Highlights:

  • Internal combustion (gasoline) vehicles saw a $706 increase in annual fuel costs between January and April, compared to an $11 increase for electric vehicles
  • Minivans had the highest annual fuel cost increase among major gas-powered vehicle segments, rising $1,139 between January and April
  • The Toyota Sequoia had a total fuel cost increase of $1,623, the largest of any individual model in the study.
  • Conventional hybrids were driven more than any other drivetrain type at 14,696 miles a year, while still costing about $700 less to fuel than gasoline vehicles.

The price of gasoline rose by nearly 46% between January 1 and April 30, 2026. But rising fuel prices are not affecting all vehicles equally. Annual fuel costs for gas-powered (non-hybrid) vehicles rose by $706 between January and April 2026, while the cost to drive EVs increased by just $11.

The biggest financial impact falls on drivers of higher use, less efficient vehicles, especially minivans, trucks, and large SUVs. For consumers choosing their next vehicle, drivetrain, body style, and annual mileage can dramatically change the cost of ownership when fuel prices rise.

iSeeCars analyzed over 2.1 million 3-year-old used cars sold in 2025 to calculate annual mileage and compare annual fuel costs using the cost of fuel (gas or electricity) in January and April 2026. 

“Everyone knows fuel prices are up, but we wanted to evaluate the impact of rising energy costs on each of the major drivetrain categories, broken out by gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “You’d expect EV drivers to be largely shielded from the 30% rise in fuel prices over the past 3 months, and their $11 increase in annual fuel costs versus $706 for gasoline vehicles confirms it.”

 

Electric vehicles showing their advantage in the volatile world of oil prices 

Gasoline-only vehicles experienced the largest increase in annual fuel costs across all drivetrain types. Internal combustion engine vehicles’ fuel costs rose from $1,533 in January 2026 to $2,240 in April 2026, an increase of $706. Conventional hybrids’ fuel costs also rose, but the increase was smaller at $486, despite having the highest average annual miles driven of all drivetrains. Plug-in hybrids and EVs were far less exposed, with PHEV fuel costs rising $279 and EVs seeing only an $11 annual increase in electric fueling costs.
Fuel Cost Increase By Drivetrain: January vs. April 2026 - iSeeCars Study
Drivetrain Average Miles per Year Annual Cost of Fuel, Jan. 2026 Annual Cost of Fuel, Apr. 2026 $ Increase, Jan. - Apr.
Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles 13,323 $1,533 $2,240 $706
Conventional Hybrids 14,696 $1,055 $1,540 $486
Plug-In Hybrids 11,660 $1,385 $1,676 $291
EVs 11,880 $714 $725 $11
“Gas price spikes seem to happen every few years,” said Brauer. “For consumers on a tight budget, a hybrid or plug-in hybrid can provide substantial relief from stressful swings in their monthly gas bill.”

 

Trucks and minivans face the biggest increases in gasoline vehicle costs

Among major gasoline vehicle segments, trucks and minivans were hit hardest by the fuel price increase. Minivans had the highest total annual fuel cost increase at $1,139, rising from $2,472 in January to $3,610 in April. That larger increase is tied to how much more minivans are driven compared to other segments, with the segment averaging 19,292 miles per year, nearly 5,000 miles more than the second-most driven segment: trucks. Minivans are often used as primary family transportation, school shuttles, road trip vehicles, and daily commuting, accounting for their high mileage. Trucks’ annual fuel costs increased by $992 over the same period. Though they are driven less than minivans, their inferior fuel economy results in higher fuel costs.
Fuel Cost Increase for Major Gas Vehicle Segments: January vs. April 2026 - iSeeCars Study
Segment Average Miles per Year Annual Cost of Fuel, Jan. 2026 Annual Cost of Fuel, Apr. 2026 $ Increase, Jan. - Apr.
Minivans 19,292 $2,472 $3,610 $1,139
Trucks 14,369 $2,154 $3,146 $992
SUVs 12,731 $1,479 $2,161 $681
Passenger Cars 13,714 $1,316 $1,922 $606
“Trucks, minivans, and SUVs offer a wide range of functionality, which is why they are so popular with consumers,” said Brauer. “Unfortunately, their highly functional, do-it-all nature combines with relatively low fuel efficiency to make them the most vulnerable to gas price spikes.”

 

The Toyota Sequoia had the largest total fuel cost increase

The models with the largest fuel cost increases are dominated by large, less fuel-efficient SUVs, which can create a financial burden when fuel prices climb. The Toyota Sequoia had the highest annual fuel cost increase. Its estimated fuel cost rose from $3,523 in January to $5,145 in April, a jump of $1,623. The Chevrolet Suburban had the second highest increase, with a $1,542 increase, while the Nissan Armada had a similar increase of $1,513. 
Top 10 Vehicles With the Biggest Fuel Cost Increases: January vs. April 2026 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Model Avg. Miles per Year Annual Fuel Cost, Jan 2026 Annual Fuel Cost, Apr 2026 Fuel Cost Increase
1 Toyota Sequoia 17,856 $3,523 $5,145 $1,623
2 Chevrolet Suburban 19,626 $3,347 $4,889 $1,542
3 Nissan Armada 18,098 $3,284 $4,797 $1,513
4 GMC Yukon XL 18,734 $3,193 $4,664 $1,471
5 Chevrolet Tahoe 16,727 $2,860 $4,177 $1,317
6 Cadillac Escalade ESV 16,387 $2,847 $4,159 $1,312
7 GMC Yukon 16,592 $2,831 $4,135 $1,304
8 Jeep Wagoneer 16,975 $2,782 $4,064 $1,282
9 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited 17,069 $2,772 $4,050 $1,277
10 Chrysler Pacifica 20,872 $2,682 $3,918 $1,236
Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle Average 13,323 $1,533 $2,240 $706
“Large, three-row SUVs can accomplish nearly any task related to personal transportation,” said Brauer. “Unfortunately, the high functionality of large SUVs combines with their less-than-stellar fuel efficiency to make their annual operating costs extremely volatile when fuel prices spike.”

 

EVs Largely Shielded From Gas Price Spikes 

Because EVs do not use gasoline and are driven fewer miles on average, they have much lower annual energy costs than gasoline vehicles. The average annual energy cost for an EV was $725 in April, compared to $2,240 for gasoline models. That EV total is nearly the same as the $706 increase in annual fuel costs for gasoline vehicles since January. 
Top 10 EVs With the Smallest Fuel Cost Increases: January vs. April 2026 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Model Avg. Miles per Year Annual Fuel Cost, Jan 2026 Annual Fuel Cost, Apr 2026 Fuel Cost Increase
1 Lucid Air 6,877 $362 $368 $6
2 MINI Hardtop 2 Door 7,695 $472 $479 $7
3 Audi RS e-tron GT 6,461 $505 $513 $8
4 Mercedes-Benz EQB (SUV) 8,051 $525 $533 $8
5 BMW i4 8,849 $533 $542 $8
6 Mazda MX-30 EV 7,198 $550 $559 $9
7 Tesla Model S 10,346 $561 $570 $9
8 Mercedes-Benz EQS (Sedan) 8,271 $562 $571 $9
9 Audi Q4 e-tron 8,567 $569 $578 $9
10 Chevrolet Bolt EV 10,457 $582 $591 $9
EV Average 11,880 $714 $725 $11
“Electric vehicles have an undeniable fuel cost advantage over gas-consuming models, including hybrids and plug-in hybrids,” said Brauer. “This can help offset their higher upfront purchase price and insurance rates.”

 

Non-EV Vehicles With the Smallest Fuel-Cost Increases

For consumers unable or unwilling to purchase an electric vehicle, plug-in hybrids had the smallest fuel-cost increases among gas-consuming vehicles, while conventional hybrids had the lowest annual fuel costs among non-EV drivetrains. Plug-in hybrid annual fuel costs increased by $291 between January and April. The Ford Mustang was the only non-plug-in hybrid in the top 10, reflecting its relatively low annual mileage of 2,092 miles per year. 
Top 10 Gas-Consuming Vehicles With the Smallest Fuel Cost Increases: January vs. April 2026 - iSeeCars Study
Rank Model Avg. Miles per Year Annual Fuel Cost, Jan 2026 Annual Fuel Cost, Apr 2026 Fuel Cost Increase
1 Toyota Prius Prime 12,999 $792 $955 $163
2 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid 12,630 $721 $885 $163
3 Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid 10,785 $824 $1,006 $181
4 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid 12,544 $804 $987 $183
5 Ford Mustang 2,092 $420 $613 $193
6 Lexus NX 450h+ 10,417 $975 $1,171 $196
7 Lincoln Corsair 9,608 $933 $1,130 $197
8 Toyota RAV4 Prime 13,255 $1,110 $1,345 $235
9 Volvo S60 Recharge 10,738 $987 $1,224 $238
10 Jeep Grand Cherokee Plug-In Hybrid 8,435 $1,141 $1,388 $247
Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Average 11,660 $1,385 $1,676 $291
Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle Average 13,323 $1,533 $2,240 $706
“Plug-in hybrids offer meaningful savings compared to traditional gasoline models, especially for drivers who plug them in regularly and rely primarily on their electric-only range,” said Brauer.

 

Fuel Type Should Match Driving Needs 

As fuel prices continue to fluctuate, consumers should look beyond purchase price and consider how far they drive, what type of vehicle they need, and how efficiently that vehicle turns energy into miles.

“Fuel price spikes can play havoc with a consumer’s monthly budget, but consumers can reduce this risk by buying a hybrid or plug-in hybrid,” said Brauer. “And, if a driver’s lifestyle and transportation needs can be fulfilled by an electric vehicle, EVs can help insulate consumers from recurring and substantial swings in fuel prices.”

 

Methodology

iSeeCars analyzed over 2.1 million 3-year-old used cars sold in 2025. Annual fuel costs were calculated based on each car’s average annual odometer reading and the cost of fuel in January 2026 vs. April 2026. The dollar difference in annual fuel costs as of each of those two months was used to rank drivetrains and models by their increased financial burden. 

The calculation of annual fuel cost depended on the type of fuel typically used by each vehicle, but all cases assumed that a vehicle would completely empty its fuel storage before refilling:

For internal combustion and conventional hybrid vehicles, the average annual mileage was combined with each vehicle’s EPA-rated fuel efficiency to calculate the number of gallons of gas consumed each year; monthly average national gas prices of $2.81 and $4.10 in January and April 2026 were then used to calculate annual fuel costs. 

For EVs, the average annual mileage was combined with each vehicle’s expected miles per charge and battery capacity in kilowatt-hours (kWh) to calculate the amount of electricity used each year. Average home charging costs of $0.192/kWh and $0.191/kWh from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and average public charging costs of $0.38 and $0.41 from AAA, along with a blend of 86% home charging / 14% public charging, were then used to calculate annual fuel costs.

For plug-in hybrids, an assumption of 50% fully-electric driving and 50% fully-gas driving was used, along with the respective annual fuel cost calculation for each type of fuel.

 

About iSeeCars.com

iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $449 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.