Guide
Hybrid or gas: how long until the hybrid pays for itself
A hybrid costs more up front and less at the pump. Here is how fast the savings add up for every model on this site that comes both ways, from EPA's ratings and fuel prices.
For each model we compare the best-rated hybrid with the best-rated gas version that has the same drive (front-wheel drive against front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive against all-wheel drive), in the latest model year that offers both. Fuel cost assumes 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and EPA's current prices ($4.32 a gallon for regular). The last column is how long it takes to earn back each $1,000 of extra price: if the hybrid costs $2,500 more, multiply it by 2.5.
| Model | Gas | Hybrid | Fuel / year | Saving / year | Years per $1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gas: 3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.5L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual · Blue |
21 mpg | 34 mpg | $3,086 gas $1,906 hybrid |
$1,180 | 0.8 |
Gas: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl · AWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT |
24 mpg | 36 mpg | $3,325 gas $2,217 hybrid |
$1,108 | 0.9 |
Gas: 3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual |
21 mpg | 32 mpg | $3,086 gas $2,025 hybrid |
$1,061 | 0.9 |
Gas: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
24 mpg | 36 mpg | $2,700 gas $1,800 hybrid |
$900 | 1.1 |
Gas: 2.5L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual |
24 mpg | 36 mpg | $2,700 gas $1,800 hybrid |
$900 | 1.1 |
Gas: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl · AWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT |
24 mpg | 35 mpg | $2,700 gas $1,851 hybrid |
$849 | 1.2 |
Gas: 2.0L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
26 mpg | 38 mpg | $2,492 gas $1,705 hybrid |
$787 | 1.3 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · 4WD · 6-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · 4WD · CVT |
26 mpg | 38 mpg | $2,492 gas $1,705 hybrid |
$787 | 1.3 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · AWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · 6-speed automated manual · Blue |
26 mpg | 38 mpg | $2,492 gas $1,705 hybrid |
$787 | 1.3 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · LE SE · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT · LE |
32 mpg | 52 mpg | $2,025 gas $1,246 hybrid |
$779 | 1.3 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual |
28 mpg | 42 mpg | $2,314 gas $1,543 hybrid |
$771 | 1.3 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · auto start-stop · Hybrid: 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual · Blue |
32 mpg | 51 mpg | $2,025 gas $1,271 hybrid |
$754 | 1.3 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 1.6L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual |
26 mpg | 37 mpg | $2,492 gas $1,751 hybrid |
$741 | 1.3 |
Gas: 1.5L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · Hybrid: 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
32 mpg | 48 mpg | $2,025 gas $1,350 hybrid |
$675 | 1.5 |
Gas: 1.5L turbo 3-cyl · AWD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · Part-time 4WD · CVT |
28 mpg | 39 mpg | $2,314 gas $1,662 hybrid |
$653 | 1.5 |
Gas: 2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · auto start-stop · Hybrid: 1.6L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual · Blue |
35 mpg | 54 mpg | $1,851 gas $1,200 hybrid |
$651 | 1.5 |
Gas: 2.0L 4-cyl · AWD · CVT · Hybrid: 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT |
30 mpg | 42 mpg | $2,160 gas $1,543 hybrid |
$617 | 1.6 |
Gas: 1.5L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · Hybrid: 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
32 mpg | 46 mpg | $2,025 gas $1,409 hybrid |
$616 | 1.6 |
Gas: 2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · 1-mode TM · Hybrid: 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
35 mpg | 50 mpg | $1,851 gas $1,296 hybrid |
$555 | 1.8 |
Gas: 1.6L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 7-speed automated manual · Hybrid: 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 6-speed automated manual |
31 mpg | 42 mpg | $2,090 gas $1,543 hybrid |
$547 | 1.8 |
Gas: 1.5L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · Hybrid: 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
30 mpg | 40 mpg | $2,160 gas $1,620 hybrid |
$540 | 1.9 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · AWD · 8-speed automatic · LE · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT |
30 mpg | 39 mpg | $2,160 gas $1,662 hybrid |
$498 | 2.0 |
Gas: 2.0L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · 4-door · rated 36 mpg · Hybrid: 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT · 4-door |
36 mpg | 49 mpg | $1,800 gas $1,322 hybrid |
$478 | 2.1 |
Gas: 3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · CVT · Hybrid: 2.5L supercharged 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
24 mpg | 29 mpg | $2,700 gas $2,234 hybrid |
$466 | 2.1 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · AWD · CVT · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT |
29 mpg | 36 mpg | $2,234 gas $1,800 hybrid |
$434 | 2.3 |
Gas: 2.7L turbo 6-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic · Hybrid: 3.5L turbo 6-cyl hybrid · RWD · 10-speed automatic |
21 mpg | 24 mpg | $3,086 gas $2,700 hybrid |
$386 | 2.6 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · AWD · CVT · Hybrid: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT |
29 mpg | 35 mpg | $2,234 gas $1,851 hybrid |
$383 | 2.6 |
Gas: 2.5L 4-cyl · FWD · CVT · Hybrid: 2.0L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT |
29 mpg | 34 mpg | $2,234 gas $1,906 hybrid |
$329 | 3.0 |
Gas: 2.3L turbo 4-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic · auto start-stop · Hybrid: 3.3L 6-cyl hybrid · RWD · 10-speed automatic |
24 mpg | 27 mpg | $2,700 gas $2,400 hybrid |
$300 | 3.3 |
Gas: 3.4L turbo 6-cyl · RWD · 10-speed automatic · Hybrid: 3.4L turbo 6-cyl hybrid · RWD · 10-speed automatic |
20 mpg | 22 mpg | $3,240 gas $2,945 hybrid |
$295 | 3.4 |
Gas: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl · 4WD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · 4WD · 8-speed automatic |
21 mpg | 23 mpg | $3,086 gas $2,817 hybrid |
$268 | 3.7 |
Gas: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl · Part-time 4WD · 8-speed automatic · Hybrid: 2.4L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · 4WD · 8-speed automatic |
21 mpg | 23 mpg | $3,086 gas $2,817 hybrid |
$268 | 3.7 |
Gas: 1.4L turbo 4-cyl · FWD · 5-speed manual · Hybrid: 1.4L turbo 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · 7-speed automated manual |
33 mpg | 44 mpg | $1,964 gas $1,814 hybrid |
$150 | 6.7 |
Where a version needs premium fuel, its cost uses EPA's premium price.
What changes the answer
- How far you drive. The saving scales with miles: at 10,000 miles a year it is two-thirds of the figure above, at 20,000 a third more.
- Where you drive. Hybrids gain most in stop-and-go traffic, where they recover energy when braking. If you mostly drive on the highway, you'll save less than the table shows.
- Fuel prices. If gas costs less than EPA's figure, the payback takes longer by the same proportion.
- What else comes with the hybrid. Some hybrids are sold only in higher trims or with all-wheel drive, so the showroom price gap isn't always the cost of the hybrid system alone.
The fuel cost calculator works out any two vehicles at your own mileage and prices.
Sources and method
- US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov) and EPA's current fuel price assumptions.
Written with AI tools from the site's EPA and NHTSA data and reviewed by the editor. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.