73 Auto Research
UK Car Ownership Cost Statistics 2026
Across the 53 vehicles 73 Auto has analysed (22 manufacturers, model years 2006 to 2024), estimated annual ownership cost averages £5,777 (£5,527 median) — from £4,284 to £9,650, a spread of £5,366. These are 73 Auto estimates from its own dataset and cost models, not official government statistics or a claim about every car in the UK.
Published 2026-09-03 · Publisher: 73 Auto
Key statistics
- Average annual ownership cost: £5,777 (n = 53 vehicles analysed by 73 Auto).
- Median annual ownership cost: £5,527 (n = 53).
- Average monthly ownership cost: £481 (median £461; n = 53).
- Average cost per mile: £0.78 (n = 53 vehicles with a cost-per-mile figure).
- Range: £4,284 to £9,650/year — a £5,366/year gap between the cheapest and most expensive vehicle analysed (n = 53).
- Depreciation: £1,462/year on average (24.7% of total cost) (n = 53).
- Fuel / Energy: £1,058/year on average (18.4% of total cost) (n = 53).
- Insurance: £748/year on average (13% of total cost) (n = 53).
- Electric vs petrol/diesel: £5,161/year average for electric vehicles (n = 10) vs £5,845/year for petrol and diesel (n = 40).
Each figure above states its own sample size. Every claim on this page traces back to the underlying dataset — see the CSV below to verify any of them directly.
Cost per category
Average annual cost and average share of total ownership cost, by category, across the vehicles analysed. A category is only shown if at least one vehicle has a real, source-confirmed value for it; where the sample is smaller than the full dataset (e.g. VED), that is stated.
| Category | Avg annual cost | Avg % of total | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | £1,462 | 24.7% | 53 |
| Fuel / Energy | £1,058 | 18.4% | 53 |
| Insurance | £748 | 13% | 53 |
| Service & MOT | £792 | 14% | 53 |
| Maintenance & Repairs | £460 | 8.3% | 53 |
| Urban Costs (CC / ULEZ / Parking) | £240 | 4.3% | 53 |
| VED / Road Tax | £224 | 3.5% | 40 / 53 |
| Tyres | £135 | 2.4% | 53 |
| Roadside Assistance | £132 | 2.3% | 53 |
| Finance / Leasing | £581 | 9.7% | 53 |
Percentages are each vehicle's own category share, averaged across the sample — they may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding per category.
Electric vs petrol and diesel
The 10 electric vehicles analysed average £5,161/year; the 40 petrol and diesel vehicles average £5,845/year. For the full category-by-category comparison and its limitations (including a VED data gap for electric vehicles in the current dataset), see 73 Auto's electric vs petrol and diesel cost study.
Compact table for citation
The headline figures above, as one table.
| Vehicles analysed | 53 |
| Average annual ownership cost | £5,777 |
| Median annual ownership cost | £5,527 |
| Average monthly ownership cost | £481 |
| Average cost per mile | £0.78 |
| Lowest / highest annual cost observed | £4,284 / £9,650 |
Sample and methodology
These statistics cover 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 to 2024, calculated under a shared ownership scenario: 7,400 miles/year, a 3-year ownership period, reports generated 21 Jul 2026.
For exactly how each cost category is modelled, see Methodology. For which figures are official data (DVLA, DVSA) versus 73 Auto estimates, see Data Sources.
Caveats
- These are 73 Auto estimates from a modelled dataset of 53 specific vehicles, not official government statistics and not a claim about every car sold or owned in the UK. There is no single government dataset of actual UK car ownership costs this page draws from — for the underlying vehicle and tax data 73 Auto does use, see Data Sources.
- A sample of 53 vehicles cannot represent the full diversity of cars on UK roads. Averages and medians here describe the vehicles 73 Auto has analysed, not a national average.
- Every vehicle in this sample uses the same ownership scenario disclosed above. Your own mileage, ownership length, location and payment method will change your real figure — run your own registration for a personalised result.
- Every figure here is a modelled estimate, not a guaranteed cost, a quotation or financial advice.
Related 73 Auto research
Press / citation
Journalists and publishers may cite or reproduce statistics from this page with attribution and a link to 73auto.com.
Suggested citation: “Source: 73 Auto, UK Car Ownership Cost Statistics 2026”
Press contact: Info@73auto.com
Every statistic on this page is available as a machine-readable CSV: download the statistics (CSV). The full underlying per-vehicle dataset is also available, from the 2026 ownership cost study.