Vehicle Ownership and Operating Costs by Vehicle Size

The bar graph below was created using Google’s chart tools.

The bar graph shows ownership, operating, and total costs in owning and operating five vehicle sizes (small, medium, and large sedans; SUVs; and minivans).

The ownership costs includes insurance, licensing and registration, and depreciation costs.

The operating costs includes: gas & oil; maintenance; and tires. The operating cost is computed on the assumption that the vehicle is operated for 15,000 miles, and has the following operating cost per mile: small sedan – 13.3 cents per mile; medium sedan - 15.5 cents per mile; large sedan – 16.8 cents per mile; SUV – 20.1 cents per mile; and minivan – 17.0 cents per mile.

The total cost is the sum of the ownership and operating costs.

The graph visually indicates the expense of owning and operating vehicles and also show how substantially different the costs can be for various sizes of vehicles.

The graph is based on data presented at the Victoria Transport Policy Institute website. Click here to go this website.