The best thing about shopping for a car in America is the wide variety of choices. If you take the time to look around, you’ll find a car from pretty much every manufacturer on the globe. Available models will vary from country to country, but that’s to be expected. While features, prices, and performance are all important factors, don’t forget to figure in insurance rates. Let’s take a look at two of the most popular car brands in America: Toyota and Hyundai.
How do Toyotas Rate?
If you prefer Japanese models, the Toyota Tundra and Tacoma are among the 10 least expensive car models to insure. This is good news if you’re looking for a truck. Both have crew cabs (four doors and front and back seats) and are good work vehicles. For SUV lovers, the C-HR is rated as being even a bit less expensive than the Tacoma and Tundra. The C-HR, however, because of its smaller size, has less room in the backseat and a small cargo area.
More About the C-HR
The C-HR has sporty handling, but the engine is considered to be underpowered. Its fuel economy is considered good. It doesn’t come with an AWD option, though.
Other lower-priced models of Toyota to insure are the various Prius models and the RAV4. So you could save money by getting a slightly larger SUV or moving into a passenger car that has the advantage of having several ecologically friendly models on the market.
Made in America
If you want a vehicle made in America, one of the Hyundai models may be right for you. Although not listed as one of the top ten for the lowest insurance rates, the Kona small SUV, the Santa Fe SUV, and the Azera have competitive rates.
Consider the Kona
Another in the small SUV category, the Kona also has a smaller rear seat area and small cargo hold. It at least has turbo and EV options. The Kona does have an AWD option. It’s also a bit less expensive to insure than the Toyota C-HR.
Both the Kona and the C-HR are ranked as being not much larger than a hatchback.
How Does Hyundai Rate?
JD Power gives Hyundai a high rating for the quality of their vehicles. Kia and Hyundai are ranked in quality above Ford, Lincoln, and Chevrolet. JD Power says the team at Hyundai has been working diligently to improve the quality of their vehicles and is currently beating the Europeans for quality. Other brands like Land Rover and Jaguar fill the bottom ranks.
Toyota vs Hyundai Insurance Rates
Toyota insurance rates, as a whole, tend to be higher than Hyundai. This is probably due to past issues with airbags and efforts by the manufacturer to improve their vehicles. Their Land Cruiser model is also one of their makes that carries a lower insurance tag.
When comparing insurance rates during your vehicle search, you need to take into account such things as car trim also. Models with fancier exteriors will cost you more to insure than basic trim models. Convertibles, sports cars, and SUVs rank among the most expensive vehicles to insure… It’s just too tempting to drive fast in a sporty car, and convertibles are the easiest to break into; All of those considerations play a significant role in which auto insurance company offers the lowest rate based on those comparison factors.
Check Out Safety Ratings
Also, check out the car’s safety ratings, and be sure to consult the latest figures on which makes and models are currently on the list of having the highest theft rates. Two of the highest vehicles on the most stolen list right now are the Chevy Impala and Honda Accord. The Dodge Challenger currently ranks number one.
The best practice when vehicle hunting is to compare not just size, color, and what general use you’re buying the vehicle for, but its potential insurance rate also. Be realistic about just how much vehicle you need. Paying the insurance rates on a full-size truck when you really only need a smaller SUV could put a strain on your budget.
