Cheap to buy and cheap to own are two different things, and the gap between them is where most new car shoppers get caught out. If you’re shopping in the US and want something that costs almost nothing to keep on the road, there’s one clear winner: the Fiat 500e. Yes, the pint-sized three-door electric hatchback that virtually nobody is buying happens to be the cheapest new car in America to live with.

Fiat moved 150 of them in the first half of the year, down 81 percent from the 788 it managed over the same stretch in 2025, a figure that was hardly worth celebrating in the first place.

A recent study from Self.Inc set out to determine the average running costs of 50 popular new cars sold across the country. We’re not sure how these 50 were selected, but the results show that the 500e has annual running costs of just $3,557, easily beating the next-most-affordable option, the Honda Civic Hybrid, with average annual costs of $4,833.

Read: Dealers Can’t Move The 500e At $15,000 Off. Fiat’s Response Is A $5,200 Price Hike

A key reason for the 500e’s affordability is its efficiency. The car is small and, on average, costs $779 to charge. Average annual insurance at $779 is also well below the industry average, and annual maintenance of $1,275 is also low. Annual fees and taxes of $724 are higher than some of the competition, but that’s not enough to outdo the other savings.

Average Running Costs By Brand

Sources: Self

Positioned in a surprising third place was the Hyundai Elantra N with average annual running costs of $4,904. We’re not sure how the Elantra N made the list, as opposed to the standard Elantra, particularly given it can use quite a lot of fuel when driven as most N owners drive. Nonetheless, the average maintenance cost is low at just $1,278, which helps.

Other affordable cars to run in the US include the Nissan Versa at $4,949 in annual costs, the Toyota Camry Hybrid at $5,031, the Honda Accord HEV at $5,047, and the gas-powered Honda Civic at $5,062. Included in the affordable options are also the Mini Cooper, Kia K4, and Mazda3.

What About The Most Expensive?

At the other end of the spectrum are some very expensive cars to run. The Porsche 911 was listed as the most expensive car to run, with average annual costs of $10,832, positioning it ahead of the Audi RS7 at $10,334, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing at $10,265, the Chevrolet Corvette at $10,213, and the Lucid Air at $10,049, primarily due to high insurance fees for the luxurious electric sedan.

Compared to the last time the study was conducted in 2024, average annual fuel costs have fallen from $2,246 to $1,727. While this is good news for car buyers, annual insurance costs have jumped from $1,763 to $2,219, and annual maintenance costs are also up from $1,633 to $1,817. Annual fees and taxes have also increased from $820 to $1,151.

The study also sheds light on differences in ownership costs among EVs, gas-powered vehicles, and hybrids. After analyzing each of the 50 models, hybrids came out on top with average annual running costs of $5,734, less than the $6,189 for EVs, primarily due to cheaper insurance, fees, and taxes. Gas-powered vehicles came last, with an average cost of $7,025.

Top 20 Least-Expensive New Cars To Run In The US

Top 20 Most Expensive New Cars To Run In The US

Source: Self. Inc

Fiat has stopped importing the only two new models it sells in Australia, the Fiat 500e and Abarth 500e, as it struggles to fend off a sea of more affordable Chinese arrivals. The move leaves the company in a precarious spot and has fueled speculation that it’s inching toward exiting the market entirely as sales crumble.

Demand for the two 500e models has never been strong, largely because they have been so expensive. When first launched, the regular 500e started at AU$52,500 ($36,800), while the Abarth model was initially priced from AU$58,990 ($41,300), price tags generally only reserved for mid-size SUVs, including electric SUVs.

Read: Dealers Can’t Move The 500e At $15,000 Off. Fiat’s Response Is A $5,200 Price Hike

Fiat eventually made steep price cuts to both cars, more than AU$20,000 (US$14,000) in some cases, but that did little to stir demand. Sources familiar with the matter told Drive that Fiat’s five remaining passenger car dealers have gone without new factory 500e allocations for some time. The company also runs 14 Fiat Professional van showrooms.

Earlier this week, Stellantis confirmed it will stop importing the 500e models, the only two passenger cars it still brought into the country. The petrol-powered Fiat 500 and Abarth 695 are already gone, with only leftover stock remaining, though the Scudo and Ducato vans are staying, at least for now.

Sales Collapse

Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Car Sales reports that Fiat volume has dropped 30 percent year-to-date, with just 144 vehicles moved locally this year. Only 13 of those came in June. Ferrari managed 16 and Lamborghini 18, which means two brands that trade in six-figure exotics each outsold Fiat, by 23 and 38 percent respectively over the same month. Stellantis says it remains committed to Australia, but with so little volume, it may become hard to justify the investment needed to keep the brand around.

“As part of Stellantis Australia’s ongoing portfolio and product planning process, the availability of specific models can vary over time as we assess market demand and future product opportunities,” Stellantis said. “We remain focused on ensuring the vehicles we bring to Australia meet customers’ expectations.“

“Fiat 500e and Abarth 500e stock in Australia has now largely been sold through and, at this stage, we are not planning additional orders while we evaluate future product opportunities for the local market. We continue to support our Fiat and Abarth customers and dealer network and look forward to sharing more information about Fiat’s and Abarth’s future plans in Australia at the appropriate time,” the company added.

A Sign Of Things To Come?

Earlier this month, fellow Stellantis brand Peugeot revealed it was parting ways with Australian distributor Inchcape, meaning Stellantis itself will control the firm’s local operations. Last week, local media was informed that Peugeot was completely retiring its fleet of press vehicles, noting it would no longer be offering loans to the media. Its sales have also fallen drastically as the French brand has failed to compete with new arrivals, mostly from China. Its sales are down more than 32 percent year-to-date.

Brad Anderson/Carscoops

The Fiat Topolino has just landed in America at $13,995, which technically makes it the cheapest EV in the country. The catch is that it isn’t classified as a car and can’t be sold as street legal, at least not until Stellantis rolls out an optional Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) conversion kit that clears it for roads posted at 35 mph (56 km/h) or less.

In base form, its 19 mph (31 km/h) top speed keeps it well clear of any highway on-ramp. So it’s slow. Very slow. Then again, nobody buys something that makes the original Smart ForTwo look roomy expecting speed. None of which has stopped Stellantis from weighing an Abarth-branded version to make the tiny EV more tempting to young buyers in Europe.

More: We Imagined Stellantis’ Tiny EV As Jeep, Dodge, And Chrysler Oddballs

That hotter model would go beyond the Fiat Topolino Sport that was recently introduced in Italy. The Sport brought fresh colors, stripe graphics, black accents and wheels to match, though nothing underneath changed.

Fiat and Abarth CEO Olivier Francois told Autocar the company is developing an Abarth take on the Topolino. He called the idea a “dream” and predicted it would be a “total hit”.

More: Stellantis Is Using A 15-Year-Old Fiat To Stop Italy From Handing Autobianchi To China

So why hang a performance badge on a heavy quadricycle built to crawl through city traffic? Gaetano Thorel, who runs Fiat and Abarth in Europe, laid out the thinking.

Chasing Teenagers Who Want Noise

“We want to make an Abarth feeling for the Topolino, because we are still trying to boost selling it to young people. It’s amazing: Topolino is the most successful quadricycle in Italy, and if we’re being honest we still don’t catch the heart of 16- and 17-year-olds. I want to gain their hearts, which is why we now have Topolino Sport. An Abarth Topolino could be another solution.”

More: Citroen’s Funky Buggy Is Back With Gold Steelies And Tube Doors

The Fiat Topolino, Citroen Ami, and Opel Rocks Electric triplets are classified in the L6 quadricycle segment, which lets 14-year-old teenagers legally drive them in countries like Italy and France. Even so, Fiat’s European boss admitted that parents usually prefer rivals like the Ligier, which feels sportier thanks to the sound of its 50cc engine compared with the “more gentle” Topolino EV.

Styling Over Speed

To win over that younger crowd, Fiat needs a spicier take on its retro-flavored quadricycle, possibly borrowing the fake engine noises from the fully electric Abarth 500 along with a more aggressive bodykit and special touches inside the cabin.

That said, don’t expect the pint-sized EV to turn into a pocket rocket. Regulations wouldn’t allow the Topolino to carry anything stronger than the current 8 hp (6 kW) electric motor. Abarth’s engineers would likely go no further than perhaps some minor tweaks to the suspension along with different wheels and tires. The special edition will be more of an Abarth lifestyle product than a genuine performance machine.