While cover for young and inexperienced motorists is still eye-wateringly expensive when compared with premiums paid by older drivers, costs have gone down year-on-year.

In the first eight months of 2019, the average comprehensive car insurance premium for a 17-24-year-old was £1,453, down from £1,519 for the same period a year before, according to GoCompare.

However, young drivers can reduce their insurance costs further by choosing the cheapest car to insure.

Research by GoCompare shows the Volkswagen Up! is the least expensive option for less experienced motorists, with an average policy costing £888.

The next cheapest is the Citroen C1, with the average premium coming in at £903.

The Skoda Citigo, Vauxhall Adam, Fiat 500 and Peugeot 107 also all feature in the 10 cheapest cars for young drivers to insure (see below for full table).

Lee Griffin, chief executive of GoCompare, said: “Sensible cars with smaller engines are generally a better option for new drivers but don’t assume that because a car is in the lowest insurance group, it will always be the cheapest to insure. It doesn’t always work like that.

“Combining the right car with other money-saving tips such as selecting a telematics, or ‘black box’ policy and adding someone with an established safe driving history to your policy as a named driver can also help to keep the costs of car insurance down.

“Treating yourself to a hot hatch or sports car is best left until you’ve gained a few years of experience behind the wheel and avoided any accidents.”

10 cheapest cars for young drivers to insure