First truck makes top 10 list for best insurance rates

Quimby Mug Bayou Florida Headshot
The Nissan Frontier S King Cab is the first truck to make insure.com’s top 10 list for vehicles with the least expensive insurance rates.The Nissan Frontier S King Cab is the first truck to make insure.com’s top 10 list for vehicles with the least expensive insurance rates.

For the first time ever a pickup truck has made insure.com’s top 10 list of vehicles with the least expensive insurance rates.

The 4.0-liter Nissan Frontier S King Cab placed number 10 on the list for 2016—not bad considering that the results are based on 2,300 vehicles. The Frontier’s average annual rate is $1,204.

“The Nissan Frontier is a nice addition to the cheapest vehicles to insure,” says Penny Gusner, Insure.com’s consumer analyst.

“The Frontier isn’t that surprising to be the first truck to get in the top 10. It has done well in safety tests and has better-than-average claims for its class of pickup trucks.”

The Honda Odyssey proved to have the best rate of all at $1,113 per year. Though it might win some races, the Dodge GT Viper came in dead last with the most expensive rate of all: $4,048 a year.

Insure.com reports that insurance companies determine rates on several risk factors, including the make and model’s past claim and claim costs.

“Cars that have fewer claims and cost less to repair are the ones on which you’re going to get better annual car insurance rates,” says Gusner.

Minivans typically have better rates, Gusner says, because they’re mostly driven by cautious parents who are commuting with their kids.

Car insurance premiums vary greatly by state since each area of the nation has different risks and claim histories. An annual car insurance premium could cost as low as $651 for a 2016 Honda Odyssey in Maine, while the same car owner would pay $2,387 in Michigan. Insuring a Dodge Viper in North Carolina would cost $2,052, compared to a staggering $7,942 in Montana.

The average rates below are for a 40-year-old, single, male driver with a good record.

The least expensive cars to insure for 2016

Rank/Make & model/Average annual premium

  • Honda Odyssey LX – $1,113
  • Honda CR-V LX 2WD – $1,170
  • Dodge Grand Caravan AVP – $1,174
  • Jeep Patriot Sport 2 WD – $1,180
  • Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD – $1,181
  • Jeep Compass Sport 2WD – $1,190
  • Ford Escape S 2WD – $1,194
  • Buick Encore Sport Tour 2WD Turbo – $1,200
  • Jeep Cherokee Sport 2WD – $1,203
  • Nissan Frontier S King Cab Pickup 4.0L – $1,204

The most expensive cars to insure for 2016

Rank/Make & model/Average annual premium

  • Dodge GT Viper – $4,048
  • Mercedes SL65 AMG – $3,797
  • Mercedes S600 BI-T – $3,539
  • Mercedes S63 AMG 4Matic – $3,513
  • Porsche Panamera S Executive – $3,484
  • Nissan GT-R Nismo – $3,476
  • BMW M6 Gran Coupe – $3,309
  • LandRover Range Rover SV Autobiography Black LWB – $3,245
  • Audi RS7 Quattro Prestige – $3,229
  • Porsche 911 Carrera GT3 RS – $3,212