ford Ka
We like: That it's closely related to the rather good Fiat 500.
We don't like: That it's nowhere near as good as the rather good Fiat 500. Or indeed the original Ka. Not up to Ford's usual high standards.
Kia Picanto
We like: Interesting to look at, and a smart cabin with plenty of space. Big warranty.
We don't like: It won't give you the driving fizz like, say, that Porsche Cayman GT4. We may be setting the bar a little high here.
Renault Twingo
We like: That a rear-engined, rear-drive city car exists in this day and age. And that it's so spectacularly easy to park.
We don't like: Over-enthusiastic traction control gets involved too early on. Not as satisfying to drive as its RWD configuration might suggest.
Skoda Fabia
We like: Plenty of space, plenty of VW-level quality.
We don't like: Not so fun to punt down a B-road as the Fiesta. And Skoda won't build a hot VRS version. Boo.
Smart ForTwo
We like: All-new ForTwo is so, so much better to drive than the old version. Then again, a shopping cart with a missing wheel would've been better to drive than the old version.
We don't like: Not a whole lot of use if you're planning on transporting more than one passenger. Or more than one bag of shopping. Not cheap, either.
Smart Forfour
We like: Rear-engined, rear-wheel drive cars. Being able to park in spaces slightly shorter than the car itself.
We don't like: More expensive than the mechanically-very-similar Renault Twingo. Not so pretty as the mechanically-very-similar Renault Twingo.
Toyota Aygo
We like: The fact the Aygo's X-motif front end was inspired by a Japanese cartoon. The fact it's quite fun to drive like a total eejit.
We don't like: There's only one engine option. And it's proper slow.
Toyota Yaris
We like: Well-built, decent diesel engine, solid interior. Sensible running costs. Yup.
We don't like: Oh god, but it's dull. The Yaris is high on quality but short on joy.
Vauxhall Adam
We like: Interesting on the inside, infinitely configurable.
We don't like: The woeful punmanship contained within the Adam's paint catalogue. Sweet Greens? White My Fire? Lord, give us strength.
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