10 Best Cars to Buy in Singapore to Save on Insurance Cost in 2021

This post was written in collaboration with DirectAsia. While we are financially compensated by them, we nonetheless strive to maintain our editorial integrity and review products with the same objective lens. We are committed to providing the best recommendations and advice in order for you to make personal financial decisions with confidence. You can view our Editorial Guidelines here.

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We know that various factors can directly affect the cost of your car insurance premiums.

There’s the usual age and gender of the driver, their No Claims Discount (NCD) level, and even age of car. Other cost drivers include the years of driving experience, usage of car (private or for business), as well as type of insurance coverage needed (comprehensive, third-party fire and theft, third-party only).

And yes — the myth is real — the car you drive can directly influence your insurance premiums as well.

For example, insurers need to consider various risk factors such as the market value of the car, its safety features and likelihood of being involved in an accident, what type of person it’s usually driven by (young speed demon or family person), cost of replacement parts and repairs, probability of the car being totalled in a crash, and so on.

With that in mind, if you’re thinking hard about what car to buy to get lower car insurance premiums, let’s take a look at these 10 best cars to buy in Singapore to lower your costs:

 

Car make and models for lower insurance premiums

These car insurance premiums are based on what the following profile would pay as of 28 June 2021: 35-year-old male, NCD50, yearly mileage of 12,000 to 18,000km, vehicle’s first year of registration is 2021, on a basic Comprehensive Value Plan with DirectAsia insurance).

 

10 Best Cars to Buy in Singapore to Save on Insurance Cost in 2021

Car make & model	DirectAsia premium	Market average premium
Hyundai Avante 1.6 (A)	From $802	$1,540
Hyundai Elantra 1.6	From $811	$1,402
Honda Shuttle 1.5	From $839	$1,487
KIA Cerato 1.6 (A)	From $839	$1,526
Hyundai Avante 1.6 S (A)	From $843	$1,566
Mitsubishi Attrage 1.2	From $843	$1,629
Subaru Forester 2.0i Premium	From $843	$1,648
Nissan Sylphy 1.6	From $845	$1,146
Honda Freed 1.5 G 7-Seater (A)	From $863	$1,473
Mazda 6 2.0 (A) C	From $863	$1,514

Figures are based on DirectAsia’s study of 6 leading car insurance providers in Singapore (as of May 2021).

 

Hyundai Avante 1.6 (A) (premiums from $802)

South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer Hyundai produces sharp-looking cars that are affordably priced yet reliable. The Avante 1.6 (A) starting from $91,999 is a popular choice as the head turner is both value-for-money and has some of the best ergonomics around.

Safety features
The Hyundai Avante has cutting-edge safety tech such as Hyundai SmartSense software that covers drivers’ blind spots via sensors, cameras, alerts and alarms. Safety applications include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go.

 

Hyundai Elantra 1.6 (premiums from $811)

It’s no surprise that we have another Hyundai car on the list, this time an old compact car model, the Elantra, which cost about $80,000 in 2018. The Hyundai signature sedan boasts a suspension that can weather speed humps and keep the car on an even keel when cornering quickly.

Safety features
Hyundai is known for making some of the safest cars on the road, so both insurers and drivers have peace of mind. The Hyundai Elantra does well with its safety features, which include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, as well as blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert system, a pedestrian detection system, and adaptive cruise control.

 

Honda Shuttle 1.5 (premiums from $839)

The Japanese Honda Shuttle is priced about $90,000. It’s also known to be practical and reliable, which is why you’ll probably see quite a few Honda Shuttles on the road. It’s also a good family car as it is roomy both in the boot and in the interior (comfortable for people over 1.8m).

Safety features
Rest assured you and your family are safe with features such as the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies, the advanced G-Force control to dissipate the G-force of a crash, as well as emergency brake lights that automatically flash to warn oncoming vehicles during harsh braking.

 

KIA Cerato 1.6 (A) (premiums from $839)

The KIA Cerato prides itself as a smart and intuitive 4-door sedan that’s built around the user. Priced from $86,999, it boasts a spacious cabin with ample legroom and headroom.

Safety features
The body of the Cerato resists twisting forces to absorb jolts, thanks to advanced high-strength steel and hot-stamped steel. It also has electronic stability control, an anti-lock braking system, and hill-start assist control.

 

Hyundai Avante 1.6 S (A) (premiums from $843)

It’s the Hyundai Avante again, this time the 1.6S (A) instead of the Hyundai Avante 1.6 (A). The ‘S’ version is $94,999, which is slightly pricier than the above-mentioned model. The ‘S’ version is also slightly more “chio” than the normal version, with LED Daytime Running Lights with halogen headlamps (versus bulbs), a light bar with LEDs (versus bulbs), and different rims too.

Safety features
The Hyundai Avante 1.6S (A) has an advanced driver assistance system with features such as lane-keeping assist, forward collision avoidance, lane departure warning, driver’s attention warning, lane following assist and more.

 

Mitsubishi Attrage 1.2 (premiums from $843)

The Mitsubishi Attrage is yet another popular car with Singapore drivers. The compact sedan, priced from $75,999, has a sporty look, easy handling and an impressive fuel efficiency of 20.4km/L despite its 1.2L engine thanks to its lightweight and smooth aerodynamic shape.

Safety features
Packed in this Japanese car are a bunch of safety features, namely the anti-lock brake system, electronic brake-force distribution, a central locking system, an immobiliser system, active stability control, and hill-start assist. It also comes equipped with 6 airbags and Mitsubishi’s signature Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE), in which passengers are protected by a “shell” and the front and rear of the vehicle are made with bumpers and act as buffers during impact.

 

Subaru Forester 2.0i Premium (premiums from $843)

This SUV with 4-wheel drive is a hot family favourite on the road, for road trips out with the family, sporting adventures and more. Priced from $113,800, the car’s interior will fit 3 adults at the back with more-than-ample head and legroom. The 520L boot can also be expanded to 1,775L if you fold down the rear seats.

Safety features
The Subaru Forester has EyeSight, which is actually a suite of safety features. These include pre-collision braking (automatic braking up to 50km/h), lead vehicle start alert (when you’re replying to that urgent work message at a red light) and lane departure warning — often seen in more premium car models.

 

Nissan Sylphy 1.6 (premiums from $845)

This sleek Japanese car with generous cabin space is priced from $91,800, making it a good choice as a family car. Its 1.6L engine is also fuel efficient, and the car can support both normal and sport modes for a tailored driving experience.

Safety features
Nissan Sylphy’s “Safety Shield” concept is designed to provide protection to both the occupants and road users via front dual supplemental restraint system airbags, an anti-lock braking system, electronic brakeforce distribution, active head restraints to minimise the likelihood of whiplash, and zone body construction that both absorbs and disperses forces while protecting passengers. 

 

Honda Freed 1.5 G 7-Seater (A) (premiums from $863)

The Honda Freed is priced from $126,000, looks good despite it being an entry-level compact MPV. The 7-seater is also roomy, and its good turning radius makes manoeuvring and parking this car a cinch.

Safety features
The Honda Freed comes with Honda Sensing, a smart suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies. It also has quick-inflating SRS airbags, emergency brake lights to warn other motorists, and more.

 

Mazda 6 2.0 (A) C (premiums from $863)

Also on the list is the sophisticated Mazda 6, a family sedan known for its luxurious interior, good handling and quiet cabin. Priced from $119,888, the car’s Skyactiv-Vehicle Dynamics with G-Vectoring Control gives drivers a smoother, less fatiguing drive and seamless cornering.

Safety features
The Mazda 6 uses i-Activsense tech such as cameras and radar to enhance vehicle safety. Some of these features include rear cross traffic alert, a lane departure warning system, blind spot monitoring, dynamic stability control with a traction control system, and advanced smart city brake support (brakes are automatically applied if a vehicle or pedestrian is detected in front of the vehicle).

 

Stay protected, no matter which car you drive

If your dream car is not on this list, it doesn’t mean your car insurance premiums won’t still be affordable.

DirectAsia offers car insurance that can be customised to your needs, with additional options for even more coverage, such as 24 Hour Breakdown Assistance, NCD Protector Plus, Compensation for Loss of Use and more.

Get a quote for your personalised car insurance plan here.