As we’ve talked about many times before, there are any number of factors that will contribute to your auto insurance premium rates. What you may not realize is the pecking order that comes with those factors. Traditionally, it’s been the assumption of many that the most important factor in determining your auto insurance premiums would be the make, model and year of the vehicle that’s being insured. According to a recent report, however, that may not actually be the case.

The report took a look at the most expensive vehicles to cover with auto insurance as well as the least expensive vehicles to cover. While the make, model and year of the vehicle is indeed a factor, the fact is that the age of the driver actually plays a much more significant role, in terms of percentages, than any information about the vehicle.

Take, for example, the Mitsubishi Lancer. The Lancer is probably the most iconic on the list of top vehicles to insure, with its sporty look making an appearance in the movie “Fast and Furious.” The Scion tC, Hyundai Tiburon and the Subaru Impreza WRX are some of the other vehicles at the top of the list in terms of auto insurance premium rates. All of these vehicles tend to be purchased and driven by younger drivers, and they tend to be driven in a more reckless way.

The one exception at the top of the list is the Cadillac Escalade EXT, which was actually the most expensive vehicle to insure, according to the report. This vehicle is the number one target of thieves, which creates a serious problem for the insurance companies.

Interestingly enough, the bottom five vehicles tell a different tale. They include cars like the Buick Rendezvous and the Honda Odyssey, which are vehicles that are mostly driven by an older demographic. According to the report, those older drivers are likely to be more responsible and cautious than the younger drivers.

When you add in the statistics, you begin to see a significant pattern. Not only are vehicles driven by a younger demographic going to cost more to insure out of the gate, but when younger individuals buy auto insurance their premium rates are going to be much higher than older individuals.

For a younger person to save money on their auto insurance, one of the best things they can do is to pick a vehicle that isn’t at the top of the list. A young person can mitigate the high cost of auto insurance, to some degree, by driving a car that’s not as expensive to insure.