Feb. 24--Car insurers use many factors to figure out how much to charge owners for insurance, including each make and model's claims history and the cost to fix vehicles.
Generally, the least expensive vehicles to insure are two family-friendly Honda products, the Odyssey LX and the CR-V LX, according to Insure.com's newly released annual study on the cars with the cheapest and most expensive policies.
Rounding out the top five are the Dodge Grand Caravan AVP, the Jeep Patriot Sport 2WD and the Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD, said the website, which is geared toward consumers shopping for coverage.
The average annual premium for the Honda Odyssey LX is $1,113.
"Family vehicles, like the Honda Odyssey, are typically cheaper to insure due to the drivers being responsible people, usually parents of little ones, who drive with care," Penny Gusner, Insure.com consumer analyst, said in the report. "You don't normally get left in the dust by a minivan -- that's left to the sports cars topping the most expensive list."
The priciest vehicle to cover is the sporty Dodge Viper. Others that are expensive to insure include Mercedes SL65 AMG, Mercedes S600 BI-T, Mercedes S63 AMG 4Matic and Porsche Panamera S Executive.
The average annual premium for the Dodge GT Viper is $4,048.
"The Viper is a car you buy because you love to drive fast," Gusner says. "The SL65 likely skews toward those seeking luxury, and that's reflected in the rates."
byerak@tribpub.com
