What Size Engine Should a First Car Have?
Smaller engines average a lower insurance group, but engine size alone doesn't guarantee it: some 1.0L petrol cars sit as high as group 27, and some cars over 1.6L sit as low as group 9. Check the specific group, not just the litre figure.
“Get something small” is common advice for a first car, and it’s directionally right, but engine size is a proxy for insurance group, not the same thing.
The detail
Average insurance group rises with engine size, but the range within each band is wide:
| Engine size | Average group | Range seen |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0L or under | 9 | 1 to 27 |
| 1.1L to 1.4L | 10 | 1 to 35 |
| 1.5L to 1.6L | 18 | 4 to 38 |
| Over 1.6L | 28 | 9 to 46 |
The averages tell a clear story: bigger typically costs more to insure. But the ranges tell the more useful one. A 1.0L engine on its own doesn’t guarantee a low group; trim, power output, security features and performance tuning all move the needle too, sometimes by 20+ groups within the same engine size.
Real 1.0L cars in low groups
So which actual 1.0L cars land in the low groups the averages promise? These do:
- Volkswagen Polo 1.0L petrol: group 1
- Hyundai i10 1.0L petrol: group 2
- Kia Picanto 1.0L petrol: group 2
- Toyota Aygo 1.0L petrol: group 3
See the full list with prices for the current asking price range on each.
What this means for your first car
Engine size is a reasonable first filter when you’re narrowing down a search, small engines are more often in low groups than large ones, but it isn’t a substitute for checking the actual group of the specific car. A well-specified 1.0L can still land in a surprisingly high group; an unassuming 1.6L can sometimes land lower than expected.
First Car Scout shows the confirmed insurance group for every car in your search results, so you’re filtering on the real number, not just an engine size that correlates with it.