Which car really costs less?
New, used, or the one you have. Answer two questions and see every cost of owning each car, across 20 ways the future could go.
Cars you’re comparing
2026 Toyota Corolla Cross
31 city / 33 hwy mpg
Buy new for about $26,100 · maker’s starting price
2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
43 city / 37 hwy mpg
Buy new for about $33,400 · maker’s starting price
Two questions
What would change the answer
- If you drive over 23,500 miles a year, RAV4 Hybrid comes out ahead.
- If you can get RAV4 Hybrid for under $30,000, it comes out ahead.
Why it comes out this way
Typical amounts over 8 years. Everything counts: the car losing value, gas or charging, insurance, repairs, taxes, and loan interest.
Pay now, then every month
| Car | Up front | A month, all-in | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corolla Cross | $28,429 | $713 | $68,408 |
| RAV4 Hybrid | $36,240 | $744 | $71,397 |
“A month, all-in” spreads every cost, including the value the car loses, over the months you keep it.
Where the money goes
The biggest difference is value lost: Corolla Cross saves about $3,392 there.
Value lost
Corolla Cross: $17,747RAV4 Hybrid: $21,139Gas & charging
Corolla Cross: $14,860RAV4 Hybrid: $11,881Insurance
Corolla Cross: $12,714RAV4 Hybrid: $14,471Loan interest
Corolla Cross: $4,894RAV4 Hybrid: $6,263Upkeep & repairs
Corolla Cross: $14,124RAV4 Hybrid: $13,056Taxes & fees
Corolla Cross: $4,493RAV4 Hybrid: $5,004
Show as a table
| Cost | Corolla Cross | RAV4 Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Value lost | $17,747 | $21,139 |
| Gas & charging | $14,860 | $11,881 |
| Insurance | $12,714 | $14,471 |
| Loan interest | $4,894 | $6,263 |
| Upkeep & repairs | $14,124 | $13,056 |
| Taxes & fees | $4,493 | $5,004 |
Year by year
RAV4 Hybrid earns back its extra up-front cost by year 7 in 2 of 20 futures.
Big repair risk, out of 100
About how many owners in 100 pay for a new battery within 8 years.
Fewer than 1 in 100: RAV4 Hybrid needs a new battery
What we assumed, and where it came from
- Gas, regular
- $4.16 a gallon
Live source
Weekly retail gasoline prices by state and region
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Data as of Sep 7, 2026.
Weekly average for the state where EIA reports one, otherwise for its region.
- Premium and diesel
- $5.17 and $5.97
Live source
National average fuel prices
U.S. Department of Energy (fueleconomy.gov)
Data as of Sep 15, 2026.
Premium and diesel are priced from how they compare with regular nationally.
- Insurance, state average
- $1,704 a year
Research source
Auto Insurance Database Report (2023 data)
National Association of Insurance Commissioners
Checked Jan 1, 2023.
2023 state averages brought to today with the BLS insurance price index (×1.18).
- Sales tax
- 7.00%
Research source
State and local sales tax rates, midyear 2026
Tax Foundation
Checked Jul 2026.
Combined state and average local rate; some states tax cars at a different rate.
- Loan rate
- 8.1%; 5 years and 15% down are our typical terms
Live source
Average 60-month new car loan rate at commercial banks
Federal Reserve Board, via FRED
Data as of May 2026.
Average 60-month new car loan rate at banks, plus 1 point for a typical borrower.
- Weather, for battery range in cold and heat
- Monthly averages
Live source
Statewide monthly temperatures and heating/cooling degree days
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Data as of Dec 2025.
Average temperature for each month over the last 10 years.
- Car prices you didn’t type
- Segment averages
Our estimate
Average transaction prices by segment, August 2026
Kelley Blue Book / Cox Automotive
Checked Aug 2026.
Average price paid for cars in the same segment, adjusted by powertrain. Type your own price for a better answer.
No federal clean vehicle credit is counted: it ended for cars bought after September 30, 2025. Internal Revenue Service, checked Sep 14, 2026. State and utility rebates vary; add one where the tool asks.
Every number the model uses, with its source, is on the math page.
For the curious: all the numbers
We play out 1,000 futures. Each draws its own gas and electricity prices, miles, repair bills, insurance, and resale prices, and every car lives through the same ones. The 20 dots on the answer card are evenly spaced picks from those futures.
| Option | A good case | Typical | A bad case | Per mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corolla Cross | $61,099 | $68,408 | $77,118 | $0.71 |
| RAV4 Hybrid | $64,148 | $71,397 | $80,101 | $0.74 |
What moves the gap most
The unknowns whose ups and downs most change which option comes out ahead. A good or bad case is 1 future in 10 at that end.
- Your insurance ratesa little
- How much you actually drivea little
- Used-car prices when you sella little
- Future gas pricesa little
- Used EV prices when you sella little
Try other assumptions
Each change replays every future. Watch which coins move.
Common questions, answered with today’s prices
Is it worth it?
What charging costs
Model vs model
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