"Owning a car costs about $10,000 a year."
Assuming a car is being driven 15,000 miles per year, the total cost of its operation and maintenance (gas, tires, fees, repairs, and so on) would be $9,641 per year, or around 53 cents per mile, according to an analysis by AAA. This figure was based on late 2006 gas estimates, however, when gas prices in the U.S. were dramatically lower per gallon (around $2.25 on average) than they are now (approximately $3.60). This per-year AAA estimate was also for a medium-sized sedan -- that 52-cents-per-year figure goes up to 63 or 67 cents per mile for a large sedan or SUV.