Sedans Dominate Gen Z's Top Insurance Quote Models

Families shopping for a young driver's first car should compare insurance quotes on the specific models they are considering before buying.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Car Types

Consumer data from more than 58 million U.S. auto insurance quotes ranked sedans as eight of Gen Z's top 10 models, led by the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Are you planning to buy a sedan rather than an SUV for your next vehicle?

An analysis of more than 58 million U.S. auto insurance rate quotes ranked sedans as eight of Generation Z's top 10 vehicle models. The Honda Civic, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry placed first through third, while no SUV appeared in the Gen Z top 10.

Why it matters

For households with teen or young-adult drivers, the models that generate insurance quote activity offer a snapshot of which vehicles younger drivers are looking at, which can inform budgeting for a first car. The ranking reflects quote applications rather than purchases, so it shows interest in models rather than what Gen Z actually owns.

Insurance quote data covering more than 58 million applications placed Honda and Toyota sedans at the top of the Gen Z list. New compact cars averaged $27,977 in September 2026, against $37,614 for compact SUVs.

The players

Ford Motor Company

Detroit-based automaker known for the F-Series pickup, one of the two trucks in the Gen Z top 10.

Honda

Japanese automaker whose Civic and Accord took the first and second spots in the Gen Z quote ranking.

Toyota

Japanese automaker whose Camry ranked third among Generation Z's most-quoted vehicle models.

The details

The ranking was built from vehicle models attached to U.S. auto insurance rate quote applications, grouped by the birth years that define Generation Z (1997 through 2012). Pickups from Ford and Chevrolet filled the remaining two top-10 spots. A separate opt-in online survey of 1,054 U.S. teens ages 14 to 19, conducted October 6-23, 2025, found that 51% imagined driving a sedan, 31% an SUV and 14% a truck.

October 6-23, 2025: Teen driving-preference survey conducted
January 2026: Ford CEO Jim Farley commented on the company's direction at the Detroit auto show
September 2026: New compact car and SUV average prices reported
September 30, 2026: Insurance quote ranking published

The Home Front

In the same insurance-quote analysis, SUVs held two millennial top-10 spots, three Gen X spots and five baby boomer spots, so Generation Z's sedan-heavy list marks a sharp break from that pattern. Compact-car prices rose 3.2% year over year while compact SUVs eased 0.4%, a gap that shapes what first-time buyers can afford.

If you are budgeting for a teen or young adult's first car, compare insurance quotes on the specific models you are considering, since the ranking shows which vehicles drive quote activity. Compact-car prices are running below compact SUVs by roughly $9,600 on average, so price the vehicle type as well as the model before you commit.

The takeaway

Sedans lead Generation Z's vehicle interest and cost less on average than compact SUVs, which makes them a practical starting point for a first car. Before shopping, request insurance quotes on the specific models you're considering, since premiums can vary by model.