I own a car · Guide for Utah
The real cost of owning a car, by vehicle type
The price is the least of it. What you pay every year in depreciation, insurance, fuel and maintenance decides whether the car suits you.
The average new car in the United States costs $11,577 a year to own and operate: about 77 cents per mile at 15,000 miles (AAA, 2025). And the biggest piece is not gas or the shop: it is depreciation, the money the car loses in value while it sleeps in your driveway. This guide takes that number apart by vehicle type so you can compare it with yours.
A note on wordingThis is not a "total cost of ownership": it leaves out parking, tolls, tickets and the time you lose. These are the six components AAA measures, with their figures and date. What is not here is not measured.
What makes up the average ($11,577 / year)
| Component | 2025 average | What you can control |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $4,334 / yr | Almost all of it: a 3-year-old used car has already taken the biggest drop. It is the strongest financial argument for buying used. |
| Insurance | $1,694 / yr | Little. Compare every year and raise the deductible if you have savings. What changes by state, below. |
| Finance | $1,131 / yr | All of it: short term, big down payment, pre-approved rate. |
| Fuel | 13¢ / mile | Depends on the car and how you drive. A hybrid cuts it nearly in half. |
| Maintenance, repair and tires | 11.04¢ / mile | Depends on the brand and on doing it on time. See the maintenance schedule. |
| License, registration and taxes | $813 / yr | Almost nothing per year. The hit is the tax at purchase; see your state's section below. |
By vehicle type (cents per mile, AAA 2025)
| Type | ¢ / mile | At 15,000 mi / yr* | Quick read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small sedan | 55.87 | ≈ $8,380 | The cheapest to own. Low depreciation, low fuel. |
| Hybrid | 63.94 | ≈ $9,590 | Pays back its premium through fuel if you drive in the city. |
| Subcompact SUV | 66.11 | ≈ $9,920 | The middle ground most people buy. |
| Medium sedan | 66.37 | ≈ $9,960 | More room than the small one for about the same cost. |
| Compact SUV | 68.53 | ≈ $10,280 | The best-selling segment; its cost reflects pricier insurance and tires. |
| Electric | 71.21 | ≈ $10,680 | Cheap fuel, high depreciation and insurance. Better if you charge at home. |
| Mid-size pickup | 79.11 | ≈ $11,870 | Capability you pay for every mile. |
| Medium SUV | 83.89 | ≈ $12,580 | Three rows, high fuel, high depreciation. |
| Half-ton pickup | 98.54 | ≈ $14,780 | The most expensive to own. If you don't tow, you are paying for capability you don't use. |
*Simple multiplication of AAA's per-mile figure by 15,000 miles, rounded. AAA calculates on a new car, five years and 75,000 miles, national average. A used car has less depreciation and finance cost, but more maintenance.
What changes in Utah
- Insurance. Utah is a no-fault state: your own policy pays your medical costs first (minimum $3,000 PIP). Driving or keeping a registered car without insurance is a class B misdemeanor, with a fine of no less than $400 for a first offense and $1,000 for a second within three years; getting the registration back also costs a $100 reinstatement fee. Ask for the insurance price on the VIN before you buy.
- Tax at purchase. 4.70% state plus local taxes: for a vehicle the total runs from 6.35% to 8.45% depending on the locality, in the chart in effect October 1, 2026. The higher combined rates on that chart (up to 10.05%) include the resort communities tax, which does not apply to motor vehicle sales. In a private sale you pay it at the DMV when titling, at the rate where you will register the car; with a dealer, the rate where you buy. Sales between family members are taxed too. Only a vehicle-for-vehicle trade in the same transaction lowers the base; any other trade is valued and taxed. Without a signed bill of sale showing the net purchase price, the DMV charges the tax on the car's fair market value (depreciated cost new, Utah Code § 59-2-102), which can be far more than you paid: get the bill of sale. If you disagree with that value, you can produce a proper bill of sale or a valuation from a licensed and bonded Utah dealer or an authorized insurance adjusting firm. Reporting a false price can bring a penalty of 100% of the tax or $500, whichever is greater.
- Climate. In the north, winter road salt and de-icer corrode brakes and the underbody, and the cold weakens the battery: wash the underside and test the battery before December. In the south (St. George), dry heat and high-altitude sun age tires, battery and plastics faster.
- Comprehensive coverage. It is what pays for hail, flood, fire and theft. If the car is worth anything, it is not optional.
How to use this before you buy
- Take the price you can pay and subtract day-one tax and fees.
- Find the vehicle type in the table and multiply the cents by your real yearly miles (look at your current car: the odometer doesn't lie).
- Get an insurance quote on the specific VIN. It is the line that surprises most.
- If the yearly total is more than you can sustain, step down a segment. A small sedan costs half what a half-ton pickup costs every year, not just on purchase day.
Keep your vehicle information together
Sources
- AAA — Your Driving Costs 2025 (fact sheet, September 2025)
- AAA — New vehicle costs drop to $11,577 (press release)
- Utah State Tax Commission — Sales and Use Tax Rates
- Utah DMV — Utah State Tax Commission — Division of Motor Vehicles
This guide informs; it is not legal or financial advice, nor an offer, quote or appraisal. Every figure carries its source and date; check it is still current before you decide.
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