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Something European would probably help as the parts are likely to be cheaper which helps you when it comes to maintenance and also lowers the insurance as if you were involved in an accident, the reparation costs would be cheaper.
Always check insurance groups when considering a car, Parkers give a good index to this (although it cannot be relied upon for 100% accuracy) - the lower the group, the cheaper the insurance.
Typically you should be looking at small cars e.g. ford fiesta (mazda 121 is the same car but more expensive to insure), citroen saxo/ax, renault clio, peugeot 106/206/306, vw polo/lupo, fiat seicento/cinquento/punto (hate them), toyota starlet, seat arosa (fairly recent addition to range so more expensive e.g. <�2500
I've just found the information I was looking to post when I first read this question:
"Lower Group Cars
Some examples of cars that will be cheap to insure:
The Seat Arosa ranges from groups 2 to 3.
The Renault Clio ranges from groups 3 to 7.
The Ford Focus ranges from groups 4 to 8.
The VW Polo ranges from groups 3 to 10.
The Vauxhall Astra ranges from groups 4 to 11.
The Renault Espace ranges from groups 11 to 14.
And here are examples of cars in other categories � maybe you�ll recognise your car or the car you are considering buying!
Middle Group Cars
The Ford Fiesta 1.6, 16v, Si is group 8.
Citroen Saxo 1.6i VTR is group 7.
Rover 214i 16-valve is group 6.
Peugeot 306 1.8 XS is group 7.
Higher Group Cars
The Audi A3 ranges from groups 9 to 18.
Jaguar S type ranges from groups 14 to 19.
E series ranges from groups 14 to 20.
BMW 3 series ranges 11 to 20.
BMW 5 series ranges from 14 to 19.
Highest Group Cars
BMW M series are group 20.
Aston Martins are group 20.
Audi TT ranges from 17 to 18.
Ferraris are group 20.
Porsche 911s are group 20. ...
Damage and Parts Costs: The likely extent of damage to each car model and the cost of the parts involved in its repair. The lower these costs, the more likelihood there is of a lower group rating.
Repair Times: Longer repair times mean higher costs and the greater likelihood of a higher group rating. Different paint finishes on modern cars are an important factor. These, too, are taken into account.
New Car Values: The prices of new cars identify the higher specification models within a model range.
Body Shells: The availability of body shells (the basic frame of the car) is taken into account in group ratings because they are essential for certain accidental damage repairs.
Performance: Acceleration and top speed are important factors. Insurers know very well, from their claims statistics, that high performance cars often result in more frequent insurance claims.
Car Security: Security features fitted as standard equipment by motor manufacturers can help to reduce insurance claims costs. Such features include high security door locks, alarm/immobilisation systems, glass etching, coded audio equipment, locking devices for alloy wheels and visible VIN numbers.