MotiveGrid Ownership Cost Index · July 2026
What it really costs to own a car in 2026.
The true five-year cost of every vehicle MotiveGrid tracks — depreciation, fuel or charging, insurance, maintenance, tires, registration, and loan interest — computed with one consistent model from primary-source data, not estimated.
81 vehicles · figures computed 2026-07-06 · gas & electricity prices as of 2026-05-25 (AAA / EIA)
01 — Key findings
10 findings from the data.
Each figure below is computed from the full table — quote it with a link to this page.
- 01Across the 81 vehicles MotiveGrid tracks, the average new car costs $60,633 to own over five years — about $1,011 a month, or $33 a day.
- 02The cheapest vehicle in the index is the 2026 Toyota Corolla at $33,812 over five years; the most expensive, the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS, costs $103,746 — 3.1 times as much.
- 03Depreciation is the single largest ownership cost: on average it accounts for 38% of a vehicle's five-year cost — more than fuel or charging, insurance, or maintenance.
- 04The average vehicle's five-year ownership cost equals 128% of its sticker price — depreciation, fuel or charging, insurance, maintenance, tires, registration, and loan interest included.
- 05The average electric vehicle costs $810 a year to charge at home, versus $2,808 a year to fuel the average gas vehicle — a gap of $9,990 over five years.
- 06Electric vehicles also average $279 a year in maintenance, versus $548 for gas vehicles.
- 07At current AAA gas and EIA electricity prices, charging the average electric vehicle at home is cheaper per mile than fueling the average gas car in all 50 US states and DC.
- 08The 15 hybrids in the index average $48,198 over five years — $14,685 less than the average gas vehicle, a gap that reflects both fuel efficiency and the fact that the hybrids on sale skew toward smaller, cheaper vehicle classes.
- 09The average vehicle costs $2,679 a year to insure. The cheapest to insure is the 2026 Honda HR-V at $1,870 a year; the most expensive is the 2026 Lucid Gravity at $4,888.
- 10Among the 26 compact SUVs in the index, the median five-year ownership cost is $50,167; the cheapest is the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt at $38,586.
02 — By vehicle type
Median five-year cost by segment.
| Segment | Vehicles | Median 5-year cost | Cheapest in segment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midsize trucks | 3 | $47,726 | 2026 Ford Ranger — $47,669 |
| Compact SUVs | 26 | $50,167 | 2027 Chevrolet Bolt — $38,586 |
| Sedans | 18 | $55,362 | 2026 Toyota Corolla — $33,812 |
| Midsize SUVs | 11 | $63,244 | 2026 Mazda CX-50 — $46,039 |
| Three-row SUVs | 16 | $67,399 | 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander — $47,809 |
| Full-size trucks | 7 | $80,154 | 2026 Toyota Tundra — $66,953 |
03 — The full index
All 81 vehicles, ranked by five-year cost.
Click a column to re-sort. Each vehicle is measured at its representative trim — the same configuration our rankings score — so these figures match every other page on the site.
81 of 81 vehicles
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026 Toyota Corolla Corolla LE Hybrid (AWD • 1.8L Hybrid) · Sedans · Hybrid | $26,375 | $33,812 | $564 | $9,020 | $7,319 |
| 2 | 2026 Honda Civic Civic Sport (FWD • 2.0L Gas) · Sedans · Gas | $26,695 | $35,622 | $594 | $8,142 | $9,904 |
| 3 | 2026 Toyota Prius Prius XLE (FWD • 2.0L Hybrid) · Sedans · Hybrid | $31,995 | $37,821 | $630 | $12,094 | $6,478 |
| 4 | 2027 Chevrolet Bolt LT · Compact SUVs · Electric | $27,800 | $38,586 | $643 | $16,124 | $3,824 |
| 5 | 2026 Hyundai Elantra Elantra SEL Sport Premium (FWD • 2.0L Gas) · Sedans · Gas | $25,075 | $38,602 | $643 | $10,381 | $9,904 |
| 6 | 2026 Honda HR-V HR-V Sport (FWD) · Compact SUVs · Gas | $28,300 | $39,357 | $656 | $9,113 | $12,026 |
| 7 | 2026 Honda CR-V CR-V Sport Hybrid (FWD • 2.0L Hybrid) · Compact SUVs · Hybrid | $35,630 | $39,535 | $659 | $10,867 | $8,422 |
| 8 | 2026 Toyota RAV4 RAV4 XLE (AWD • 2.5L Hybrid) · Compact SUVs · Hybrid | $36,100 | $40,551 | $676 | $10,469 | $9,301 |
| 9 | 2026 Honda Accord Accord Sport Hybrid (FWD • 2.0L Hybrid) · Sedans · Hybrid | $33,795 | $40,641 | $677 | $12,774 | $7,652 |
| 10 | 2026 Chevrolet Trax 1RS · Compact SUVs · Gas | $23,100 | $41,031 | $684 | $12,335 | $11,225 |
| 11 | 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Crosstrek Sport (AWD) · Compact SUVs · Gas | $30,625 | $41,723 | $695 | $10,780 | $11,610 |
| 12 | 2026 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid Prius Plug-in Hybrid XSE (FWD • 2.0L PHEV) · Sedans · Plug-in hybrid | $37,025 | $41,741 | $696 | $14,032 | $5,733 |
| 13 | 2026 Toyota Camry Camry XLE (FWD • 2.5L Hybrid) · Sedans · Hybrid | $34,500 | $42,722 | $712 | $12,972 | $8,659 |
| 14 | 2026 Hyundai Sonata Sonata SEL Hybrid (FWD • 2.0L Hybrid) · Sedans · Hybrid | $31,675 | $42,947 | $716 | $14,823 | $7,133 |
| 15 | 2026 Mazda CX-50 CX-50 2.5 S Premium · Midsize SUVs · Gas | $34,900 | $46,039 | $767 | $13,576 | $12,187 |
| 16 | 2026 Subaru Forester Forester Sport · Compact SUVs · Gas | $36,105 | $46,071 | $768 | $13,287 | $12,187 |
| 17 | 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid XSE (AWD • 2.5L PHEV) · Compact SUVs · Plug-in hybrid | $48,310 | $46,138 | $769 | $15,024 | $6,805 |
| 18 | 2026 Hyundai Tucson Tucson Blue Hybrid (AWD • 1.6T Hybrid) · Compact SUVs · Hybrid | $34,025 | $46,351 | $773 | $16,502 | $8,865 |
| 19 | 2026 Mazda CX-5 CX-5 2.5 S Preferred · Compact SUVs · Gas | $34,250 | $46,393 | $773 | $13,871 | $12,829 |
| 20 | 2026 Ford Ranger Ranger XLT (SuperCrew 2WD • 2.3L EcoBoost) · Midsize trucks · Gas | $37,000 | $47,669 | $794 | $11,063 | $15,304 |
| 21 | 2026 Toyota Tacoma Tacoma TRD Sport (Double Cab • 2WD • 2.4L Turbo) · Midsize trucks · Gas | $40,315 | $47,726 | $795 | $9,313 | $16,677 |
| 22 | 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Grand Highlander XLE Hybrid (FWD • 2.5L Hybrid) · Three-row SUVs · Hybrid | $45,610 | $47,809 | $797 | $14,185 | $9,352 |
| 23 | 2026 Ford Maverick Maverick Lobo (AWD • 2.0L EcoBoost) · Midsize trucks · Gas | $35,930 | $48,461 | $808 | $14,516 | $14,034 |
| 24 | 2026 Ford Escape Escape ST-Line Select (AWD • 2.5L Hybrid) · Compact SUVs · Hybrid | $35,015 | $49,200 | $820 | $19,748 | $8,634 |
| 25 | 2026 Toyota bZ bZ XLE (AWD) · Compact SUVs · Electric | $41,350 | $49,349 | $822 | $24,728 | $2,520 |
| 26 | 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan Tiguan SE (FWD) · Compact SUVs · Gas | $33,605 | $50,047 | $834 | $16,634 | $12,027 |
| 27 | 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SEL RWD · Compact SUVs · Electric | $39,800 | $50,287 | $838 | $24,398 | $3,861 |
| 28 | 2026 Kia Sportage Sportage X-Line (AWD • 2.5L Gas) · Compact SUVs · Gas | $33,090 | $51,093 | $852 | $16,909 | $13,470 |
| 29 | 2026 Nissan Rogue Rogue Rock Creek AWD · Compact SUVs · Gas | $35,485 | $51,340 | $856 | $18,204 | $12,187 |
| 30 | 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV LT2 · Compact SUVs · Electric | $41,795 | $51,991 | $867 | $24,241 | $3,432 |
| 31 | 2026 Chevrolet Equinox ACTIV · Compact SUVs · Gas | $34,100 | $52,371 | $873 | $18,277 | $12,508 |
| 32 | 2026 Tesla Model 3 Model 3 Premium (RWD) · Sedans · Electric | $42,490 | $53,928 | $899 | $26,471 | $3,034 |
| 33 | 2026 Jeep Wrangler Wrangler Unlimited Willys · Midsize SUVs · Gas | $45,305 | $55,148 | $919 | $13,954 | $16,678 |
| 34 | 2026 Toyota Sienna Sienna Limited (FWD • 2.5L Hybrid • 7-Passenger) · Three-row SUVs · Hybrid | $51,505 | $55,196 | $920 | $20,138 | $10,584 |
| 35 | 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E Mustang Mach-E Premium Extended Range (RWD • Extended Range) · Compact SUVs · Electric | $45,595 | $55,819 | $930 | $26,902 | $4,412 |
| 36 | 2026 Kia EV6 EV6 Light Long Range (AWD) · Compact SUVs · Electric | $45,200 | $56,066 | $934 | $27,798 | $4,752 |
| 37 | 2026 Toyota 4Runner 4Runner TRD Off-Road (4WD • 2.4L Turbo) · Midsize SUVs · Gas | $50,490 | $56,238 | $937 | $13,430 | $18,281 |
| 38 | 2026 Lexus ES ES 350h Premium AWD · Sedans · Hybrid | $51,100 | $56,795 | $947 | $18,805 | $7,697 |
| 39 | 2026 Subaru Outback Outback Limited XT · Midsize SUVs · Gas | $44,365 | $57,232 | $954 | $19,876 | $14,111 |
| 40 | 2026 Honda Odyssey Odyssey Sport-L (FWD • 3.5L V6) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $43,895 | $58,060 | $968 | $19,622 | $15,304 |
| 41 | 2026 Tesla Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive · Compact SUVs · Electric | $45,990 | $58,509 | $975 | $28,789 | $3,045 |
| 42 | 2026 Rivian R2 R2 Premium (Dual-Motor AWD) · Compact SUVs · Electric | $53,990 | $58,903 | $982 | $28,885 | $2,280 |
| 43 | 2026 Toyota Highlander Highlander XSE (AWD • 2.4L Turbo Gas) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $47,940 | $59,031 | $984 | $20,039 | $14,034 |
| 44 | 2026 Lexus NX NX 350h Premium FWD · Compact SUVs · Hybrid | $46,100 | $59,596 | $993 | $22,266 | $8,339 |
| 45 | 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Santa Fe XRT (AWD • 2.5L Turbo) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $42,040 | $60,675 | $1,011 | $22,786 | $15,304 |
| 46 | 2026 Chevrolet Blazer EV RS · Midsize SUVs · Electric | $49,900 | $61,273 | $1,021 | $30,838 | $3,432 |
| 47 | 2027 Kia Telluride Telluride EX (FWD • 3.8L V6) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $43,790 | $61,577 | $1,026 | $23,209 | $15,304 |
| 48 | 2026 Honda Prologue Touring · Midsize SUVs · Electric | $51,700 | $63,244 | $1,054 | $33,708 | $3,432 |
| 49 | 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLB GLB 250 SUV · Compact SUVs · Gas | $43,800 | $63,579 | $1,060 | $24,353 | $9,621 |
| 50 | 2026 Lexus RX RX 350h F SPORT Design AWD · Midsize SUVs · Hybrid | $57,730 | $64,302 | $1,072 | $20,090 | $9,621 |
| 51 | 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser Land Cruiser 1958 · Midsize SUVs · Hybrid | $57,880 | $65,694 | $1,095 | $21,358 | $14,593 |
| 52 | 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC GLC 300 SUV · Compact SUVs · Gas | $49,550 | $65,776 | $1,096 | $24,527 | $9,889 |
| 53 | 2026 Hyundai Palisade Palisade Limited (FWD • 3.5L V6) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $49,770 | $66,087 | $1,101 | $25,383 | $16,036 |
| 54 | 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 · Midsize SUVs · Gas | $47,995 | $66,101 | $1,102 | $26,397 | $14,753 |
| 55 | 2026 Honda Pilot Pilot TrailSport (AWD • 3.5L V6) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $50,595 | $66,197 | $1,103 | $24,842 | $16,838 |
| 56 | 2026 Toyota Tundra Tundra Platinum (CrewMax • 4x4 • 3.4L V6 TT) · Full-size trucks · Gas | $63,695 | $66,953 | $1,116 | $17,580 | $20,205 |
| 57 | 2026 Chevrolet Traverse Z71 · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $49,400 | $68,600 | $1,143 | $27,416 | $16,036 |
| 58 | 2026 BMW 3 Series 330i xDrive · Sedans · Gas | $50,000 | $68,611 | $1,144 | $27,050 | $10,263 |
| 59 | 2026 BMW i4 i4 xDrive40 · Sedans · Electric | $62,300 | $69,225 | $1,154 | $34,514 | $4,412 |
| 60 | 2026 Kia EV9 EV9 Wind (AWD) · Three-row SUVs · Electric | $63,900 | $69,589 | $1,160 | $34,250 | $6,110 |
| 61 | 2026 Mercedes-Benz C-Class C 300 Sedan · Sedans · Gas | $49,650 | $69,625 | $1,160 | $26,861 | $9,889 |
| 62 | 2026 Ford Mustang Mustang GT Premium Fastback (5.0L V8) · Sedans · Gas | $47,000 | $70,013 | $1,167 | $27,401 | $18,710 |
| 63 | 2026 BMW X3 X3 30 xDrive · Compact SUVs · Gas | $51,300 | $70,674 | $1,178 | $28,523 | $10,263 |
| 64 | 2026 Ford Bronco Bronco Outer Banks (4-Door 4x4 • 2.7L EcoBoost) · Midsize SUVs · Gas | $48,090 | $71,053 | $1,184 | $28,324 | $17,723 |
| 65 | 2026 Ford Explorer Explorer Tremor (4WD • 2.3L EcoBoost) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $48,965 | $71,185 | $1,186 | $28,497 | $16,036 |
| 66 | 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST · Full-size trucks · Gas | $55,400 | $71,288 | $1,188 | $24,709 | $17,639 |
| 67 | 2026 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe 430i xDrive · Sedans · Gas | $53,200 | $71,303 | $1,188 | $28,781 | $10,263 |
| 68 | 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning Flash · Full-size trucks · Electric | $69,995 | $78,512 | $1,309 | $40,038 | $5,638 |
| 69 | 2026 Ram 1500 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 · Full-size trucks · Gas | $63,000 | $80,154 | $1,336 | $32,508 | $16,677 |
| 70 | 2027 BMW 5 Series 530i xDrive · Sedans · Gas | $62,800 | $80,656 | $1,344 | $36,047 | $9,910 |
| 71 | 2026 Ford F-150 F-150 Lariat (SuperCrew 4x4 • 5.0L V8) · Full-size trucks · Gas | $63,000 | $80,821 | $1,347 | $32,129 | $17,723 |
| 72 | 2026 Tesla Cybertruck Cybertruck Premium (AWD) · Full-size trucks · Electric | $79,990 | $83,188 | $1,386 | $38,075 | $4,658 |
| 73 | 2026 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E 350 4MATIC Sedan · Sedans · Gas | $66,400 | $84,351 | $1,406 | $35,923 | $10,423 |
| 74 | 2026 Rivian R1T R1T Dual (AWD) · Full-size trucks · Electric | $79,990 | $87,847 | $1,464 | $45,754 | $4,658 |
| 75 | 2026 BMW i5 i5 M60 xDrive · Sedans · Electric | $84,100 | $90,454 | $1,508 | $46,424 | $4,412 |
| 76 | 2026 Rivian R1S R1S Dual (AWD) · Three-row SUVs · Electric | $83,990 | $91,082 | $1,518 | $48,042 | $4,658 |
| 77 | 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe Z71 · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $71,500 | $91,232 | $1,521 | $38,252 | $21,167 |
| 78 | 2026 Ford Expedition Expedition Limited (4WD • 3.5L EcoBoost) · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $73,000 | $94,845 | $1,581 | $43,947 | $18,710 |
| 79 | 2026 BMW X5 X5 xDrive40i · Midsize SUVs · Gas | $70,600 | $95,399 | $1,590 | $43,066 | $12,476 |
| 80 | 2026 Lucid Gravity Gravity Touring · Three-row SUVs · Electric | $79,900 | $102,795 | $1,713 | $55,051 | $4,412 |
| 81 | 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS GLS 450 4MATIC SUV · Three-row SUVs · Gas | $90,250 | $103,746 | $1,729 | $44,674 | $13,363 |
04 — Method & sources
How the index is built.
Every vehicle is modeled the same way: a new purchase held for five years and driven 15,000 miles a year, with 20% down and the remainder financed. The five-year figure is the sum of depreciation, fuel or home charging, insurance, maintenance, tires, registration, and loan interest — the money the car actually consumes, not the loan principal you get back as resale value.
Depreciation comes from CarEdge retention data — never estimated. Fuel and electricity are priced at national averages from AAA and the US Energy Information Administration (as of 2026-05-25); the state-by-state finding uses each jurisdiction's own prices, assuming home charging for electric vehicles. Each model is measured at its representative trim — the median-priced configuration, the same one our rankings score.
The full model — every assumption and source — is documented in the cost-of-ownership methodology. The index refreshes as vehicle data and energy prices are updated; the computed-on date above is the edition stamp.
Citing a finding? Please credit “MotiveGrid Ownership Cost Index, July 2026” and link to this page. The CSV is free to use with attribution. Questions about the data: data@motivegrid.com.