- A study ranked 50 new cars by what they cost to own each year.
- The Porsche 911 topped the list at nearly $11,000 annually.
- Interestingly, average hybrids are cheaper to run than the average EV.
Cheap to buy and cheap to own are two different things, and the gap between them is where most new car shoppers get caught out. If you’re shopping in the US and want something that costs almost nothing to keep on the road, there’s one clear winner: the Fiat 500e. Yes, the pint-sized three-door electric hatchback that virtually nobody is buying happens to be the cheapest new car in America to live with.
Fiat moved 150 of them in the first half of the year, down 81 percent from the 788 it managed over the same stretch in 2025, a figure that was hardly worth celebrating in the first place.
A recent study from Self.Inc set out to determine the average running costs of 50 popular new cars sold across the country. We’re not sure how these 50 were selected, but the results show that the 500e has annual running costs of just $3,557, easily beating the next-most-affordable option, the Honda Civic Hybrid, with average annual costs of $4,833.
Read: Dealers Can’t Move The 500e At $15,000 Off. Fiat’s Response Is A $5,200 Price Hike
A key reason for the 500e’s affordability is its efficiency. The car is small and, on average, costs $779 to charge. Average annual insurance at $779 is also well below the industry average, and annual maintenance of $1,275 is also low. Annual fees and taxes of $724 are higher than some of the competition, but that’s not enough to outdo the other savings.
Average Running Costs By Brand
Sources: Self
Positioned in a surprising third place was the Hyundai Elantra N with average annual running costs of $4,904. We’re not sure how the Elantra N made the list, as opposed to the standard Elantra, particularly given it can use quite a lot of fuel when driven as most N owners drive. Nonetheless, the average maintenance cost is low at just $1,278, which helps.
Other affordable cars to run in the US include the Nissan Versa at $4,949 in annual costs, the Toyota Camry Hybrid at $5,031, the Honda Accord HEV at $5,047, and the gas-powered Honda Civic at $5,062. Included in the affordable options are also the Mini Cooper, Kia K4, and Mazda3.
What About The Most Expensive?
At the other end of the spectrum are some very expensive cars to run. The Porsche 911 was listed as the most expensive car to run, with average annual costs of $10,832, positioning it ahead of the Audi RS7 at $10,334, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing at $10,265, the Chevrolet Corvette at $10,213, and the Lucid Air at $10,049, primarily due to high insurance fees for the luxurious electric sedan.
Compared to the last time the study was conducted in 2024, average annual fuel costs have fallen from $2,246 to $1,727. While this is good news for car buyers, annual insurance costs have jumped from $1,763 to $2,219, and annual maintenance costs are also up from $1,633 to $1,817. Annual fees and taxes have also increased from $820 to $1,151.
The study also sheds light on differences in ownership costs among EVs, gas-powered vehicles, and hybrids. After analyzing each of the 50 models, hybrids came out on top with average annual running costs of $5,734, less than the $6,189 for EVs, primarily due to cheaper insurance, fees, and taxes. Gas-powered vehicles came last, with an average cost of $7,025.
Top 20 Least-Expensive New Cars To Run In The US
Top 20 Most Expensive New Cars To Run In The US
