Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
Cheapest Type of Car to Own
August 31, 2017
Smaller sedans are the cheapest type of car to own, according to a recent study by AAA. With an average annual cost of $6,354, they are nearly $4,000 less expensive to own per year than the most expensive segment - pickup trucks ($10,054 annual cost).
The study looked at the top-selling vehicles in each segment with selling prices under a certain amount, which means that Tesla was not included under electric vehicles even though they're one of the top selling electric models.
Check out the full break-down below, and read Consumer Reports summary for more information.
| CATEGORY | AVG ANNUAL COST | MODELS EVALUATED BY AAA |
|---|---|---|
| Small Sedans | $6,354 | Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla |
| Small SUVs | $7,606 | Ford Escape, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox, Nissan Rogue |
| Hybrids | $7,687 | Honda Accord Hybrid, Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Toyota Prius Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid |
| Medium Sedans | $8,171 | Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Malibu |
| Electric Vehicles | $8,439 | BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, Kia Soul, Fiat 500e, Chevrolet Bolt |
| Minivans | $9,146 | Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Kia Sedona, Dodge Grand Caravan, Nissan Quest |
| Large Sedans | $9,399 | Chrysler 300, Chevrolet Impala, Ford Taurus, Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima |
| Medium SUVs | $9,451 | Chevrolet Traverse, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer |
| Pickup Trucks | $10,054 | Ford F-150, Nissan Titan, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
December 2023
- Best 0% Finance Deals December 2023 Dec 07, 2023
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Dec 07, 2023
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Dec 07, 2023
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Dec 07, 2023
November 2023
- Biggest Price Drops on New Cars (Fall 2023) Nov 30, 2023
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Nov 30, 2023
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Nov 30, 2023
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Nov 30, 2023
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Nov 23, 2023
- Best Black Friday Car Deals Nov 23, 2023
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Nov 23, 2023
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Nov 23, 2023
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Nov 16, 2023
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Nov 16, 2023
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Nov 16, 2023
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Nov 09, 2023
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Nov 09, 2023
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Nov 09, 2023
- Best Car Deals by Category Nov 02, 2023
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Nov 02, 2023
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Nov 02, 2023
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
