Top superminis in crash tests

When you are searching around for a new car, there are a few things that are important to take into account. Firstly, your budget. It is all very well scrimping and saving to afford the initial outlay for a car but if you choose a model with ludicrously high specs, you will have zero chance of getting a cheap car insurance deal - even from a women's car insurance company.

If you want to find out how much a certain model will cost you in terms of your motor insurance, it is worth getting a car insurance quote before you buy. This way, you won't commit yourself to living without cheap car insurance if it is something you aren't prepared to do.

Another vital thing to think about when you are purchasing a new car is safety. Car makes and models vary quite a lot in terms of safety features so it is well worth researching to find out what will protect you best in the event of an accident.

In order to make this easier for you, the ladies at CoverGirl Car Insurance Services have picked out five superminis which have excelled in NCAP testing, all gaining five stars for adult occupant protection. We have also thoughtfully provided you with some information about the chances of getting cheap car insurance for each model.

Vauxhall Corsa (2007)
The 2007 Vauxhall Corsa has proven to be quite a hit with the UK motoring community, having been named "Best Supermini" and "Car of the Year" at the What Car? 2007 awards. It has an excellent array of safety features, including ABS with EBD, Straight Line Stability Control and Cornering Brake Control. An insurance group rating of 2E means that you can even enjoy very cheap car insurance with this car.

It scored very well in NCAP testing, gaining 5 stars for adult occupant protection, 4 stars for pedestrian protection and 3 stars for child protection. Crash tests showed that the Vauxhall Corsa offers excellent protection from side impacts (scoring 100%) and very good protection from frontal impacts (94%). However, a bottomed out driver's airbag in the test car did bring the driver's head and chest protection down to an average rating.

Peugeot 207 (2006)
Most fans of the Peugeot 206 will be pleased with the Peugeot 207 as its successor. Described as a 'brilliant all rounder', it has scope both as a young driver's car and as a vehicle for a small family. It has most of the standard electronic stopping devices, although Stability Control is not installed as standard in most of the models. The amount you pay for car insurance for a Peugeot 207 depends very much on the specs of your car, with ratings varying between group 3 and 11.

The Peugeot 207 did well when tested by NCAP, when it was given 5 stars for adult occupant protection, 2 stars for pedestrian protection and 4 stars for child protection. It scored an impressive 94% for both side and frontal impacts, although NCAP researchers commented that there may be a hazard for the driver's knees and femurs because of some dashboard structures. It was also noted that the rear ISOFIX anchorages were not very visible, although this was a relatively minor complaint.

Renault Clio (2005)
The Renault Clio, which was named in 2006 as "Supermini of the Year" by What Car?, is a stylish little car with an excellent level of safety. It features Generation 8 Bosch ABS, as well as Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Electronic Brake Assist as standard, which backs up Renault's statement that "with Renault you don't just get uniquely interesting cars; you get uniquely safe ones too." Depending on how souped up your Renault Clio is, you could also get cheap car insurance, as it starts at group 2.

It did well for adult occupant protection and child protection in the NCAP safety tests, scoring 5 and 4 stars respectively, although came up short with just 1 star for pedestrian protection. It was given a very respectable 88% for frontal impact protection, whilst its side impact protection system scored a full 100%. It has a padded steering column to protect occupants' knees and legs, although the NCAP tests did find there could still be some risk from the column and the glove box lid.

Toyota Yaris (2005)
The Toyota Yaris shot to fame and popularity following its 1999 launch and is now one of Toyota's best-selling models. Anti-lock brakes come as standard, as well as up to 9 airbags (depending on the specs you choose.) Cheap car insurance is something that nearly every Toyota Yaris owner is able to enjoy, as it qualifies for between insurance group 1 and 4.

Another winner in the NCAP testing charts, the Toyota Yaris was awarded 5 stars for adult occupant protection, 2 stars for pedestrian protection and 3 stars for child protection. It scored 94% for frontal impact protection and 100% for side impact protection thanks for the Minimal Intrusion Cabin System. NCAP also noted it offered good knee and femur protection for both driver and front passenger, although the status of the airbags was not clear enough.

Fiat Punto (2005)
As a model which has been on UK roads since 1994, the Fiat Punto is a very familiar sight to every motorist. Featuring ABS and intelligent airbag deployment, it is also one of the safest superminis on the market. Owners of Fiat Puntos can enjoy cut-price motoring too, as it qualifies for cheap car insurance with its rating of between group 3 and 4.

The Fiat Punto was awarded five stars for adult occupant protection, 3 stars for pedestrian protection and 3 stars for child protection by NCAP. Its testing revealed that it provided good protection for the driver's head and lower legs, there may be a risk of knee injury from structures around the steering column. Its level of pedestrian protection makes it one of the best cars in this area, however.

Fantastic cheap car insurance deals
At CoverGirl Car Insurance Services, we know that you don't just want your car to be full of features - you need the same from your motor insurance policy. This has prompted us to design our cheap car insurance so that it is top of the range for women drivers.

Just some of the brilliant features you get with us include reduced legal expenses insurance, a free replacement car should you be involved in an accident, and the opportunity to purchase value breakdown cover along with a cheap car insurance policy.

We offer all this for a whole load less than a lot of the other motor insurance companies out there. This is because we offer cheap car insurance for women only - we don't think you should have to pay for men's very expensive mistakes. However, we will make an exception to our "no cover for men" rule if you want a man as a named driver on your car insurance policy.

If you want to find out how much we can save you on motor insurance for your new supermini, don't delay- click the button below for a cheap car insurance quote now.

*A replacement car can normally be arranged under one of the following conditions: (1) Comprehensive policyholders – a replacement car may be available under the terms of your insurance policy. Please check your policy details for more information. (2) Non fault accident – where we have the name, car registration number and insurance details of the person who caused the accident, we can supply a replacement car. This is done on a credit hire basis which means the costs for this service will be passed onto the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. We may not be able to arrange a replacement car where we are unable to get an admission of liability from their insurance company, or where the driver is untraceable or uninsured. (3) Repair garage – if your car is booked in for repairs following an accident, the repair garage may be able to provide a replacement car (subject to availability).