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
February 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Feb 20, 2026
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Feb 20, 2026
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Feb 20, 2026
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Feb 20, 2026
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Feb 12, 2026
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Feb 12, 2026
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars February 2026 Feb 12, 2026
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Feb 12, 2026
- Best 0% Finance Deals February 2026 Feb 05, 2026
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared February 2026 Feb 05, 2026
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Feb 05, 2026
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Feb 05, 2026
January 2026
- Best Car Deals by Category Jan 23, 2026
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Jan 23, 2026
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Jan 23, 2026
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Jan 23, 2026
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Jan 15, 2026
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Jan 09, 2026
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!



