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The average sedan costs $102 less per six-month policy to insure than does a truck — and costs nearly $9,000 less upfront. This cost difference occurs as a result of their varying attributes and the way insurance companies interpret the risk involved with covering each. Because they may cause more damage in an accident — and cost more to repair or replace — trucks pose a substantial financial risk to an insurance company. Thus, the insurer protects itself by charging a higher premium for these vehicles. Let’s outline the average cost of insuring some of America's most popular sedans and pickup trucks.
On average, it is nearly $9,000 cheaper to buy a sedan than it is to purchase a truck. The average prices of popular sedans range from $12,360 (Nissan Versa) to $27,800 (Ford Taurus), giving sedans an average cost of ownership of $19,667.
The cheapest pickup truck is the Nissan Frontier, with a price tag of $18,990. The Chevy Silverado has the heftiest MSRP: $37,600.
Sedan MSRP | Pickup Truck MSRP |
Ford Fiesta - $14,260 | Chevrolet Colorado - $21,300 |
Chevrolet Sonic - $15,420 | GMC Sierra - $29,600 |
Volkswagen Passat - $25,295 | Toyota Tacoma - $25,700 |
Volkswagen Jetta - $18,745 | Ford F-Series - $28,155 |
Nissan Versa - $12,360 | Chevrolet Silverado - $37,600 |
Ford Focus - $17,950 | Nissan Frontier - $18,990 |
Ford Fusion - $22,840 | Honda Ridgeline - $29,990 |
Ford Taurus - $27,800 | Ram P-U - $33,190 |
Nissan Altima - $23,900 | Toyota Tundra - $31,520 |
Mazda 3 - $18,095 | Nissan Titan - $30,590 |
Upfront costs aren't the only sacrifice required to purchase a truck. Pickup trucks commonly cost more to insure than do their smaller counterparts. We'll dive into the data below.
As you might expect, trucks are more expensive to insure than a sedan. The monthly gap in car insurance costs between pickup trucks and cars is $102. If you’re looking for a cheap sedan to insure, consider the Ford Fiesta. In addition to boasting the second-lowest MSRP among popular sedans, the Ford Fiesta costs just $114 per month to insure.
Sedan 6-Month Premiums | Truck 6-Month Premiums |
Chevrolet Sonic - $687 | Chevrolet Colorado - $707 |
Nissan Versa - $705 | GMC Sierra - $737 |
Volkswagen Passat - $703 | Toyota Tacoma - $738 |
Ford Fiesta - $683 | Chevrolet Silverado - $766 |
Ford Fusion - $713 | Nissan Frontier - $769 |
Ford Taurus - $725 | Ram - $893 |
Nissan Altima - $750 | Ford F-Series - $758 |
Volkswagen Jetta - $704 | Honda Ridgeline - $873 |
Ford Focus - $710 | Nissan Titan - $1,016 |
Mazda 3 - $772 | Toyota Tundra - $908 |
The Ford Fiesta and the cheapest truck, the Chevy Colorado, have a difference of just $3 in monthly auto insurance expenditure.
The best way to save on car insurance is to shop around every six months. If you’re not sure whether you want to buy a sedan or a truck, you can find a bargain by comparing insurance prices by make and model, then getting quotes based on your driving profile.
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.