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 |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, CarsDirect, and Ryde Shopper are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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

Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
April 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Apr 15, 2021
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars Apr 15, 2021
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Apr 15, 2021
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Apr 15, 2021
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Apr 08, 2021
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Apr 08, 2021
- Best 0% Finance Deals March 2021 Apr 08, 2021
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Apr 08, 2021
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Apr 01, 2021
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Apr 01, 2021
- New Cars You Should Wait to Buy Apr 01, 2021
- Luxury Lease Deals Under $500/mo Apr 01, 2021
March 2021
- Best Car Deals by Category Mar 25, 2021
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Mar 25, 2021
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Mar 25, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Mar 25, 2021
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Mar 18, 2021
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Mar 18, 2021
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Mar 18, 2021
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Mar 11, 2021
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Mar 04, 2021
- Biggest Discounts on Leftover Models Mar 04, 2021
December 2020
- Best End of Year Car Deals Dec 31, 2020
- Real Prices of Midsize Luxury Cars Dec 24, 2020
- Real Prices of Small Luxury SUVs Dec 17, 2020
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!