We looked at the 10 most popular cars in the US to find which is the cheapest to drive and there's a clear standout

America’s 10 most popular cars include everything from huge pickup trucks to family SUVs, a midsize sedan and one very popular EV.

Edmunds’ latest ranking, based on new retail registrations to individuals during 2025, puts the Ford F-Series at No. 1, followed by the Chevrolet Silverado and Toyota RAV4.

But popularity doesn’t necessarily mean cheap motoring, especially when fuel prices are high.

We looked at all 10 to see which one could cost the least to actually drive, and there is a very clear winner.

The 10 most popular cars in America have wildly different running costs

To make the comparison fair, we looked at the most efficient version of each vehicle where a clear fuel-economy figure was available, then calculated the energy cost of driving 12,000 miles in each car.

For gasoline vehicles, we used the current national average of $4.09 per gallon, while the Tesla was calculated using the 2025 US residential electricity average of 17.3 cents per kWh.

That means the figures are estimates rather than a prediction of what every owner will pay, but they show the enormous difference between these vehicles.

1. Ford F-Series – pickup truck

America’s best-selling vehicle is also one of the thirstiest on this list.

The most efficient 2025 F-150 configuration reaches 23 mpg combined, meaning 12,000 miles would require roughly 522 gallons of fuel, or about $2,134 at today’s national average.

2. Chevrolet Silverado – pickup truck

The Silverado can do considerably better if buyers choose the diesel, with Edmunds citing up to 26 mpg combined.

That still works out to almost $1,900 a year in fuel at today’s prices, showing just how much the size and weight of these popular pickups can cost at the pump.

3. Toyota RAV4 – America’s most popular compact SUV

The RAV4 is America’s best-selling SUV, and its hybrid powertrain makes a huge difference to its running costs.

Toyota rated the 2025 RAV4 Hybrid at up to 41 mpg city and 38 mpg highway, putting it among the more economical gas-powered choices here.

4. Honda CR-V – compact SUV

The CR-V is another family SUV that can make a strong case for itself with a hybrid powertrain.

Edmunds lists up to 40 mpg combined for the 2025 CR-V Hybrid, putting it roughly level with the RAV4 Hybrid in this simplified annual fuel-cost calculation.

5. Tesla Model Y – electric SUV

This is where things get interesting because the Model Y Long Range reaches 125 MPGe according to Edmunds, and using the US residential electricity average puts the energy needed to travel 12,000 miles at roughly $560.

6. GMC Sierra – pickup truck

The Sierra is another huge pickup that can become substantially more economical with the right engine.

Edmunds says its available diesel can return up to 26 mpg combined, although most versions sit considerably lower, making the real-world cost dependent heavily on which Sierra you choose.

7. Ram 1500 – pickup truck

The Ram 1500 can reach 23 mpg combined in HFE form, but plenty of other versions are closer to 19-21 mpg.

That means its fuel bill can quickly climb beyond $2,000 per year for someone covering 12,000 miles.

8. Chevrolet Equinox – compact SUV

The Equinox is considerably smaller than the full-size trucks, but its 2025 EPA figures still only reach 27 mpg combined.

At $4.09 per gallon, that means around $1,818 in fuel for 12,000 miles.

9. Toyota Camry – midsize sedan

Here’s the gas-powered standout.

The 2025 Camry is hybrid-only, and the LE can achieve an impressive 51 mpg combined, meaning it would need only around 235 gallons to travel 12,000 miles.

That works out to less than $1,000 a year at today’s average gasoline price.

10. Toyota Tacoma – popular midsize pickup truck

The Tacoma is hugely popular, but it doesn’t exactly sip fuel.

Its most efficient 2025 configurations reach around 23 mpg combined, putting it in the same rough annual fuel-cost territory as the F-150 and Ram when gasoline is $4.09 per gallon.

The cheapest car to drive has a clear advantage and is very popular

There is a pretty decisive winner here, and it isn’t the Toyota Camry despite its seriously impressive 51 mpg rating.

The Tesla Model Y’s electric powertrain completely changes the calculation.

Using Edmunds’ 125 MPGe figure for the Long Range model and the latest annual US residential electricity average, 12,000 miles works out to only around $560 in energy.

That is roughly $400 less than the Camry’s estimated annual fuel bill and around $1,574 less than the F-150’s, even though the F-150’s hybrid powertrain is one of its more economical options.

Of course, this doesn’t account for insurance, depreciation, financing, maintenance, charging losses or differences in local electricity and gasoline prices.

It also doesn’t mean the Model Y is the cheapest car to buy, because the Camry starts at $28,700 while the Model Y occupies a much higher price bracket.

But if the question is simply which of America’s 10 most popular vehicles could cost the least to keep moving, the answer is remarkably clear: the Tesla Model Y.