1. Fuel costs by vehicle class
Annual fuel costs vary great by vehicle size class, according to the 2017 Fuel Economy Guide. Standard SUVs had the widest range in annual fuel costs, from $700 to $3,850 per year.
Size classes with the widest range in fuel costs often include electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, which have higher efficiencies than vehicles with conventional drivetrains. Meanwhile, size classes with fewer vehicle models often have narrower ranges.
The small pickup class, which is only available with conventional drivetrains, had the narrowest range, or just $500 between the lowest- and highest-annual-cost models.
The vehicle class with the lowest annual fuel cost for the 2017 model year was the midsize car. Here, the range is only $500 per year.