The Cheapest SUVs to Insure
The cheapest SUV to insure is the Honda CR-V. It costs $2,346 on average to insure, which is 21% cheaper than the overall average SUV insurance cost of $2,975 per year for full coverage. In general, we also found that the small, low-cost SUVs generally have the lowest car insurance rates.
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SUV insurance rate comparison
The Honda HR-V and the Chevrolet Traverse rank close behind the Honda CR-V for cheap insurance. The average policy cost across these three vehicles is $2,703 per year for full coverage — 10% less than the average across all of the vehicles we considered.
Cost rank | Annual insurance cost | MSRP (2021) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda CR-V | $2,669 | $25,350 |
| 2 | Honda HR-V | $2,681 | $21,220 |
| 3 | Chevrolet Traverse | $2,760 | $29,800 |
| 4 | Mazda CX-5 | $2,792 | $25,370 |
| 5 | Honda Pilot | $2,811 | $32,550 |
| 6 | Ford Escape | $2,840 | $25,555 |
| 7 | Chevrolet Equinox | $2,842 | $23,800 |
| 8 | Volkswagen Tiguan | $2,904 | $25,245 |
| 9 | Subaru Outback | $2,910 | $26,795 |
| 10 | Subaru Forester | $2,913 | $24,795 |
| 11 | Jeep Wrangler | $2,969 | $29,370 |
| 12 | Toyota RAV4 | $3,015 | $26,350 |
Smaller SUVs are less expensive to insure
Insurance costs for smaller SUVs are $198 less per year than the insurance costs for larger ones. SUVs under 106.5 inches long (the median among vehicles we considered) have an average insurance cost of $2,893, while longer ones cost $3,091 to insure per year.
Furthermore, two out of three SUVs with the highest car insurance premiums (the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner) are "standard-sized" SUVs, according to the size classifications of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — and the third is the Tesla Model Y, which is expensive to insure for other reasons, including the fact that it's an electric vehicle.
Cheaper SUVs have lower auto insurance rates
The SUVs with the lowest 2021 MSRP also have more affordable insurance. Our analysis found insurance rates for the five cheapest SUVs are 11% lower than they are for the five most expensive vehicles.
5 most expensive SUVs
Annual insurance cost | MSRP | Average insurance cost among models | Average MSRP among models | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model Y | $4,296 | $39,990 | $3,269 | $35,463 |
| 2 | Toyota 4Runner | $3,153 | $36,765 | ||
| 3 | Toyota Highlander | $3,046 | $35,085 | ||
| 4 | Ford Explorer | $3,037 | $32,925 | ||
| 5 | Honda Pilot | $2,811 | $32,550 |
5 cheapest SUVs
Annual insurance cost | MSRP | Average insurance cost among models | Average MSRP among models | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda HR-V | $2,681 | $21,220 | $2,875 | $23,752 |
| 2 | Hyundai Tucson | $3,037 | $23,700 | ||
| 3 | Chevrolet Equinox | $2,842 | $23,800 | ||
| 4 | Subaru Forester | $2,913 | $24,795 | ||
| 5 | Volkswagen Tiguan | $2,904 | $25,245 |
The main reason cheaper SUVs have lower auto insurance premiums is that claims for comprehensive and collision insurance are less expensive. This type of insurance coverage pays for repairs and replacement for your vehicle, which are typically more expensive for costlier SUVs.
What's the most expensive SUV to insure?
Among the most popular SUVs for sale in the United States, the three costliest SUVs to insure are the Tesla Model Y, Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Grand Cherokee.
These vehicles are all larger and more expensive than an average SUV, which may lead to higher insurance costs.
The most expensive SUVs to insure
Tesla Model Y | $4,296 |
|---|---|
| Toyota 4Runner | $3,153 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | $3,090 |
The Tesla Model Y is notably an electric vehicle that's relatively newly released. Unlike the 4Runner and Grand Cherokee, both of which have been available for decades, the Model Y has only been for sale for a few years. That means replacement part availability for the Model Y is very low compared to more-established vehicles.
The Model Y also has a high degree of technology built into it, from the large 15-inch touch screen to advanced driving-assist features, which increases the cost of repairs.
Best insurance companies for SUV drivers
State Farm consistently provides the cheapest rates for SUV insurance in our sample state of Illinois. Insurance quotes from this company are 53% cheaper than the average car insurance cost across all of the companies we surveyed.
Insurers tend to evaluate the safety factors of individual vehicles in a similar manner, but it's still worth comparing your own quotes, as every driver will get their own quotes based on their driving history and other personal details.
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Shopping around to find the cheapest insurer to cover your SUV could save you an average of 40% on your car insurance premiums. Given that we found the average SUV insurer to offer rates of $2,984 per year, this adds up to an annual cost difference of $1,183 per year.
Cheapest auto insurance companies by SUV
Vehicle | Cheapest insurer | Cheapest insurance cost | Difference from average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Equinox | State Farm | $1,316 | -54% |
| Chevrolet Traverse | State Farm | $1,390 | -50% |
| Ford Escape | State Farm | $1,361 | -52% |
| Ford Explorer | State Farm | $1,423 | -53% |
| Honda CR-V | State Farm | $1,265 | -53% |
Are SUVs more expensive to insure than other vehicles?
The conventional wisdom is that big vehicles, such as SUVs and trucks, are more costly to insure. However, small, crossover SUVs have insurance rates among the cheapest of any vehicle type — including compact cars. Larger SUVs, on the other hand, have higher rates for auto coverage.
While these vehicles may be safer for their passengers, their size poses an increased risk to other motorists. Because of this, the liability portion of the car insurance premiums for standard-size SUVs is typically more expensive.
Methodology
We gathered quotes from six major insurers — Allstate, American Family, Farmers, Geico, Progressive and State Farm — for a 30-year-old male with a clean driving record living in Illinois. All quotes are state averages.
The insurance prices represent the total cost for full coverage policies with liability coverage limits above the state minimums. Vehicle MSRPs were obtained from CarGurus, and car types are based on the EPA's vehicle size designations.
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.