Va-Va-Voom Vauxhall Corsa is Car of Choice for Motoring Brits

CHESTER, England, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The most popular car of 2010 for UK motorists was the Vauxhall Corsa according to analysis by moneysupermarket.com (http://www.moneysupermarket.com/)

Britain's number one comparison site analysed the top fifty car insurance quote searches carried out by motorists during 2010 by brand type, and found the Vauxhall Corsa came out on top.1 Taking second and third place in the popularity stakes were the Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Golf, with the Renault Clio taking fourth place in the table of most popular cars.

Additionally, the research also revealed the average engine size of the top twenty most searched for car was 1.6 litres suggesting Brits are opting for smaller, more economical cars rather than larger, gas guzzlers. The average registered date of the top 10 cars was 2001, with the newest of those listed being a 2003 model and the oldest a 2000 model.

Peter Harrison, car insurance expert at moneysupermarket.com (http://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/), said: "We've seen rising fuel prices and escalating car insurance premiums over the past year, so it's no surprise motorists are taking steps to combat these costs; age, engine size and make or model of car all have an impact on the cost of insurance premiums, and fuel consumption too.

"Although there is little motorists can do about the rising cost of fuel, they can take control of some of their motoring costs. Rather than accepting a renewal price on car insurance, shopping around for a better deal and using price comparison sites will save you money. The average saving consumers achieve switching car insurance through moneysupermarket.com is a staggering GBP292. This shows whatever car you own, from the favoured Vauxhall Corsa to a Nissan Micra, it really does pay to shop around to find the best deal on your car insurance."

Top tips for reducing the cost of car insurance:

- Shop around - This is one of the easiest ways to save money. Don't assume that your current provider is giving you the best renewal quote; look at other insurers using the moneysupermarket.com car insurance comparison tool and see if you can save.

- Buy online - Many car insurers offer discounts to customers that buy online.

- Reduce your mileage - When applying for insurance, you estimate the number of miles you'll do each year. If you aren't travelling much then you'll usually pay less. That means that if you car share with a colleague or decide to take the train a couple of times a week, you can bring down the price.

- Keep it safe - Insurers look at the risk every driver presents, so you'll get a better deal if you can reduce that risk. By keeping the car off the road at night in a garage or on a drive you make it safer, meaning your premiums will come down.

- Car security - Make sure you have an alarm and immobiliser.

- Drive a car with a smaller engine - If you're struggling to pay your insurance then give some thought to the car you're driving. The bigger and faster the vehicle, the more it will cost to insure.

- Up the excess - Agreeing to pay a higher excess, such as GBP500 instead of GBP100, can reduce your premiums. Don't forget that this is what you will need to pay in the event of a claim, so be sure you can afford it.

- Add an older driver - If you have a partner or parent who is more experienced behind the wheel, adding them to the policy can sometimes reduce what you pay. Whatever you do, don't make them the named driver, though. This is called fronting and could invalidate your insurance.

- Ensure it's adequate - As you look for the lowest price, don't be tempted to scrap things you really need. It might cost more to have a courtesy car or legal fees paid, but if you need it then include it. Skipping extras that you can't do without will be a false economy if you do need to claim.

Notes to Editors:

1 Top car quotes for 2010:

    
                                Average               Average
                                Vehicle  Average Year  Engine   %        %
     Description       Count    Value   Manufactured    CC    Manual   Petrol
     1 vauxhall corsa 1,096,921  2,639      2002      1,195    95%      93%
     2 ford fiesta     918,675   2,991      2001      1,346    98%      91%
     3 vauxhall astra  816,473   3,665      2002      1,639    93%      79%
     4 ford focus      726,341   4,323      2003      1,724    94%      78%
       volkswagen
     5 golf            718,908   4,571      2000      1,789    94%      64%
     6 renault clio    678,733   2,517      2001      1,293    97%      92%
     7 peugeot 206     518,467   2,393      2002      1,430    97%      85%
     8 fiat punto      467,713   2,013      2002      1,265    98%      96%
       volkswagen
     9 polo            436,685   2,629      2000      1,305    95%      90%
    10 honda civic     402,323   4,120      2001      1,636    88%      93%
    11 ford ka         401,519   1,986      2003      1,299    100%     100%
    12 renault megane  392,104   3,273      2002      1,606    94%      77%
       vauxhall
    13 vectra          362,007   2,730      2002      1,942    94%      68%
    14 ford mondeo     344,098   2,943      2001      1,968    94%      59%
    15 nissan micra    340,355   1,692      1999      1,094    89%      99%
    16 citroen saxo    270,612   1,072      1999      1,292    99%      97%
    17 peugeot 106     240,343    815       1998      1,235    99%      85%
    18 audi a4         217,004   7,231      2001      2,034    84%      49%
       volkswagen
    19 passat          204,819   4,250      2002      1,901    90%      32%
    20 peugeot 306     202,287   1,025      1997      1,741    97%      52%

Source: moneysupermarket.com

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