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What does your car actually cost to run?
Fuel consumption, running costs and emissions for 25,001 vehicles sold in Australia between 1986 and 2026. Every figure comes from the Australian Government’s Green Vehicle Guide.
Browse by brand
Cheapest cars to run right now
Every car rated, ranked by what a year of driving costs. Electric cars take the whole list, which is the honest answer.
| # | Car | Cost/year | Fuel use | Electric range | CO₂ lifecycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018 Hyundai Ioniq | $580 | 115 Wh/km | 280 km | 79 |
| 2 | 2025 Tesla Model 3 | $630 | 125 Wh/km | 750 km | 86 |
| 3 | 2023 BYD DOLPHIN | $635 | 126 Wh/km | 410 km | 87 |
| 4 | 2023 Lexus UX 300e | $645 | 128 Wh/km | 560 km | 88 |
| 5 | 2024 Toyota bZ4X | $645 | 128 Wh/km | 535 km | 88 |
| 6 | 2014 BMW I01 | $650 | 129 Wh/km | 190 km | 89 |
| 7 | 2024 Chery Omoda E5 | $655 | 130 Wh/km | 460 km | 90 |
| 8 | 2023 MG MG4 | $655 | 130 Wh/km | 535 km | 90 |
| 9 | 2016 BMW I01 | $660 | 131 Wh/km | 300 km | 90 |
| 10 | 2019 Hyundai Kona | $660 | 131 Wh/km | 557 km | 90 |
Cheapest petrol and diesel cars to run
The same ranking for cars that run on fuel. Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are set aside, because a plug-in quotes a figure like 0.6 L/100km by running most of the test on its battery.
| # | Car | Cost/year | Fuel use | Electric range | CO₂ lifecycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020 Toyota Yaris | $855 | 3.3 L/100km | – | 96 |
| 2 | 2019 Hyundai Ioniq | $881 | 3.4 L/100km | – | 99 |
| 3 | 2016 Toyota Prius | $881 | 3.4 L/100km | – | 99 |
| 4 | 2019 Toyota Corolla | $907 | 3.5 L/100km | – | 102 |
| 5 | 2021 Kia Niro | $984 | 3.8 L/100km | – | 110 |
| 6 | 2023 Lexus LBX | $984 | 3.8 L/100km | – | 110 |
| 7 | 2020 Toyota Yaris Cross | $984 | 3.8 L/100km | – | 110 |
| 8 | 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross | $984 | 3.8 L/100km | – | 110 |
| 9 | 2018 Hyundai Ioniq | $1,010 | 3.9 L/100km | – | 113 |
| 10 | 2023 Hyundai Kona | $1,010 | 3.9 L/100km | – | 113 |
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