In style since the 60s

It’s hard to think of a more iconic car than the Mini. Through all its evolutions since launching in 1959, the car has stayed true to its distinctive look, and has come to represent the best of British design and sixties style. Groovy, baby!

With a retro look that feels as fresh as ever, Mini is the eighth most popular car brand in the UK, beating Audi in 9th place and VW in 10th. Not bad.

From the classic Mini to the Countryman SUV

Since it was bought by BMW more than 20 years ago, the Mini range has expanded beyond the traditional hatch to include the Mini Clubman – with its unique twin-opening rear doors – and the Mini Countryman SUV.

It’s now also available as a fully electric car, ahead of the UK’s ban of new petrol and diesel car sales from 2030.

The Mini is a small car with a big presence on the road, but that doesn’t necessarily give it a big price tag when it comes to insurance. There are some real deals to be found if you’re in the market for a second-hand Mini.

How to insure a Mini

How much you’ll pay to insure a Mini partly depends on what insurance group it’s in. Research company Thatcham puts every car in the UK in an insurance group – and car insurance companies use this to work out how much to charge, alongside other factors like the age of the driver, where it’s parked, and how it’s used. For example, you’ll pay more to insure a car if you use it to commute to work, versus if you only drive it socially and for domestic use.

A classic Mini from the 1960s would cost more to insure too, because parts are harder to find. That makes them more expensive to fix. Many of these older vintage models don’t have an assigned insurance group and insurance companies tend to work these out on a case-by-case basis.

Insurance groups range from 1 to 50, with cars in group 50 usually being the most expensive to insure and group 1 being the cheapest. You can find out the insurance group of any car just by typing its UK reg number into Cuvva’s free insurance group checker. The lower the group, the cheaper the insurance is likely to be (but not always!).

Some of the priciest Minis from an insurance point of view are the 2019 Clubman John Cooper Works edition six-door Sport, in Group 40, which costs from £641 for a year when paid upfront. A 2021 Countryman SUV John Cooper Works Edition 6-door Sport in Group 38 costs from £655. These prices are for a set persona, by the way, the same one we'll use below when finding the cheapest 👇

Cheapest Minis to insure

We’ve scanned the market to find some of the cheapest Minis to insure across the range, based on their insurance group. (Just so you know, these prices are for comprehensive insurance based on a 35-year-old married woman with no driving convictions and without a no claims bonus. Younger, unmarried drivers or people living in high-accident and high-crime areas could pay a lot more.)

Five of the cheapest Minis to insure

• 1.6 litre 2010 3-door Mini Hatch - Group 8 - £390
• 1.4 litre 2010 3-door Mini Hatch First - Group 8 - £394
• 1.6 litre 2007 3-door Cooper Hatch - Group 8 - £434
• 1.6 litre 2011 5-door Countryman - Group 10 - £501
• 1.5 litre 2018 6-door Mini Clubman One City - Group 12 - £515

Get Cuvva

Bottom line? Whichever Mini you choose, you’re almost guaranteed a fun driving experience. Their stylish interior is a winner with drivers across the generations, and their BMW engineering makes them reliable and efficient. And with really affordable options when it comes to insurance, a Mini is in reach for almost anyone.

Cuvva's perfect for insuring a Mini. We hate deposits, interest, tie-ins and hidden fees - it's why we've scrapped them.

Instead, we offer flexible temporary insurance from 1 hour to 28 days.

It's perfect for borrowing and lending - and for experienced or learner drivers alike.

Whatever you're after, it only takes a few minutes to get a quote.