Most and least expensive 2012 vehicles to insure

By Emmet Pierce, Insure.com - Last updated: Feb. 8, 2012

Editor's note: Insurance rates and rankings for 2013 models are available.

If you want to drive a flashy new car that turns heads and gives you an adrenaline rush when you step on the gas, you'll have to reach deeper into your pocket to pay for auto insurance.

In Insure.com's 2012 rankings of the most and least expensive vehicles to insure, we found that high-priced cars with powerful engines and European pedigrees come with the highest car insurance quotes. The reasons: More crashes, higher repair bills and expensive injuries.

Americans have long associated car styles with personal image. You may view the vehicle you drive as an extension of your personality. When you get behind the wheel of an expensive car, people form an impression of your personal worth and social status. Practical cars such as minivans are more economical, but they don’t have the same bragging rights.

We surveyed auto insurance rates for more than 900 vehicles in the 2012 model year. This year’s least expensive vehicle to insure: The four-cylinder Toyota Sienna LE minivan.

At the other end of the road is the 2012 Audi R8 Spyder Quattro convertible.  With an MSRP north of $160,000, this 10-cylinder two-seater is the most expensive car to insure in this model year. 

See the top and bottom 20 rankings below, or use the tool above to explore all data. Average annual rates shown are for comparative purposes and are based on a specific driver profile. (See methodology below.)

Too sexy for my car

Geoffrey Miller, an evolutionary psychologist and associate professor at the University of New Mexico, says your choice of car says a lot about the way you perceive yourself. Driving a sporty car may be just another way of saying, "Hey, look at me, I'm really cool," especially for men, he says.

"We know from biology that males typically are more ardent about displaying all sorts of sexual ornaments to attract mates, ranging from the peacock's tale to the gorilla's muscles to the human's luxury goods," Miller says. "I suspect these cars are bought disproportionally by single guys or guys whose marital commitment is not 100 percent.”

He also points out, “It is why young single males are the most dangerous drivers, because they are on the mating market."

Signs of success

If driving a hot sports car says you are seeking status and attention, what does driving a cheap-to-insure minivan say about you?

"A minivan says, ‘I am happily married with kids,’” says Miller. "It says, 'I am not on the mating market. I care more about safety than flash.'"

Jill Bookman, CEO of Cherry Hill, N.J.-based American Collectors Insurance, insures new, limited-production cars and classic automobiles. She says for most buyers, it’s all about chasing the dream.

"The reason people want to own a car that lightens their wallet by $100,000 is because it is … a physical representation of success. You have the wherewithal to purchase something that everyone knows is an expensive car."

Choosing a flashy sports car can be a quest for status, but there are exceptions, says Elizabeth Lombardo, a psychologist based in Chicago. Some people genuinely value the added quality that luxury cars offer. "For some people it's ‘This car is so comfortable and it drives so nicely,’" she says. "It's not, 'Hey, look what I can afford!'" 

Jim Whittle, assistant general counsel of the American Insurance Association trade group, points out the economic realities of insuring luxury cars.

"Oftentimes they are expensive because [manufacturers] only produce a certain amount of those vehicles,” he says. “Sometimes they are made with handmade parts. The cost to repair is a big driver in the cost to insure a vehicle."

Survey methodology

Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to provide a report of average auto insurance rates. We calculated rates using data for six large carriers (Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm) in 10 ZIP codes per state. Not all models were available, especially exotic cars.

Averages are based on insurance for a single 40-year-old male who commutes 12 miles to work each day, with policy limits of 100/300/50 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $50,000 for property damage in an accident) and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. This hypothetical driver has a clean record and good credit. The rate includes uninsured motorist coverage. Average rates are for comparative purposes. Your own rate will depend on personal factors.

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