- A gasoline pickup truck costs $1,884 per year to fuel at 12,000 miles, nearly double the $993 for a compact car.
- Vehicle type is the single biggest factor in fuel cost: the range from most efficient to least efficient class spans 18.7 to 35.5 MPG, a 90% difference.
- SUVs have grown from 20% to 48% of new vehicle configurations since 2000, while cars dropped from 60% to 38%.
- At high gas prices ($4.50/gallon), the annual cost gap between a compact car and a pickup grows to $1,574. Diesel trucks narrow this gap with better fuel economy.
01 Introduction
The vehicle you drive determines more about your annual fuel cost than where you live or how much gas costs. A compact sedan averaging 35.5 MPG uses roughly half the fuel of a pickup truck averaging 18.7 MPG. Over a year at 12,000 miles, that efficiency difference translates to nearly $900 in extra fuel spending.
EPA FuelEconomy.gov vehicle dataset, regular gasoline class averages for model years 2022 to 2026This article uses EPA test data from 2,230 regular gasoline vehicle configurations across model years 2022 through 2026 to compare fuel economy and annual cost across every major vehicle class. All fuel economy figures are EPA combined ratings (55% city, 45% highway weighting).
EPA FuelEconomy.gov: combined rating methodology uses 55% city/45% highway weighting; dataset covers 16 vehicle classes with 10+ configurations each02 EPA Vehicle Classes Explained
The EPA classifies vehicles by interior volume (for cars) and gross vehicle weight rating (for trucks and SUVs). For this analysis, we consolidated the EPA's detailed classes into seven categories that match how consumers think about vehicles:
EPA FuelEconomy.gov: vehicle size class definitions based on interior volume (cars) and GVWR (trucks/SUVs)- Compact Car: EPA "Compact Cars" class (100–109 cu ft interior volume). Typically 4-cylinder sedans and hatchbacks.
- Midsize Sedan: EPA "Midsize Cars" class (110–119 cu ft). Family sedans with 4-cylinder or V6 engines.
- Large Sedan: EPA "Large Cars" class (120+ cu ft). Full-size sedans, often V6 or V8 powered.
- Small SUV: EPA "Small Sport Utility Vehicle" 2WD and 4WD combined. Compact crossovers, typically 4-cylinder, 3,200–4,000 lbs.
- Minivan: EPA "Minivan" 2WD and 4WD combined. Sliding-door family haulers, V6 or hybrid powertrains.
- Standard SUV: EPA "Standard Sport Utility Vehicle" 2WD and 4WD combined. Midsize and full-size body-on-frame SUVs, V6 or V8.
- Pickup Truck: EPA "Standard Pickup Trucks" 2WD and 4WD combined. Half-ton and heavy-duty trucks, V6 or V8.
03 Fuel Economy by Vehicle Class
Fuel economy varies dramatically across vehicle types. The most efficient class (compact cars at 35.5 MPG) uses almost half the fuel per mile as the least efficient class (pickup trucks at 18.7 MPG). SUVs fall in the middle, with small SUVs (26.5 MPG) performing significantly better than standard SUVs (21.1 MPG).
EPA FuelEconomy.gov vehicle dataset, weighted class averages for regular gasoline, model years 2022 to 2026| Vehicle Class | City MPG | Hwy MPG | Combined MPG | Vehicles Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact Car | 33.6 | 39.0 | 35.5 | 130 |
| Midsize Sedan | 32.7 | 39.1 | 35.2 | 232 |
| Large Sedan | 30.2 | 37.7 | 33.0 | 96 |
| Small SUV | 25.0 | 29.2 | 26.5 | 795 |
| Minivan | 23.2 | 30.0 | 26.1 | 36 |
| Standard SUV | 19.5 | 24.0 | 21.1 | 339 |
| Pickup Truck | 17.0 | 21.2 | 18.7 | 344 |
Estimate your vehicle's driving cost using official EPA fuel economy data.
Use the Calculator04 Annual Fuel Cost by Class
At 12,000 miles per year and the current national average gasoline price of $2.937 per gallon, the annual fuel cost ranges from $993 for a compact car to $1,884 for a pickup truck. That is a difference of $891 per year for the same amount of driving.
Calculated: 12,000 ÷ MPG × $2.937. Gasoline price: EIA, U.S. Regular All Formulations, February 23, 2026The gap between sedans and SUVs is particularly notable because most Americans are choosing between these categories when buying a new vehicle. A small SUV costs $337 more per year to fuel than a compact car. A standard SUV costs $677 more. Over a five-year ownership period, that adds up to $1,685 and $3,385 respectively.
Calculated: Small SUV $1,330 vs Compact $993 = $337 difference; Standard SUV $1,670 vs Compact $993 = $677; five-year totals at constant rates05 The SUV Shift
The fuel cost picture matters more today than ever because Americans have shifted dramatically toward larger vehicles. In 2000, cars made up about 60% of new vehicle configurations in the EPA database, with SUVs at roughly 20%. By 2025, SUVs grew to 48% of new configurations while cars dropped to 38%.
EPA FuelEconomy.gov vehicle dataset: configuration counts by macro-category (Cars, SUVs, Trucks/Vans) for model years 2000 and 2025This shift has significant implications for national fuel consumption. If every new SUV buyer chose a compact car instead, average fleet fuel economy would be roughly 35 MPG instead of the actual mix of about 26 MPG. At the national level, that difference represents billions of gallons of gasoline per year.
Hypothetical calculation based on EPA class averages. Actual fleet mix fuel economy consistent with EPA Automotive Trends Report estimatesEstimate your vehicle's driving cost using official EPA fuel economy data.
Use the Calculator06 Cost at Different Gas Prices and Mileage
Annual fuel cost depends on both your vehicle type and your annual mileage. A standard SUV driver covering 20,000 miles per year spends more than twice as much on fuel as a compact car driver covering 10,000 miles. The heatmap below shows the full matrix.
Calculated from EPA class averages. Formula: Annual Miles ÷ MPG × Gas Price ($2.937/gal)The cost escalation is steepest for pickup trucks and standard SUVs. A pickup driver covering 20,000 miles per year spends $3,140 on fuel, compared to $1,655 for a compact car driver at the same mileage. That is a difference of $1,485 per year, or roughly $124 per month.
Calculated: Pickup 20,000/18.7 × $2.937 = $3,140; Compact 20,000/35.5 × $2.937 = $1,65507 Data Sources
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: FuelEconomy.gov Vehicle Dataset, model years 1984 to 2026. fueleconomy.gov
- U.S. Energy Information Administration: Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices, U.S. Regular All Formulations. eia.gov
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Automotive Trends Report (fleet composition trends). epa.gov