73 Auto Research
Cheapest and Most Expensive Cars to Own in the UK: 2026 Study
73 Auto ranked 53 vehicles in its Real Car Cost Examples dataset by estimated annual ownership cost. Among the vehicles analysed, the cheapest to own is estimated at £4,284/year and the most expensive at £9,650/year — a gap of £5,366. This is a study of the cars currently analysed by 73 Auto, not a claim about every car sold in the UK.
Published 2026-08-25
Key findings
- Among the 53 vehicles currently analysed by 73 Auto (22 manufacturers, model years 2006–2024), estimated annual ownership cost ranges from £4,284 to £9,650.
- The cheapest vehicle in the current 73 Auto dataset is the Ford Fiesta 2010, estimated at £4,284/year (£357/month).
- The most expensive is the Audi RS 3 Tfsi Quattro S-A 2024, estimated at £9,650/year (£804/month).
- That's a gap of £5,366 a year between the cheapest and most expensive vehicle among the examples analysed — the largest annual-cost spread in the current dataset.
- By fuel type, Electricity examples average £5,161/year (10 vehicles) — the lowest average in the current dataset — compared with £6,928/year for Hybrid Electric examples (3 vehicles).
- Depreciation is the single largest cost driver separating the 10 cheapest from the 10 most expensive vehicles analysed, averaging £878/year for the cheapest group versus £2,184/year for the most expensive group.
10 cheapest vehicles in the current dataset
Ranked by estimated annual ownership cost, lowest first, among the vehicles analysed by 73 Auto.
| Rank | Vehicle | Year | Fuel | Monthly | Annual | Cost/mile | 3-year cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford Fiesta 2010 | 2010 | Diesel | £357 | £4,284 | £0.58 | £12,852 |
| 2 | Volkswagen Polo 2013 | 2013 | Petrol | £368 | £4,411 | £0.60 | £13,233 |
| 3 | Vauxhall Corsa 2015 | 2015 | Petrol | £369 | £4,424 | £0.60 | £13,272 |
| 4 | Nissan Leaf 2018 | 2018 | Electricity | £376 | £4,515 | £0.61 | £13,545 |
| 5 | Mazda 5 2012 | 2012 | Diesel | £379 | £4,543 | £0.61 | £13,629 |
| 6 | Volkswagen Golf 2016 | 2016 | Diesel | £379 | £4,552 | £0.62 | £13,656 |
| 7 | Mercedes-Benz A 2012 | 2012 | Petrol | £380 | £4,561 | £0.62 | £13,683 |
| 8 | Nissan Qashqai 2015 | 2015 | Petrol | £382 | £4,584 | £0.62 | £13,752 |
| 9 | Peugeot 208 Allure EV 2020 | 2020 | Electricity | £389 | £4,662 | £0.63 | £13,986 |
| 10 | Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD 2019 | 2019 | Electricity | £393 | £4,722 | £0.64 | £14,166 |
10 most expensive vehicles in the current dataset
Ranked by estimated annual ownership cost, highest first, among the vehicles analysed by 73 Auto.
| Rank | Vehicle | Year | Fuel | Monthly | Annual | Cost/mile | 3-year cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audi RS 3 Tfsi Quattro S-A 2024 | 2024 | Petrol | £804 | £9,650 | £1.30 | £28,950 |
| 2 | Jaguar F-Type 2014 | 2014 | Petrol | £802 | £9,623 | £1.30 | £28,869 |
| 3 | Porsche Cayenne 2022 | 2022 | Hybrid Electric | £798 | £9,582 | £1.29 | £28,746 |
| 4 | BMW M3 Competition Auto 2021 | 2021 | Petrol | £792 | £9,506 | £1.28 | £28,518 |
| 5 | Porsche Boxster 2006 | 2006 | Petrol | £705 | £8,460 | £1.14 | £25,380 |
| 6 | Land Rover Range Rover Sport 2015 | 2015 | Diesel | £594 | £7,128 | £0.96 | £21,384 |
| 7 | Volkswagen Touareg 2008 | 2008 | Diesel | £580 | £6,964 | £0.94 | £20,892 |
| 8 | MG HS Trophy 2024 | 2024 | Petrol | £562 | £6,744 | £0.91 | £20,232 |
| 9 | Mercedes-Benz A 2019 | 2019 | Petrol | £535 | £6,425 | £0.87 | £19,275 |
| 10 | BMW X3 2019 | 2019 | Diesel | £534 | £6,407 | £0.87 | £19,221 |
Why the costs differ
Comparing the 10 cheapest vehicles analysed against the 10 most expensive shows where the gap actually comes from, category by category. Depreciation is the largest single driver: it averages £878/year in the cheapest group versus £2,184/year in the most expensive group, followed by fuel / energy (£633/year difference).
| Cost category | Cheapest 10 (avg/yr) | Most expensive 10 (avg/yr) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | £878 | £2,184 | £1,306 |
| Fuel / Energy | £855 | £1,488 | £633 |
| Finance / Leasing | £324 | £946 | £622 |
| Insurance | £587 | £1,009 | £422 |
| VED / Road Tax | £73 | £454 | £381 |
| Service & MOT | £792 | £959 | £167 |
| Urban Costs (CC / ULEZ / Parking) | £240 | £240 | £0 |
| Tyres | £135 | £135 | £0 |
| Roadside Assistance | £136 | £133 | -£3 |
| Maintenance & Repairs | £535 | £501 | -£34 |
Averages are calculated directly from each vehicle's category breakdown (see Methodology) — not printed as a fixed figure in any single report.
Petrol, diesel and EV compared
Average estimated annual ownership cost by fuel type, among the vehicles analysed with that fuel type in the current dataset.
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Average annual cost | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 10 | £5,161 | £4,515–£5,839 |
| Diesel | 16 | £5,698 | £4,284–£7,128 |
| Petrol | 24 | £5,943 | £4,411–£9,650 |
| Hybrid Electric | 3 | £6,928 | £5,219–£9,582 |
Fuel types with fewer than two examples in the current dataset are omitted from this comparison rather than shown on a single-vehicle average.
Methodology
This study covers 53 vehicles from 73 Auto's Real Car Cost Examples dataset (22 manufacturers: Audi, Bmw, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Land rover, Mazda, Mercedes-benz, Mg, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Porsche, Skoda, Tesla, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Volvo), model years 2006–2024. Every report used here meets 73 Auto's minimum data threshold for indexing — a complete headline cost and at least 6 of 10 cost categories present — and is filtered again here to require both a monthly and annual headline figure.
Every vehicle in this dataset was calculated under the same ownership scenario: 7,400 miles/year, a 3-year ownership period, and reports generated 21 Jul 2026. Figures are directly comparable across vehicles for that reason.
Combustion-fuel vehicles are modelled at £1.40–£1.45/litre; electric vehicles at £0.30/kWh. Driving style is assumed normal throughout. See Methodology for how each cost category (depreciation, fuel/energy, insurance, servicing & MOT, maintenance, tyres, VED, finance) is modelled, and Data Sources for exactly which figures are official data versus 73 Auto estimates.
The 3-year ownership cost shown for each vehicle is a derived figure, calculated as that vehicle's own annual ownership cost multiplied by its ownership period — never printed as a standalone figure in the source report and never presented as anything other than a calculation.
Every figure in this study is a modelled estimate, not a guaranteed cost, a quotation or financial advice. Actual ownership costs for any individual car vary by its exact condition and registration, the owner's location, driving habits, and their own insurance and finance terms. This study describes 53 vehicles 73 Auto has analysed — it is not a claim about every car sold in the UK, and rankings will change as the underlying dataset grows or is refreshed.
About 73 Auto
73 Auto is a UK-focused Total Cost of Ownership platform. It combines official DVLA and DVSA vehicle data with its own category-by-category cost models to estimate what a specific car is likely to cost to own. This study is built entirely from 73 Auto's own published Real Car Cost Examples dataset. Read more on the About page.
Press / citation
Journalists and publishers may cite or reproduce findings from this research with attribution and a link to 73auto.com.
Suggested citation: “Source: 73 Auto — 2026 UK Car Ownership Cost Study”
Press contact: Info@73auto.com