A city runaround perfect for young drivers

Vauxhall has sold more than two million Corsas in the UK after launching in 1993. Ever since, it has been in a neck-and-neck race with popular hatchbacks like the Ford Fiesta to be crowned the UK’s most popular car.

Technically speaking, the Corsa launched in the UK in 1987 as the ‘Nova’. (Apparently UK bosses didn’t care much for the name Corsa.) The proudly British car is also not solely British, with Peugeot-Citroen (a French car manufacturer) buying Vauxhall from General Motors (a German company) in 2017.

No matter the name or flag, the Vauxhall Corsa is the car to beat for new drivers. With engines as small as 1 litre and a compact 3-door design, it’s a great city run-about. In 2018-19 it was the most popular car for drivers aged 17 to 24 and almost two-thirds of Corsa drivers are under 30.

That might have something to do with the cost of its insurance. Younger drivers generally pay more for insurance, but some Corsa models are classified by Thatcham in insurance group 1 (out of 50), which makes them among the cheapest cars to insure.

Cheapest and most expensive Corsas to insure

First, here's a quick insurance groups explainer:

Five of the cheapest Corsas to insure

• Corsa Expression 1 litre 3-door (2006-2009) - Group 1
• Corsa Expression Ecoflex 1 litre 3-door (-2010) - Group 1
• Corsa Active 1 litre 3-door (2008-2009) - Group 2
• Corsa Active Plus 1 litre 3-door (2008-2009) - Group 2
• Corsa Breeze 1 litre 3-door (2007-2009) - Group 2

Five of most expensive Corsas to insure

• Corsa VXR Arctic Edition 1.6 litre 3-door (2008-2009) - Group 32
• Corsa VXR Blue 1.6 litre 3-door (2010) - Group 32
• Corsa VXR Vxracing 1.6 litre 3-door (-2009) - Group 32
• Corsa VXR Clubsport 1.6T 3-door (2007-2014) - Group 34
• Corsa VXR Nurburgring Edition 1.6T 3-door (2007-2014) - Group 34

Don't forget! Insurers may increase the price based on everything from the age of the driver to where the car is parked. If you’ve added modifications, that will push up the cost too.

Breaking down the costs

One of the most affordable models is the Corsa Expression Ecoflex. For a 2012 version with a 1 litre engine, a 35-year-old married woman with a voluntary excess of £500 would pay around £2,790, with insurance from £471 per year. Even cheaper is a 2010 Corsa SE 5-door sedan, which you can pick up for as little as £1000, with insurance starting from £445.

A 2016 Corsa VXR 1.6 Turbo, on the other hand, could cost the same woman £13,000, with insurance a hefty £629 a year. Also on the more expensive side is a 2008 Corsa VXR Arctic Edition 1.6i Turbo. At more than 12 years old, this Corsa can still cost about £5,350 to buy and £601 to insure, while a 2009 Corsa VXR Racing Edition 1.6i Turbo comes in around £4,450, with insurance from £525.

If you’re a first-time driver, live in a high-crime area, or have previous driving convictions, you can expect to pay more, because insurance companies base their prices on a range of factors apart from the car itself.

There have been five generations of Corsa (six, if you count the Nova), with the latest ‘Corsa F’ coming off production lines in 2019. This beauty shares a lot of features with the latest Peugeot 208 and is undeniably better looking than previous Corsas. It’s also more expensive than older models, setting you back anywhere from £13,000 to £34,000 for the highest spec versions - ouch!

If you buy one of the lower spec options for £13,000 in 2021, it will be worth just under £5,000 five years later, £1,800 at 10 years, and £680 at 15 years, so always shop around for insurance as your car ages.

Electric options

The new Corsa also comes in a fully electric 5-door version that gets 209 miles off a single charge. These are in insurance group 24 and 25, making them a bit more expensive to insure than your average Corsa, but not as high as the most expensive petrol or diesel models. A brand new one costs over £24,000, but electricity is cheaper than petrol so you could save money in the long run.

The bottom line? The Corsa is a solid option for younger drivers or those keen to pay as little as possible for insurance. The newest models and electric versions are anything but cheap, though, so make sure you know what you’ll pay for insurance before you set your heart on any new or used car.

Check insurance group

Want to do some more research on a model before making the all-important purchase? We’ve got you covered! You can check the insurance group of any car by typing its vehicle registration number into our free car insurance group checker.

And when you’re ready to insure your new ride, check out our temporary car insurance, with policies from one hour to 28 days.

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