Up or down? Tracking the values of our top 10 most insured cars

The first generation Ford Mustang will never stop being cool. It’s one of those evergreen classics that has enjoyed a youthful and sporty image from the very beginning. It’s also Hagerty’s most popular car in terms of number insured, so they make up a huge part of the market. First-gen Mustangs are currently keeping pace with the broader market. Aside from particular strength in the private market over the last few months, the metrics making up the rating for the Mustang are right in the middle.

In all measures, C3 Corvettes are trailing the market. Hagerty Price Guide values for the later urethane-bumper C3s have dropped, and private sales activity has been particularly weak over the past few months.

The rivalry between the Mustang and the Camaro is almost as famous as the cars themselves, and in terms of the latest Hagerty Vehicle Rating, the Mustang currently has a slight edge. First generation Camaros have seen a small jump in the number of insurance policies added, but they currently trail the original pony car.

Generally speaking, 1950s cars haven’t been performing all that well in the market, and that includes what might be the most recognizable ‘50s car of them all—the 1955-57 Bel Air. Younger buyers aren’t expressing much interest in these cars, so as owners exit the market demand continues weakening. Right now, Bel Airs lag behind the rest of the market in most measures, although prices have remained strong on the private market.

Chevelles have one of the highest ratings out of these 10 vehicles, but all of the car’s market strength comes from high prices on the private market. All of the Chevelle’s other metrics that make up the overall rating are middle of the road.

Many people believe the second-generation (C2) is the most iconic Corvette. That seems to remain the case, as the rating for C2s is at a very healthy 70 compared to sub-50 ratings for both the C3 and C4. Most metrics for C2s are up, particularly for quote activity and the private market.

Late last year, we noted that the Hagerty Vehicle Rating for C4 Corvettes had seen one of the biggest drops of any car in 2016. The picture doesn’t seem to be improving in 2017, either. All measures for C4s are down but this is especially true for quote activity, which shows a continued decline in interest as many former C4 buyers are probably now looking to the later C5s.

The vintage trucks segment has been growing for a few years now, and the big Scottsdale Auction Week results for trucks indicate that growth is still strong. All measures of buyer interest are up for 1967-72 C/K Pickups, and these trucks lead the rest of the market on both the auction and private markets.

Because of their quirks, rugged simplicity and massive production numbers, Beetles make up another big chunk of the classic car market. Typically, they’re also quite cheap, which among their other merits makes them great entry-level classics. Interest in Beetles is actually rising, with strength in both the auction and private markets as well as a sizable move upward in Hagerty Price Guide values.

Interest in second generation Camaros was growing over the past few years. Now though, it seems to be slowing down, as every metric of the Hagerty Vehicle Rating for these cars shows them trailing the rest of the market. The lowest metric is the measure of interest through insurance quote activity.