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Is it cheaper to drive a 4 cylinder compared to a 8 cylinder on average?

Yes, in general it is cheaper to drive a 4 cylinder vehicle rather than an 8 cylinder vehicle. The greater power the engine has the more likely a car is to be classified as a sports vehicle or more expensive car to for insurance purposes but also the more cylinders typically the more gas that is used and thus another higher cost for driving a vehicle with more cylinders.

Classifying a vehicle for car insurance varies from insurance company to insurance company. The classification of a car as a sports car, family car, etc will depend upon the definitions set forth by each individual insurance company. Each insurance company has its own vehicle classification system that is typically based upon ISO (Insurance Services Office) VIN system or other company proprietary ranking systems.

Both foreign and domestic private passenger autos are classified as a vehicle type - sports car, high performance, luxury, van, truck, convertible, etc. Each of the following items helps determine a vehicle's classification as a sports car or other type of vehicle:

  • Engine Type
  • Manufacturer
  • Body Style
  • Engine Size
  • Full Model Name
  • Model/Series
  • Body
  • Engine
  • Cylinders
  • Restraint
  • Restraint Indicator
  • Anti-lock
  • Transmission
  • Other Options
  • Daytime Running Lights
  • Wheel Base
  • Class Code
  • Anti-Theft
  • Curb Weight
  • Gross Vehicle Weight
  • Height
  • Horsepower

A vehicle thus with 8 cylinders is more likely to be classified as a sports car or high performance vehicle than a 4 cylinder vehicle (which normally would be a family sedan type vehicle). Even if the vehicle with 8 cylinders is not categorized as a sports car it may still have higher rates of insurance on it due to the cost of repairs for this vehicle, if it is a vehicle that commonly stolen, etc.

You can compare rates for vehicles with both 4 cylinders and 8 cylinders by going through our quoting system.

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This car insurance answer was last updated 12:20 PM Dec-08.
This quoting question was asked 4:39 PM Nov-29-2008.
Shawn Z requested this car insurance help from CarInsurance.com experts.
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