Cars Audi

Insurance prices have experienced a near unprecedented surge in recent times. This means a new drivers choice of car may be dictated entirely by the potential cost of their insurance premium. To buy a car with a high insurance grouping could end up with the new or young driver owning an asset they find impossible to insure, with prices often running into the thousands.

Insurance groups range from 1 to 50 with 1 offering the lowest premiums and 50 the highest. The new driver needs to place priority on targeting insurance groups 1 to 4, which might not provide the most inspirational list of cars but there are some appealing modern vehicles in this category.

The Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 and Suzuki Alto are cars often described as City Cars due to their inner city functionality. They’re typically small vehicles with low road tax costs, lean fuel economy and most importantly, group 1 insurance. Most of these cars are around 1000cc.

Any new driver needs to utilise the internet when searching for the best insurance policy. Many sites such as www.endsleigh.co.uk will draw upon a vast bank of insurance providers to allow for the most competitive quotes.

For cars with a more serious edge, you may wish to look at groups 2 and 3, where larger engines and more serious looking body shapes enter the market. The Fiesta, Corsa and Clio are all in this territory as engine sizes move towards the 1200cc mark. The Ford Fiesta seems to be a critics-favourite as far as small cars go, with its purposeful design, quality interior and spritely performance.

When searching for the cheapest insurance premiums it can be wise to incorporate your car on a multi-car policy. A young driver may benefit from being added to their parent’s policy or even being insured as a ‘named driver’. The internet is endowed with a range of sites like www.endsleigh.co.uk offering competitive and innovative deals.

Any new driver should try and factor the cost of insurance into the price of their new vehicle. Some might pay more for insurance than they do the vehicle itself, so a car that seems to be a bargain is rendered completely impractical by a sky high insurance premium. Keep costs down with sites such as www.endsleigh.co.uk.

With everyone looking at ways of reducing their ‘carbon footprint’, cars have been getting a rather bad press recently. Even so-called ‘greener’ models are said to be contributing too much to the already pretty much depleted air quality.

However, there is an answer. The electric car will keep the emissions to a minimum and probably save you a bit on fuel.

The Peugot iOn is one such car and won the prestigious Next Green Car: City Car award in 2011 – showing the versatility of Peugot in creating cars that will cause the least concern in this environmentally aware world. The iOn’s compact size and ultra stylish looks make it the perfect car for nipping around the congested city – the electric power steering makes for gymnast agility – whether it’s a night out with friends or the dreaded grocery shop. Four adults can fit comfortably in this car – despite what it looks like on the outside – and there’s athe option of folding down the backseats if you require a little extra room for whatever reason. And it doesn’t run up your electricity bill. In fact, the iOn’s running costs are significantly lower than a standard model with a traditional engine – especially if it’s charged overnight using off-peak energy.

When it comes to safety, the Peugot iOn does not fall short. The battery equipment is located under the floor pan which contributes to stability. This is reinforced by an Electronic Stability Program, an Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Emergency Braking Support – all as standard. This, along with front air bags, chest air bags, side air bags, isofix anchors and ‘fasten safety belt’ warnings, contributed to the iOn being awarded a four star Euro NCAP safety rating.

The iOn is equipped with a lithium-ion battery which stores more energy than the batteries of yesteryear. It will fully charge in around nine hours from a common household power point – and the five meter safety cable is supplied as standard.291