The cost of auto insurance premiums can vary by hundreds ofdollars, depending on what type of vehicle you have, where you liveand who insures it. Fortunately, in an effort to help you comparerates, Insure.com conducts an annual ranking ofthe cost to insure vehicles by comparing auto insurancerates in every state for more than 2,300 models from six majorinsurance companies.

This year, the top 10 least expensive list has some repeatwinners, a new number one, and a surprising number 10.

Premium factors

When buying a car, it’s important to consider the price ofinsurance, since that’s a cost that you’ll have for as long as youhave the car. And a large number of factors play a role indetermining each model's insurance rates.

According to the New York City-based Insurance Informaton Institute, variablesinclude the likelihood of theft, the cost of the car itself ismajor rate factor, the cost of repairs, and the overall safetyrecord of the car. Engine sizes, even among the same makes andmodels, can also impact insurance premiums. Cars with high qualitysafety equipment might qualify for premium discounts.

Insurers not only look at how safe the car is to drive and howwell it protects occupants, they also look at the potential damagea car can inflict on another car. If a specific car has a higherchance of inflicting damage on another car and its occupants, someinsurers may charge more for liability insurance.

About the rankings

Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services tocalculate average auto insurance rates for 2016 models. Averageswere calculated using data from six large carriers (Allstate,Farmers, Geico, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm) in 10 ZIPcodes per state.

Averages are based on full coverage for a single 40-year-oldmale who commutes 12 miles to work each day, with policy limits of100/300/50 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000for all injuries and $50,000 for property damage in an accident)and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. Thishypothetical driver has a clean record and good credit. The rateincludes uninsured motorist coverage.

A wide variety of vehicles in the top 10 means there’sa low-cost insurance option for consumers’ varying needs.Here are the 10 least expensive 2016 models to insure:

Nissan PRO-4X King Cab in Lava Red off-roading. (Photo:NissanUSA.com)

10. Nissan Frontier S King Cab Pickup

Average annual premium: $1,204

The Nissan Frontier S King cab is the first truck to make theleast expensive list.

(Photo: Jeep.com)

9. Jeep Cherokee Sport Utility 2WD

Average annual premium: $1,203

(Photo: Buick.com)

8. Buick Encore Sport Tour 2WD

Average annual premium: $1,200

(Photo: Ford.com)

7. Ford Escape S 2WD

Average annual premium: $1,194

(Photo: Jeep.com)

6. Jeep Compass Sport 2WD

Average annual premium: $1,190

(Photo: Jeep.com)

5. Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD

Average annual premium: $1,181

(Photo: Jeep.com)

4. Jeep Patriot Sport 2WD

Average annual premium: $1,180

(Photo: Dodge.com)

3. Dodge Grand Caravan AVP 2WD

Average annual premium: $1,174

(Photo: Honda.com)

2. Honda CR-V LX

Average annual premium: $1,170

(Photo: Honda.com)

1. Honda Odyssey LX

Average annual premium: $1,113

The Odyssey has a five-star crash rating from the National Highway TrafficSafety Administration and is relatively inexpensive torepair.

Don't forget, the vehicle insurance amounts vary greatly bystate. The average annual policy in the country for the HondaOdyssey costs an average of $1,113; it would cost the same driver$651 in Maine and a whopping $2,387 in Michigan, according toInsure.com.

Related: 48 safest vehicles for 2016

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