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BUFFALO, N.Y., April 14, 2009 – AAA’s 2009 edition of “Your Driving Costs” shows the average cost of owning and operating a new car in the United States has remained relatively unchanged compared to figures released in 2008. The average cost for a new sedan driven 15,000 miles per year is 54 cents per mile, only 0.1 cents less than last year.

“While motorists have experienced some relief from last year’s record-high gasoline prices, revised fuel economy estimates and increases in vehicle ownership costs, such as insurance premiums, depreciation, and finance charges, have kept the average nationwide cost of owning and operating a vehicle flat compared to last year,” said Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York.

New sedan costs average $8,095 yearly
The composite average cost to own and operate a typical new sedan driven 15,000 miles yearly is $8,095.

• Small sedan costs were unchanged at 42.1 cents per mile, or $6,312 annually.
• Medium sedan costs dropped 1.1 cents per mile to 54.0, or $8,105 per year, thanks to maintenance cost savings and lower depreciation.
• The costs for large sedans rose 0.7 cents per mile to 65.8, or $9,870 yearly, due largely to increased depreciation.

SUV costs drop, minivan’s jump

• SUV owners, whose vehicles get lower fuel economy, benefitted most from the drop in fuel prices compared to last year. The estimated operating costs for an SUV dipped 1.3 cents per mile to 68.4 cents, or $10,259 per year, despite a relatively large increase in depreciation and insurance premiums.
• Minivan costs jumped 1.2 cents per mile to 58.8 cents or $8,815 yearly. The growth is due to cost increases in every area except fuel and included the largest rise in depreciation of any vehicle class.

New EPA baselines provide better “real world” results
AAA’s 2009 edition of “Your Driving Costs” uses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s revised fuel-economy estimates that are intended to better reflect “real world” results.

“AAA was a strong advocate for updating the EPA’s guidelines for calculating fuel economy so new car buyers could have a realistic estimate of a vehicle’s miles per gallon before their purchase,” Chestnut added. “The ability to use EPA estimates more closely based on ‘real world’ conditions in our calculations has made ‘Your Driving Costs’ an even more valuable tool for consumers.”

Understanding the calculations
AAA’s calculations are based on both operating and ownership costs that include:

Operating Costs:     Fuel, Maintenance and Tires
Ownership Costs:    Insurance, License, Registration, Taxes, Depreciation and Financing

The costs are based on typical use of a vehicle for personal transportation over five years and 75,000 miles of ownership. Fuel costs were based on $2.30 per gallon, as reported by the AAA Fuel Gauge Report (www.AAAFuelGaugeReport.com) in late 2008.

AAA’s analysis covers vehicles equipped with standard and optional equipment. The driving costs in each category are based on the average expenses for five top-selling models selected by AAA. The models included in the study are:

Small Sedans:      Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and Toyota CorollaMedium Sedans:    Chevrolet Impala, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima and Toyota CamryLarge Sedans:      Buick Lucerne, Chrysler 300, Ford Taurus, Nissan Maxima and Toyota AvalonSUVs:                Chevrolet Trailblazer, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota 4RunnerMinivans:            Chevrolet Uplander, Dodge Grand Caravan, Kia Sedona, Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna

“Your Driving Costs” is available at any AAA Western and Central New York Travel and Insurance Center by calling (800) 836-CLUB (2582), or by downloading a copy at www.AAA.com/auto.

As Upstate New York’s largest member services organization, AAA provides nearly 880,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive related services. Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Visit AAA at www.AAA.com.