Why does a Scion tC cost more to insure than a Scion FR-S?

Without seeing the actual quotes prepared by your insurance company, it isn't possible to say exactly why one quote was higher than the other. However, after doing a little bit of research on the aforementioned cars, there are a few reasons that seem possible for the price difference.

Although the Scion FR-S is considered to be a sport vehicle, there are multiple aspects of the Scion tC that would make it more costly to insure. For beginners, the tC is actually a larger vehicle than the FR-S and has a larger engine, as well. Even though the sportier FR-S boasts more horsepower, the tC has an engine that's almost 500 CC larger (1,998 CC on the FR-S versus a 2,494 CC on the tC) and stands five inches taller, ten inches longer, and over three hundred pounds heavier than its counterpart.

The differences may seem small, but larger vehicles often tend to cost more to insure since they can cause more damage in an accident. Being a larger, heavier, and more powerful vehicle than the FR-S, these are all reasons the Scion tC could cost more to insure. It also appears that the FR-S has a better safety rating than the tC. This is another contributing factor that insurance companies take into account when calculating their rates.

Every insurer weighs rating factors differently. By looking at the quotes you received, you should be able to compare the liability, collision, and comprehensive amounts between cars to see where the majority of the price variance lies. If your insurer is more concerned about the cost of damage to other property in the event of an accident, you'll see the liability costs are higher. However, if the insurance company's priority lies with the cost to replace or repair damage to the insured car itself, you will see the collision and/or comprehensive amounts are more expensive.

It does seem logical that the Scion FR-S would cost more to insure because it costs more to buy. But, prices vary among retailers so this isn't always a great indicator of insurance cost. You can always ask your insurance agent for more details about why there was such a discrepancy in the two quotes. However, insurance rating information is proprietary so he or she may not be able to give you as many details as you would like.

Keep in mind that the prices you received from your current auto insurance company are not necessarily indicative of the available prices from all insurers. It is entirely possible that if you were to get quotes from other companies, you could find that the price difference is minimal or favors the FR-S instead. Again, it all depends on how the individual insurer weighs their rating factors.