The type of vehicle you own in California can make a big difference in how much you pay for car insurance.
Insurers consider more than just make and model when setting rates. They also weigh factors like crash-test ratings, theft rates, safety features and average repair costs, as well as personal factors like your age and driving record.
We have highlighted the vehicles with the lowest insurance premiums and broken them down by make, model and type. Below, you’ll find the cheapest car insurance rates in California for sedans, SUVs, sports cars, electric vehicles (EVs) and luxury vehicles.
Ranked: The cheapest cars to insure in California
The Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester are the cheapest vehicles to insure in California, closely followed by the Volkswagen Tiguan and Honda HR-V, according to our data analysis.
Below is a list of the cheapest vehicles to insure in California and their average six-month full coverage premiums.
| Car make-model | Average six-month premium |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V | $1,161 |
| Subaru Forester | $1,184 |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | $1,185 |
| Honda HR-V | $1,190 |
| Honda Odyssey | $1,192 |
| Chevrolet Express | $1,227 |
| Honda Pilot | $1,236 |
| Mazda CX-5 | $1,240 |
| Hyundai Tucson | $1,243 |
| Hyundai Kona | $1,250 |
Read more: Cheapest cars to insure across the United States
Most affordable cars to insure by vehicle type in California
Auto insurance rates differ based on the type of vehicle. Typically, Van models have the lowest premiums, while Performance Car tend to cost the most to insure.
Whether you drive a sedan or a luxury vehicle, we’ve crunched the numbers to find out which models cost the least to insure by vehicle type and their average six-month full-coverage premiums.
Cheapest sedans to insure in California
According to our data, the Subaru Legacy is the cheapest sedan to insure, with an average six-month full coverage premium of $1,320. This premium is based on coverage limits of 100/300/100 and $500 collision and comprehensive deductibles.
Volkswagen Jetta ranks second on our list with an insurance cost of $1,358, followed by Honda Civic Sedan, which costs $1,409 to insure for a six-month policy.
Below is a list of the most affordable sedans to insure in California and their average full coverage six-month rates.
| Vehicle model (sedan) | Average six-month premium |
|---|---|
| Subaru Legacy | $1,320 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | $1,358 |
| Honda Civic Sedan | $1,409 |
| Nissan Versa | $1,413 |
| Nissan Sentra | $1,417 |
| Kia Forte | $1,441 |
| Toyota Corolla | $1,459 |
| Volkswagen Jetta GLI | $1,466 |
| Hyundai Elantra | $1,466 |
| Honda Accord | $1,493 |
| Nissan Altima | $1,496 |
| Toyota Camry | $1,530 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | $1,548 |
| Mazda 3 Sedan | $1,580 |
| Kia K5 | $1,661 |
| Hyundai Sonata | $1,702 |
| Mitsubishi Mirage G4 | $1,707 |
Learn more: Cheapest sedans to insure across the United States
SUVs with the cheapest car insurance costs in California
The Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester are the cheapest SUVs to insure in California, with an average cost of $1,161 and $1,184 respectively for a six-month full coverage policy. The table below shows how the SUVs compare in terms of insurance rates.
| Vehicle model (SUV’s) | Average six-month premium |
|---|---|
| Honda CR-V | $1,161 |
| Subaru Forester | $1,184 |
| Volkswagen Tiguan | $1,185 |
| Honda HR-V | $1,190 |
| Honda Pilot | $1,236 |
| Mazda CX-5 | $1,240 |
| Hyundai Tucson | $1,243 |
| Hyundai Kona | $1,250 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | $1,267 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | $1,272 |
| Subaru Ascent | $1,277 |
| Toyota RAV4 | $1,295 |
| GMC Terrain | $1,308 |
| Kia Sportage | $1,311 |
| Buick Encore GX | $1,316 |
| Nissan Murano | $1,321 |
| Mini Cooper Countryman | $1,321 |
| Toyota 4Runner | $1,321 |
| Volkswagen Atlas | $1,322 |
| Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport | $1,322 |
Learn more: Cheapest SUVs to insure across the United States
Sports cars with affordable insurance rates in California
High-performance engines, increased repair costs and greater theft risk usually make sports cars expensive to insure.
Still, there are some models that are affordable to insure. The Mazda MX-5 Miata stands out as one of the cheapest options on our list, with an average six-month premium of $1,419.
The table below compares car insurance rates for different sports cars in California
| Vehicle model (Sport cars) | Average six-month premium |
|---|---|
| Mazda MX-5 Miata | $1,419 |
| Honda Civic Si | $1,551 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | $1,723 |
| Ford Mustang | $1,751 |
| Subaru WRX | $1,763 |
| Subaru BRZ | $1,771 |
| Porsche 718 Boxster | $1,880 |
| BMW Z4 | $1,932 |
| Honda Civic Type R | $2,008 |
| Toyota GR Corolla | $2,011 |
| Toyota GR86 | $2,012 |
| Toyota GR Supra | $2,028 |
| Chevrolet Corvette | $2,059 |
| Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 | $2,202 |
| Porsche 718 Cayman | $2,234 |
| Chevrolet Corvette Z06 | $2,456 |
| Jaguar F-Type | $2,475 |
| Porsche 911 | $2,763 |
| Nissan Z | $3,031 |
| Porsche 911 GT3 | $3,183 |
Learn more about cheapest sports cars to insure
Most affordable luxury vehicles to insure in California
Luxury cars are equipped with high-end components and advanced systems, making them expensive to fix or replace and resulting in high insurance rates. Unlike luxury vehicles, smaller SUVs such as the Honda CR-V, Honda HR-V and Volkswagen Tiguan generally have lower insurance premiums.
Among luxury vehicles, the Acura RDX has the lowest insurance cost at $1,276 for a six-month full coverage policy. The Cadillac XT4 and Acura MDX also have affordable insurance rates at $1,313 and $1,329, respectively.
This table highlights the average full coverage insurance cost for different luxury vehicles for a six-month policy with limits of 100/300/100 and $500 collision and comprehensive deductibles.
| Vehicle model (Luxury cars) | Average six-month premium |
|---|---|
| Acura RDX | $1,276 |
| Cadillac XT4 | $1,313 |
| Acura MDX | $1,329 |
| Cadillac XT5 | $1,383 |
| Jaguar E-Pace | $1,438 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class | $1,503 |
| BMW X3 | $1,516 |
| Audi Q3 | $1,524 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class | $1,530 |
| Land Rover Discovery Sport | $1,535 |
| Lincoln Corsair | $1,548 |
| Infiniti QX50 | $1,559 |
| BMW X1 | $1,563 |
| Porsche Macan | $1,565 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe | $1,571 |
| Cadillac XT6 | $1,609 |
| BMW X2 | $1,622 |
| Acura TLX | $1,626 |
| Audi Q7 | $1,645 |
| Infiniti QX60 | $1,645 |
Read more about insuring luxury cars in 2025
Top electric cars with cheap insurance rates in California
EVs generally cost more to insure than gas-powered vehicles because their batteries and other parts are expensive and repairing them often requires specialized labor.
Based on our analysis, insuring an electric vehicle costs an average of $4,241 annually, or $353 monthly.
The table below lists the most affordable EVs to insure in California and their six-month average full coverage rates.
| Vehicle model (EVs) | Average six-month premium |
|---|---|
| Mini Cooper Electric | $1,287 |
| Nissan Leaf | $1,400 |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | $1,561 |
| Kia Niro EV | $1,598 |
| Chevrolet Silverado EV | $1,636 |
| Volkswagen ID.4 | $1,642 |
| Chevrolet Blazer EV | $1,657 |
| Subaru Solterra | $1,730 |
| Genesis Electrified GV70 | $1,773 |
| Volvo XC40 Recharge | $1,812 |
| Jaguar I-Pace | $1,817 |
| Nissan Ariya | $1,819 |
| Audi Q4 e-tron | $1,825 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | $1,830 |
| Toyota bZ4X | $1,834 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E | $1,835 |
| Kia EV6 | $1,897 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | $1,904 |
| Volvo C40 Recharge | $1,912 |
| Mercedes-Benz EQB | $2,007 |
Learn more about how much does insuring an electric vehicle cost
Cheapest cars to insure for teens and young drivers in California
Choosing the right vehicle can significantly affect how much a young driver pays for insurance. Drivers younger than 25 pay the most of any age group due to their general lack of experience and greater risk of accidents. Vehicles considered safe with smaller engines, cheaper to repair, and less likely to be stolen come with lower premiums.
For instance, a Honda CR-V costs an average of $3,031 to insure for an 18-year-old driver, whereas a Honda Odyssey costs an average of $3,049 for a six-month full coverage car insurance policy for an 18-year-old driver.
The table below highlights the cheapest cars to insure based on vehicle type, helping young drivers and their families make confident decisions.
Choose your state and vehicle type to see average six-month insurance rates by vehicle make-model for teens and young drivers.
Final thoughts
The car you drive significantly influences your insurance costs, but other factors, such as your driving history, where you live, and the type of coverage you choose, also play a big part in determining your car insurance premium. This guide can help you find a car that fits your lifestyle and helps you keep insurance costs in check.
See which cars are cheapest to insure in neighboring states
Frequently asked questions
Do electric cars have lower insurance costs in California?
Electric cars are usually more costly to insure than traditional gas-powered vehicles. However, some EVs are affordable when compared to similar models with gas engines.
For instance, a six-month full coverage policy for a Mini Cooper Electric costs $1,287, whereas the cost of insuring a Nissan Leaf is $1,400 for the same coverage.
Which SUVs are the cheapest to insure in California?
In California, insuring a Honda CR-V SUV costs about $1,161 for six months, making it one of the most affordable options. The Subaru Forester and Volkswagen Tiguan also have cheap car insurance rates.
What are the cheapest cars to insure for teen drivers in California?
The Honda CR-V, Honda Odyssey, Subaru Forester and Volkswagen Tiguan are among the most affordable cars to insure for 18-year-old drivers in California. On the other hand, vehicles like the Mercedes-AMG GT, BMW i7 and Maserati Quattroporte come with higher insurance costs for young drivers.
Methodology
CarInsurance.com collected data from Quadrant Information Services for different makes and models. The rates are based on sample profiles of 18-year-old and 40-year-old drivers carrying full coverage policies with limits of 100/300/100 and $500 collision and comprehensive deductibles.
To evaluate the premiums, we have compared 67,566,780 insurance quotes from 57 insurance companies for 1,661 makes and models across 510 ZIP codes nationwide. The rates are for comparison purposes only; your exact rates may vary.
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