America’s cheapest new car to run is the one almost nobody wants

A new study of 50 popular new cars in the US has crowned the Fiat 500e as the cheapest to own, with average annual running costs of just $3,557. The pint-sized three-door electric hatchback, which sold only 150 units in the first half of the year—a drop of 81% from the same period in 2025—earned the top spot despite its lack of buyer enthusiasm. The next-cheapest option is the Honda Civic Hybrid at $4,833 per year, followed by the Hyundai Elantra N at $4,904. The study, conducted by Self.Inc, breaks down annual costs into fuel, maintenance, insurance, and fees & taxes. The Fiat 500e’s efficiency shines through: it costs an average of $779 per year to charge, $779 for insurance, and $1,275 for maintenance, though its annual fees and taxes at $724 are higher than some rivals. The data also reveals that hybrids are cheaper to run on average ($5,734) than EVs ($6,189), with gas-powered cars trailing at $7,025. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Porsche 911 tops the list of most expensive cars to run at $10,832 annually, followed by the Audi RS7 ($10,334), Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing ($10,265), Chevrolet Corvette ($10,213), and Lucid Air ($10,049). The study highlights a shift since 2024: average annual fuel costs have fallen from $2,246 to $1,727, but insurance has surged from $1,763 to $2,219, maintenance has risen from $1,633 to $1,817, and fees & taxes have climbed from $820 to $1,151.