Best cheap estates to insure
Our rundown of the best cheap estates to insure includes cars of all sizes and powertrains, so you’re bound to find the right one.
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If you’re looking for the cheapest estate car to insure, chances are you’ve got an eye on your wallet, and finding something that’s cheap to insure and also affordable to maintain and run will be ideal.
Finding an estate car that’s not only practical but also affordable to insure can make a big difference to your overall running costs.
Whether you’re looking for a reliable vehicle for daily commutes, weekend getaways or simply need the extra boot space for the family or your adventurous activities, understanding that models that offer the best value insurance is key.
To help you keep those running costs low, we’ve put together a list of eight of the best estates that also happen to be cheap to insure.
What are the cheapest estates to insure?
To make your life easier, we’ve split our list into different categories so you can find the ideal estate for your liking.
Compact estates
Hyundai i30 Tourer
Ford Focus Estate
Mid-size estates
Volkswagen Passat Estate
Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
Luxury estates
Mercedes E-Class Estate
Volvo V90
Electric estates
Peugeot e-308
Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer
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The best cheap estates to insure in the UK
Hyundai i30 Tourer
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Our pick: Hyundai i30 Tourer 1.0 T-GDi SE Connect
Insurance: From group eight
The Hyundai i30 Tourer is a standout choice for families after an affordable, reliable and practical estate car. The major appeal is the impressive 602-litre boot, which is great at swallowing all the equipment that comes with young family life, like prams and endless bags.
A key advantage of the Hyundai i30 Tourer is its placement in a low insurance group – you can get a used one of these from group eight, which is admirably low.
You won’t need to make any sacrifices though – every i30 Tourer comes with plenty of equipment, and even higher trims are exceptional value for money. We particularly enjoyed driving this car’s petrol engines, with the punchy 1.0-litre unit standing out.
Keep your insurance quote low by sticking to the 120hp 1.0-litre engine, but consider stepping up to a mid-range SE Connect model, which sits slightly higher in group nine.
Ford Focus Estate
 "Ford Focus Estate")
Our pick: Ford Focus Estate 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV Titanium Edition
Insurance: From group eight
We think the Ford Focus Estate is a very appealing choice for families because it offers a good combination of quality and practicality, all with affordability in mind – exactly what we know and love Ford for.
It might not have quite as big a boot as the i30 Tourer, at 575 litres, but that’s still 200 litres more than you’d get in the already practical hatchback, which is a mighty improvement.
For your money, you’ll be buying a reliable model, and overall running costs are low too, thanks mainly to its economical engines and the fact that it’s available from insurance group eight.
We love the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, and so do you, which is why Ford sells this engine in a number of its cars, but the 1.5-litre diesel is worth considering if you’re a high-mileage driver.
You can also get the high-spec Titanium Edition model with a 1.0-litre petrol engine in group 12, or group 13 if you go for the mild hybrid model, which can save you more cash in the long run.
Volkswagen Passat Estate
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Our pick: Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI DSG SE Business
Insurance: From group 12
The B9 Volkswagen Passat Estate introduced in 2024 is very impressive, but we’re recommending the B8 model sold between 2015 and 2024 because it’s cheaper to insure – we’re talking groups 12 and above.
And, since this is a bigger and more premium estate compared with our first two picks, the deal is even sweeter.
It’s a top-tier choice for everyone, from families to adventurers and businesspeople alike.
Its 650-litre boot should be able to swallow most artefacts of daily life, and at 1,780 litres with the seats folded, you won’t even need to think about adding any roof boxes or bike racks if they cramp your style.
The best fuel economy comes from the GTE plug-in hybrid, but because it has more than 200hp, it’s pricier to insure. We’ve seen impressive fuel economy from the diesel engines, too – well upwards of 60mpg on a motorway run, even with the car packed.
Consider the SE Business to keep the 1.6-litre diesel in insurance group 12, and pair it with the smooth-shifting DSG automatic gearbox for an effortless drive.
Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer
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Our pick: Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer 1.6 Turbo D SRi
Insurance: From group 13
We’ve already had one iconic British household name, so it wouldn’t be right not to include a Vauxhall. The Insignia isn’t just here for the sake of it though – its 560-litre boot makes it a worthy estate regardless of insurance costs.
The Insignia Sports Tourer is also an enjoyable car to drive, with decent handling and some punchy petrol and diesel engines, but it’s best suited to motorway driving, where it settles into a refined cruise.
Sure, it’s been off sale for a while now because many buyers are choosing SUVs over estate, but you still get a used example with modern equipment like adaptive cruise control and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
You can pick up some configurations in insurance group 13, but we’d recommend stepping up to the 136hp 1.6-litre diesel (rather than 110hp) and picking a stylish trim level like SRi – this particular combination puts you in group 16.
Mercedes E-Class Estate
 "Mercedes E-Class Estate")
Our pick: Mercedes E200d Estate AMG Line
Insurance: From group 28
Even if you have the cash to buy something a bit more premium, you still need to consider running costs, and insurance can be the biggest annual motoring outlay for many drivers.
You’ll pay for the privilege, but available from group 28, the Mercedes E-Class Estate is generally in lower groups than key rivals like the BMW 5 Series Touring (groups 30+) and Audi A6 Avant (groups 30+).
Handily, it’s also one of the best estates out there – with a 640-litre boot, it’s near the top of its class, but it’s also a popular choice for its high levels of luxury, comfort and interior tech.
The engine options in the E-Class are also excellent, and many are rated to tow pretty sizeable trailers.
The fifth generation, sold between 2016 and 2023, is our pick because it’s much cheaper to buy, helping to bring that all-important insurance quote down.
If you’re prepared to consider group 30, consider the E200d in stylish AMG Line trim, or go one up and get the more powerful E220d AMG Line in group 31.
Volvo V90
 "Volvo V90 driving")
Our pick: Volvo V90 D4 R-Design
Insurance: From group 27
The Volvo V90 is another premium estate car, this time combining suave Scandinavian minimalism with advanced safety features and stacks of in-car tech.
At 560 litres, its boot isn’t quite as big as its rivals, but it’s still as big as many SUVs and will prove to be more efficient than them thanks to its slicker aerodynamics.
Volvo only sells 2.0-litre engines in the V90 range, but you can have your pick of petrol, diesel, mild hybrid or plug-in hybrid.
Its trim levels offering is also pretty simple, not that you need to worry because every V90 is very well equipped from the factory.
The D4 diesel engine is generally the cheapest to insure, available from group 27, but we think it’s worth paying to upgrade from Momentum trim level to Inscription or R-Design.
At the expense of one extra insurance group, they have more bells and whistles and look smarter.
Peugeot e-308 SW
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Our pick: Peugeot e-308 SW GT 54kWh
Insurance: From group 24
Peugeot has come a long way in recent years, and it’s now seen as a stylish brand that offers high-quality cars and an extensive list of electric models, including the Peugeot e-308 SW. There really aren’t many other electric estates around, especially at this price point.
Running costs are competitive and can be significantly cheaper than its petrol-powered counterpart, with the e-308 SW achieving around 4 miles per kWh, equalling a real-world range of more than 200 miles.
Standard equipment is strong, with all models getting a wide-angle reversing camera, heated front seats and a slick infotainment system with customisable touchscreen buttons on a secondary display.
Given the e-308 SW’s pretty sporty styling, we think it’s worth the upgrade to the more aggressive-looking GT trim, which comes at the expense of one insurance group, taking it up to group 25.
Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer
 "Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer front three quarters")
Our pick: Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer Pro Match 77kWh
Insurance: From group 38
Just because you might be after an electric estate that’s cheap to insure doesn’t mean you want the smallest option.
The Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer offers all the benefits of larger and more luxurious models without the high price tag of cars like the BMW i5 Touring (groups 43+) and Audi A6 Avant e-tron.
VW’s familiar 77kWh battery pack is available in entry-level models and capable of around 370 miles of range, but an even bigger 86kWh unit is available in higher trim levels for an extra 50 or so miles of range.
It’s packed to the rafters full of tech, including an optional augmented reality head-up display for the sat-nav and a memory function to get you out of tricky parking situations, but it still keeps its understated vibe, which we love.
Insurance group 38 and above might sound high, but it’s the lowest in its class, and remember the savings you could make by going electric – a full charge of the biggest battery might cost as little as £6 on an off-peak rate (7p/kWh) at home.
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Find estates that are cheap to insure
Finding the cheapest estate cars to insure that still combines practicality, comfort and affordability doesn’t have to be a daunting task.
Hopefully, this list will give you a springboard of very worthy options in your search, no matter the kind of estate you’re after.
The next step is to decide which model floats your boat, check out our excellent used examples, and get your insurance quote to see how much it’ll set you back.
Don’t forget, with insurance, lower groups tend to mean cheaper premiums but factors about you (such as how long you’ve been driving and if you have any points on your licence) affect how much you pay.
Also, insurance for new cars registered after 1 August 2024 is based on ‘Vehicle Risk Ratings’ rather than insurance groups. Costs shouldn’t differ too much between the two systems, but it’s worth keeping in mind.