- Car insurance for a 17-year-old male averages $5,908 per year and a 17-year-old female averages $5,250 per year.
- Insurance rates on popular vehicles average from $4,518 to $6,532 for male drivers and $4,014 to $5,840 for females.
- Our top three recommendations for safe vehicles with affordable car insurance for 17-year-old drivers are the 2017 Honda CR-V, 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, and 2015 Subaru Legacy.
If you’re the parent of a teenager, you know that their taste in a car is probably not the same as yours. They want the cool Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang, or Dodge Challenger, while you want them in a safe minivan, four-door sedan, or full-size SUV.
The key to keeping a teenager happy is to find the balance between the car THEY want and the car YOU want as a parent. It’s often a combination of vehicle reliability, insurance cost, and purchase price.
We assembled the list of vehicles below using both IIHS and NHTSA safety ratings, Consumer Reports reliability ratings, and Kelley Blue Book used car values.
These are not necessarily the cheapest cars to insure for 17-year-old drivers, as we cover those later in the article, but rather the cars with the best balance of safety ratings, reliability scores, and affordable car insurance prices.
Insurance rates are per year, with full coverage (comprehensive and collision) having $500 deductibles. Liability split limits are $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $100,000 of property damage liability coverage.
The table is sorted from the cheapest full coverage insurance cost to the most expensive.
| Year and Model | Blue Book Value | Full Coverage Insurance | Liability Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Honda CR-V | $19,100 | $3,830 | $1,686 |
| 2018 Subaru Crosstrek | $16,600 | $3,960 | $1,678 |
| 2015 Subaru Legacy | $12,700 | $3,980 | $1,698 |
| 2017 Chevrolet Equinox | $13,700 | $4,060 | $2,048 |
| 2018 Hyundai Kona | $15,400 | $4,070 | $2,040 |
| 2016 Subaru Outback | $16,700 | $4,092 | $1,692 |
| 2019 Toyota Corolla | $16,300 | $4,130 | $2,032 |
| 2019 Mazda CX-3 | $15,800 | $4,156 | $2,032 |
| 2016 Mazda CX-5 | $14,900 | $4,184 | $2,056 |
| 2015 Mazda 3 | $9,400 | $4,218 | $2,430 |
| 2020 Ford Edge | $19,200 | $4,430 | $1,306 |
| 2019 Honda Insight | $14,800 | $4,466 | $2,032 |
| 2017 Nissan Murano | $16,800 | $4,574 | $2,048 |
| 2016 Toyota Avalon | $17,300 | $4,726 | $1,966 |
| 2017 GMC Terrain | $14,200 | $4,768 | $2,410 |
| 2015 Mazda 6 | $14,200 | $4,874 | $2,794 |
| 2017 Volkswagen Passat | $14,900 | $5,122 | $2,410 |
| 2016 Toyota Highlander | $23,100 | $5,200 | $2,480 |
| 2018 Volvo S60 | $16,500 | $5,222 | $2,402 |
| 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe | $19,200 | $5,750 | $2,760 |
Some additional vehicles that are good choices for teen drivers, just not quite as good as the ones in the table above include:
- Honda Civic – 2012-15 or 2019 and newer
- Toyota Prius – 2011 and newer
- Toyota Camry – 2012 and newer
- Honda Accord – 2013 and newer
- Nissan Altima – 2017, 2020
- Nissan Rogue – 2014-2020
Now that we’ve covered our picks for the best cars to insure for 17-year-old drivers, next we will detail average insurance rates for 17-year-olds in every U.S. state.
If you’re just looking for the cheapest rates possible, we then break out the 25 cheapest cars to insure for 17-year-olds, regardless of safety or reliability.
And lastly, we show the average cost to insure popular models that don’t necessarily fit into other comparisons like the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Ford Mustang.
If you’re adding your teenager to your policy and they have great grades, be sure to check with your car insurance company to see if they offer a good student discount!
How much does car insurance cost for a 17-year-old male?
The average cost of car insurance for an 17-year-old male driver is $5,908 per year or $492 per month. Car insurance rates range from $3,556 to $8,076 depending on where you live in the U.S.
Car insurance rates for 17-year-old males for some popular models include the Ford Mustang at $6,370 per year, the Chevy Camaro at $7,752, the Nissan 370Z at $6,210, and the Subaru WRX at $6,592 per year.
The table below shows average rates for 17-year-old male drivers broken out by annual and monthly cost. The table is ordered alphabetically by state name.
| U.S. State | Per Year | Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $5,316 | $443 |
| Alaska | $4,474 | $373 |
| Arizona | $5,414 | $451 |
| Arkansas | $6,182 | $515 |
| California | $7,144 | $595 |
| Colorado | $6,338 | $528 |
| Connecticut | $6,582 | $549 |
| Delaware | $6,722 | $560 |
| Florida | $7,356 | $613 |
| Georgia | $6,036 | $503 |
| Hawaii | $4,030 | $336 |
| Idaho | $4,214 | $351 |
| Illinois | $5,180 | $432 |
| Indiana | $4,412 | $368 |
| Iowa | $3,952 | $329 |
| Kansas | $5,818 | $485 |
| Kentucky | $6,326 | $527 |
| Louisiana | $7,032 | $586 |
| Maine | $3,556 | $296 |
| Maryland | $5,488 | $457 |
| Massachusetts | $6,438 | $537 |
| Michigan | $8,076 | $673 |
| Minnesota | $5,068 | $422 |
| Mississippi | $5,762 | $480 |
| Missouri | $6,666 | $556 |
| Montana | $5,422 | $452 |
| Nebraska | $4,936 | $411 |
| Nevada | $7,068 | $589 |
| New Hampshire | $3,956 | $330 |
| New Jersey | $7,158 | $597 |
| New Mexico | $4,858 | $405 |
| New York | $6,846 | $571 |
| North Carolina | $3,690 | $308 |
| North Dakota | $4,896 | $408 |
| Ohio | $4,120 | $343 |
| Oklahoma | $6,520 | $543 |
| Oregon | $5,518 | $460 |
| Pennsylvania | $5,676 | $473 |
| Rhode Island | $7,324 | $610 |
| South Carolina | $4,952 | $413 |
| South Dakota | $6,072 | $506 |
| Tennessee | $5,622 | $469 |
| Texas | $5,484 | $457 |
| Utah | $5,176 | $431 |
| Vermont | $4,298 | $358 |
| Virginia | $3,926 | $327 |
| Washington | $5,334 | $445 |
| West Virginia | $5,268 | $439 |
| Wisconsin | $4,222 | $352 |
| Wyoming | $5,248 | $437 |
How much does car insurance cost for a 17-year-old female?
The average car insurance cost for a 17-year-old female driver is $5,250 per year or $438 per month. Depending on the state you live in, you could pay anywhere from $3,162 to $7,180 per year, which is $264 to $598 per month.
Average car insurance rates for 17-year-old females for some popular models include the Kia Rio at $5,140 per year, the Toyota Corolla at $4,930, the Nissan Versa at $5,902, and the Honda Civic at $5,144 per year.
The table below shows average yearly and monthly car insurance cost for 17-year-old female drivers. Rates are ordered alphabetically by state name.
| U.S. State | Per Year | Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $4,724 | $394 |
| Alaska | $3,976 | $331 |
| Arizona | $4,814 | $401 |
| Arkansas | $5,498 | $458 |
| California | $6,352 | $529 |
| Colorado | $5,632 | $469 |
| Connecticut | $5,848 | $487 |
| Delaware | $5,976 | $498 |
| Florida | $6,538 | $545 |
| Georgia | $5,364 | $447 |
| Hawaii | $3,584 | $299 |
| Idaho | $3,742 | $312 |
| Illinois | $4,604 | $384 |
| Indiana | $3,920 | $327 |
| Iowa | $3,510 | $293 |
| Kansas | $5,172 | $431 |
| Kentucky | $5,626 | $469 |
| Louisiana | $6,250 | $521 |
| Maine | $3,162 | $264 |
| Maryland | $4,878 | $407 |
| Massachusetts | $5,722 | $477 |
| Michigan | $7,180 | $598 |
| Minnesota | $4,506 | $376 |
| Mississippi | $5,124 | $427 |
| Missouri | $5,926 | $494 |
| Montana | $4,820 | $402 |
| Nebraska | $4,386 | $366 |
| Nevada | $6,282 | $524 |
| New Hampshire | $3,514 | $293 |
| New Jersey | $6,362 | $530 |
| New Mexico | $4,316 | $360 |
| New York | $6,082 | $507 |
| North Carolina | $3,282 | $274 |
| North Dakota | $4,352 | $363 |
| Ohio | $3,662 | $305 |
| Oklahoma | $5,792 | $483 |
| Oregon | $4,904 | $409 |
| Pennsylvania | $5,042 | $420 |
| Rhode Island | $6,512 | $543 |
| South Carolina | $4,400 | $367 |
| South Dakota | $5,396 | $450 |
| Tennessee | $4,994 | $416 |
| Texas | $4,874 | $406 |
| Utah | $4,598 | $383 |
| Vermont | $3,818 | $318 |
| Virginia | $3,490 | $291 |
| Washington | $4,738 | $395 |
| West Virginia | $4,680 | $390 |
| Wisconsin | $3,752 | $313 |
| Wyoming | $4,666 | $389 |
What are the cheapest cars to insure for 17-year-olds?
Small SUVs like the Honda Passport, Mazda CX-5, and Nissan Kicks tend to have the cheapest car insurance rates for 17-year-old drivers. Rates for full-coverage start at around $4,408 for males and $3,894 per year for females.
Other vehicles that rank well for cheap auto insurance for teens are the Subaru Crosstrek at $4,518 per year, the Buick Envision at $4,520, and the Chevrolet Trailblazer at $4,528.
Average rates on older vehicles or liability-only coverage will cost less than insuring a new vehicle with full coverage.
The list below shows the 25 vehicles with the cheapest car insurance rates for 17-year-old drivers. Rates are shown for both male and female drivers. Click on any model to view detailed car insurance rate information.
| Rank | Make/Model | Age 16 Male | Age 16 Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Honda Passport | $4,408 | $3,894 |
| 2 | Mazda CX-5 | $4,456 | $3,934 |
| 3 | Nissan Kicks | $4,500 | $4,012 |
| 4 | Subaru Crosstrek | $4,518 | $4,014 |
| 5 | Buick Envision | $4,520 | $4,012 |
| 6 | Chevrolet Trailblazer | $4,528 | $4,036 |
| 7 | Nissan Rogue Sport | $4,654 | $4,148 |
| 8 | Subaru Ascent | $4,688 | $4,138 |
| 9 | Buick Encore | $4,720 | $4,204 |
| 10 | Kia Seltos | $4,820 | $4,290 |
| 11 | Ford Explorer | $4,838 | $4,274 |
| 12 | Chevrolet Colorado | $4,840 | $4,310 |
| 13 | Acura RDX | $4,850 | $4,300 |
| 14 | Hyundai Venue | $4,890 | $4,372 |
| 15 | Ford Edge | $4,906 | $4,350 |
| 16 | Subaru Impreza | $4,912 | $4,366 |
| 17 | Hyundai Kona | $4,922 | $4,378 |
| 18 | Ford Maverick | $4,942 | $4,414 |
| 19 | Volkswagen Atlas | $4,956 | $4,392 |
| 20 | Subaru Forester | $4,966 | $4,382 |
| 21 | Honda HR-V | $4,980 | $4,468 |
| 22 | Nissan Murano | $5,004 | $4,448 |
| 23 | Mazda CX-30 | $5,022 | $4,470 |
| 24 | Lexus RX 350 | $5,054 | $4,452 |
| 25 | Honda CR-V | $5,076 | $4,516 |
Popular vehicle’s average insurance cost for 17-year-olds
Not every popular vehicle falls into the cheapest insurance category. In fact, out of the 20 popular vehicles in the charts below, only the Subaru Crosstrek, Ford Explorer, Subaru Impreza, and Honda CR-V made it into the top 25 cheapest vehicles to insure list shown above.
The two charts below show 20 of the most popular vehicles driven by teens in America and the average cost of car insurance when rated for both 17-year-old male and female drivers.
