Tesla Model Y insurance group: every UK trim and how it compares

The Tesla Model Y is in insurance groups 34 to 47 out of 50, depending on the trim. The £44,990 Rear-Wheel Drive is the cheapest Model Y to insure in group 34, and the £61,990 Performance sits highest in group 47.

Those groups are far lower than the group 45 to 50 ratings the earlier Model Y carried, and the entry car now sits below some cheaper Chinese rivals. Below is the group for each UK trim, how it compares with other electric car insurance groups, a worked example in pounds, and the mistakes that push a quote up.

What insurance group is each Tesla Model Y trim?

Every current Model Y trim sits between group 34 and group 47, with each step up the range adding groups. The table uses UK cash prices from 1 November 2026, as reported by EV Industry News, and the groups and WLTP ranges from Auto Express’s Model Y review. Two rivals either side of the Model Y’s price are included for comparison, with groups from BYD’s UK press site and Auto Express, and prices from the makers.

Car	List price	WLTP range	Insurance group	Other published figure
Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive	£44,990	314 miles	34	34 (EV Fleet World)
Tesla Model Y Premium Long Range RWD	£49,990	387 miles	39	39 (Zego)
Tesla Model Y Premium Long Range AWD	£52,990	391 miles	42	43 (Auto Express spec table)
Tesla Model Y Performance AWD	£61,990	360 miles	47	50 (Zego)
Geely EX5 SE	£31,990	267 miles	35D
BYD Sealion 7 Comfort RWD	£46,990	300 miles	45E

The Performance figure is the one to watch. Auto Express gives group 47, while Zego says the Performance stayed in group 50 when Thatcham Research re-rated the updated car. Insurers take the group as a recommendation, so the quote on your exact car settles it. For the Model 3 alongside the Model Y, our full list of Tesla insurance groups for every UK trim covers both cars.

Why is the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive in group 34?

Tesla built the entry car to reach it. EV Fleet World reported in December 2025 that the UK version, then called the Model Y Standard, was tailored with a reduced top speed and acceleration to achieve group 34, the lowest of any Tesla at the time. Auto Express says the car it replaced was in group 37.

The facelift also brought the Long Range cars down. Auto Express reports the Long Range RWD fell from group 45 to 39 and the dual-motor Long Range from 48 to 42. If you are weighing the five-group gap against the extra 73 miles of WLTP range, our comparison of the Model Y Standard and Premium sets out what else the upgrade brings.

How are electric car insurance groups set?

Groups run from 1 to 50 and are set by the ABI Group Rating panel, administered by Thatcham Research, according to the AA. The panel looks at four areas:

• damage repair and parts costs, including how long repairs take
• the new car’s value
• performance, meaning acceleration and top speed
• safety and security equipment, such as automatic emergency braking and anti-theft features

The same four areas apply to electric and petrol cars, but repairs weigh against electric ones. What Car? cites Thatcham Research data putting EV repair costs about a quarter higher than for petrol equivalents, with repair times about 14% longer. Our list of the cheapest electric cars to insure shows the models that still reach low groups.

The letter after the number is a security rating. Auto Express explains that E means the car exceeds the security requirement for its type, so its group was lowered; A is acceptable; D means it falls short, so its group was raised; and P is provisional because there was too little data at launch. So the Sealion 7’s 45E has already been lowered for security, and the Geely EX5’s 35D has been raised.

A newer system now runs alongside groups. Motoring Research reported that Thatcham’s Vehicle Risk Rating went live in September 2024, scoring cars from 1 to 99 on performance, damageability, repairability, safety and security, with cars dual rated for 18 months. Unlike a group, which is fixed at launch, a Vehicle Risk Rating can change as new data comes in.

How does the Model Y compare with rival electric SUVs?

The entry Model Y is in a lower group than both rivals in the table. The BYD Sealion 7 Comfort costs £2,000 more than the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive and sits 11 groups higher at 45E. The Geely EX5 SE costs £13,000 less yet sits one group higher at 35D, partly because of that security penalty.

On paper that makes the Model Y the easiest of the three to insure, but a group is not a quote. Auto Express got a quote of £1,457 for the group 34 Model Y and £750 for a Kia EV5 in group 42: about half as much for a car eight groups higher. Admiral notes that the group might not be the only vehicle factor an insurance company uses. Before you rule a rival in or out, read our Model Y vs BYD Sealion 7 comparison and get quotes on both.

What does insurance cost against charging? A worked UK example

For a driver covering 10,000 miles a year in a Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive, insurance is likely to be a bigger bill than electricity. By EV Compared’s calculation, charging that car at home costs about £130 a year on Intelligent Octopus Go.

Method: 314 WLTP miles ÷ 63 kWh battery (Auto Express’s estimate, because Tesla does not publish the battery size) = 5.0 miles per kWh; 10,000 miles ÷ 5.0 = 2,006 kWh; × 6.5p/kWh = £130. Charging losses are ignored, as set out on our methodology page. On the same method:

• home charging at the 26.32p/kWh price cap rate (October to December 2026) costs £528 a year, or 5.3p a mile
• public rapid charging only, at 82p/kWh (Zapmap price index, October 2026), costs £1,645 a year, or 16.5p a mile
• the off-peak home rate works out at 1.3p a mile

Set against Auto Express’s £1,457 sample quote, the off-peak charging bill is about an eleventh of the insurance. Even the £693 median premium from MoneySuperMarket is about five times it. Only a driver who relies entirely on rapid chargers spends more on electricity than on that sample quote. Our guide to what it costs to charge a Tesla covers Supercharger rates and tariffs in more detail.

Zego’s estimates for a representative driver show how the group feeds through: £650 to £950 a year for the group 34 car, £900 to £1,400 for the group 39 Long Range RWD and £1,000 to £1,500 for the group 42 Long Range AWD. Zego adds that drivers under 25 often pay two to three times those figures.

Common mistakes when insuring a Model Y

Quoting the wrong version. Comparison sites still list the pre-facelift cars, and MoneySuperMarket rates the earlier Model Y RWD in group 46, the Long Range RWD in 45, the Long Range AWD in 48 and the Performance in 50. Enter the registration rather than picking from a list, or the old RWD’s rating could put you 12 groups above the car you own.

Assuming a used Model Y is cheaper to insure. A cheaper pre-facelift car can sit far above a new one; the old Long Range AWD is six groups above today’s Premium Long Range AWD. If you are shopping second-hand, our guide to what to check when buying a used Tesla includes getting a quote on the exact car first.

Treating the group as the price. The Kia EV5 example above shows a car eight groups higher quoted at half the price. Zego suggests comparing at least four providers on identical cover.

Ignoring repair-related cover. Zego estimates sensor recalibration after a repair at £500 to £1,500 a claim. Check the policy’s courtesy car terms and whether a home wallbox is covered; for wallbox questions, Best Chargers is the place to look.

Which Model Y should you choose if insurance matters?

Choose the Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive. At group 34 it is the lowest-rated Model Y and in a lower group than the BYD Sealion 7 Comfort or the Geely EX5 SE, and it is also the cheapest trim at £44,990. This view rests on published groups and quotes; EV Compared has not insured or driven these cars.

The Premium Long Range RWD suits drivers who need the extra range and accept five more groups. The Performance suits few cost-conscious buyers: it is 13 groups above the entry car, and one published source still puts it at group 50. Young drivers in particular should get a quote for the Performance before ordering.

If the premium you are quoted is still too high, our ranking of the best Tesla alternatives in the UK lists rivals to quote against, and every model and price is on our Tesla UK hub.