Small Car

• AAA, a North American federation of auto clubs, analyzes the total cost of car ownership on an annual basis. AAA factors maintenance, financing, insurance, depreciation, taxes and registration into their formula. While gas is a variable commodity, it is also included at an assumed $2.88 per gallon. In their 2010 report, a small sedan was the most economical of vehicles at 45.1 cents per mile assuming the driver drives 15,000 miles per year. Small sedans include cars such as the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla.
  
  

Mid-Size Car

• Mid-sized cars, such as the Honda Accord and Chevrolet Impala, increased to 57.3 cents per mile using the same parameters as the small size car. The comparative rise of cost compared to the small size sedan is related to increased car price and lower gas mileage, among other factors. According to Edmunds.com, the 2010 Mercury Milan had the lowest total cost of ownership for sedans priced $25,000 to $35,000.
  
  

Large Car

• AAA identified the Buick Lucerne, Chrysler 300 and Toyota Avalon as large sedans, which carried a cost of 73.2 cents per mile. In addition to the cost and gas mileage associated with such automobiles, the annual depreciation is nearly double that of small sedans. In the $25,000 to $35,000 price range, Edmunds.com awarded the Lexus IS 250 with the lowest total cost award. The Infiniti M35 was the award recipient for sedans priced over $35,000.
  
  

Sport Utility Vehicle

• Four-wheel drive sport utility vehicles (SUV) accrued the highest annual cost at 75.9 cents per mile. While maintenance, depreciation and insurance costs were close to those of large sedans, SUV's gas mileage was significantly higher at an average of 17.04 cents per mile compared with the large sedan's lower 14.16 cents per mile. Edmunds.com recognized the GMC Acadia for SUV's priced $35,000 to $45,000.
  
  

Hybrid

• As more auto manufacturers release hybrid models, prices continue to drop, making them an attractive option for mainstream auto buyers. Edmunds.com chose the 2010 Honda Insight as a cost-effective class leader, with a price under $18,000 for a base model and a 40 mile per gallon rating in the city and 43 miles per gallon on the highway.