12/02/10

Which cars qualify for the lowest insurance rating of all? Here's our pick of the low-cost, save-your-pennies packSkoda Fabia 1.2 60bhp 1
Insurance group: 1
Price: £9130
The Fabia’s one of the biggest cars in its class, but one of the few that qualifies for bargain-basement insurance. It is very roomy for a small car – there’s even space (just) for three grown-ups across the back seat, while the boot will easily take a couple of suitcases. Cheerful seat fabrics enliven the cabin of what is otherwise a basic car – the dash is functional rather than pretty and Skoda has left off the glove box lid to save a few pennies. The Fabia uses the same chassis and engine as the VW Polo, so it drives smoothly and well, feeling like a much bigger car in the way is takes the bumps. The 1.2 engine feels livelier than its 60bhp output suggests and it is quiet on the motorway, while its 47.9mpg overall best nowadays counts as ‘reasonable’ rather than ‘good’ . Verdict **** fgfgfgfg
For the full motors.co.uk review of the Skoda Fabia, click here

Citrn C1 1.0i
Insurance group: 1
Prices: £8495-£10,645
Unlike the others here, all petrol-engined C1s qualify for group one insurance. It’s a characterful car that looks genuinely fresh and different. Discount offers mean you can achieve big savings on the recommended prices we list, making this one of the keenest small cars to buy new. There are just four seats but the good news is that the rear pair has enough room for lanky adults – though we’d recommend buying a five-door model if you intend to fill up regularly with friends or family. The boot is tiny, although you can drop the rear seat backs for extra space. The car’s an eager little terrier to drive and is another packing a lively three-cylinder engine, which here will return up to 62.8mpg overall. Its ride is harsh enough, though, to put you off driving big distances in it. Verdict ****
For the full motors.co.uk review of the Citrn C1, click here

Chevrolet Spark 1.0
Insurance group: 1
Price: £6945
New city car has five big doors and a spacious cabin, giving a surprising amount of room for up to five. The boot is sensibly-sized, too, and the back seats fold easily so that it becomes, effectively, a small van. It rides softly and is comfortable but it leans a fair bit as you enter a bend. That 1.0 engine is willing but noisy and it sounds coarse if you take it up to motorway speeds. Its 50-plus mpg is good but not exceptional -same's true of its 119g/km of carbon dioxide emissions rating. The 1.2-litre petrol motor that's the other choice for this car is livelier but just as economical, although choosing it will push you an insurance group of two higher. To get group 1 insurance, you’ll need to stick with this model, which is basic – it has wind-up windows and doors you’ll need to lock one-by-one. It's low-priced but the cheap-looking seat fabric and plastics used across the cabin leave no doubt that the car has been built to a price. Verdict **
For the full motors.co.uk review of the Chevrolet Spark, click here