How Much Does a Hybrid Save on Fuel Compared to Its Gas Equivalent?

So maybe you’re not ready to ditch the gas station for a charging station, but you’re still interested in bumping up your fuel efficiency. If you’re considering a hybrid vehicle, you’re not alone — hybrid popularity is surging. According to a recent AAA survey, only 18% of U.S. adults say they would be “very likely” or “likely” to buy a new or used electric vehicle, compared with 31% saying they would be “very likely” or “likely” to buy a hybrid.

Related: What Are the Best 2024 Hybrids for the Money?

How much does a hybrid save on fuel compared with a non-hybrid vehicle? In the short run, hybrid vehicles generally cost more due to their upfront cost, but in the long run, they’ll save you money on gas. How much they’ll save you depends on several factors: the price premium you pay for a hybrid vehicle, the amount of gas you would use and what it costs, as well as how much you drive on average in a year. Where you drive is another factor to consider, since both city and highway driving play a factor in your overall fuel economy.

Gas Vs. Hybrid Cost Comparisons

Here are two comparisons that look at the gas costs savings of a hybrid versus their gas-only counterpart:

2024 Toyota Corolla Vs. 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid

The gas-powered 2024 Toyota Corolla comes with a 169-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine good for an EPA-rated 32/41/35 mpg city/highway/combined in the base LE sedan trim. It starts at $23,145 (all prices include destination).

Meanwhile, the 2024 Corolla Hybrid has a 138-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder paired with either one (front-wheel drive) or two electric motors (all-wheel drive). In the base FWD LE trim, it’s rated 53/46/50 mpg and starts at $24,595 — $1,450 more than the gas-powered version.

Let’s say you drive 15,000 miles a year, with 50% of them being city miles and regular gas is around $3.50 per gallon, which is the current national average according to AAA. Opting for the Corolla Hybrid over the gas model should save you $7.60 a week, about $33 a month and $395 a year on gas, according to calculations by the EPA. With this scenario, the payback period to recoup your $1,450 hybrid price premium is 3.7 years.

2024 Ford Maverick Vs. 2024 Ford Maverick Hybrid

Ford’s 2024 Maverick compact pickup truck comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine making 250 hp. It’s EPA-rated at 23/30/26 mpg in the base FWD XL trim; AWD is available. Pricing starts at $25,515.

The FWD-only 2024 Maverick Hybrid uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with an electric motor for a combined 191 hp; it gets 42/33/37 mpg. The base hybrid XL trim starts at $27,015 — $1,500 more than the non-hybrid.

Using our prior numbers of driving 15,000 miles a year with 50% of them being city miles and gas at $3.50 per gallon, the hybrid model will save you $11.67 a week, $50.58 a month and $607 a year on gas compared with the non-hybrid Maverick. With this scenario, the payback period to recoup your $1,500 hybrid price premium is 2.5 years.

In addition to the factors listed above, there’s another one to consider: How long are you willing to wait to let the savings add up? In some cases, as with the Maverick, you’ll make up the price premium pretty quickly; in others, it could take more time and you’ll have to decide if it’s worth the wait.

More From Cars.com:

• So You Want to Buy a Hybrid Car: 6 Things to Know
• What’s the Difference Between a Hybrid and a Plug-In Hybrid?
• Should I Buy an Electric Car or Plug-In Hybrid?
• Are Hybrid Cars More Expensive to Maintain or Repair Than a Gas Car?
• Find Your Next Car

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