Gas prices. Given recent events, they have been a topic on everyone's minds as rising oil prices cause gasoline prices to rise across the United States and around the world. While we won't dive into the intricacies of why costs have spiked recently or how prices are set locally or at the oil barrel level, we wanted to explain how these changes will impact the average car owner and their wallets. Though drivers tend to complain about even a modest increase in their fuel cost, it may not affect your budget as much as you may think.
To demonstrate how much the latest gas price increases actually cost drivers, we took a look at two popular vehicles in the US: the 2026 Ford F-150 and the 2026 Toyota Camry. The former is the best-selling pickup truck (and vehicle of any kind) in the US, and the latter is the best-selling non-truck or SUV. We chose the F-150 with its 5.0-liter V8 engine to show a traditional truck option, and the Camry in its SE/XLE/XLE trims, since they make up the bulk of sales. The contrast between these two vehicles demonstrates how your personal choice plays a major role in how gas prices impact your wallet.
Gas Prices Have Increased
For the purposes of this comparison, we are using national average gas prices as calculated daily by the American Automobile Association. These prices fluctuate daily, and vary greatly depending on region. As of March 9, 2026, regular (87 octane) fuel averaged $3.478, while Premium (91 octane) was $4.342. One week prior, the prices were $2.997 and $3.861, respectively, representing increases of 16% and 12.4%.
National Average Gas Prices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Regular Grade | Premium Grade | |
| Current Average | $3.478 | $4.342 |
| Week Ago | $2.997 | $3.861 |
| Month Ago | $2.902 | $3.764 |
| Year Ago | $3.089 | $3.918 |
Cost To Fill Your Tank
Starting small, we wanted to show how much it would cost to fill the tank (on average) in the V8-powered F-150 and how much it would cost in the hybrid Camry. The F-150 has three different fuel tank sizes, but we used the middle 26-gallon option, which would cost $90.48 to fill at today's fuel prices. For comparison, it would have cost $78 one week ago, a difference of $12.48.
The Camry is far less expensive to fill up, since it only has a 13-gallon tank. You will pay $45.24 today, compared to $39 one week ago. That's a smaller savings of just $6.24, but your cost per tank is far lower. The F-150 will theoretically achieve 19 mpg combined with its V8 engine, meaning it should travel around 494 miles per tank, 624 if they are all highway miles, and you can get the EPA-rated 24 mpg.
Despite carrying half as much fuel, the Camry should be able to travel around 598 miles on a tank in our chosen trims, since it averages 46 mpg. That's thanks to it being hybrid only in the current generation.
How Does That Add Up Over A Year?
Yearly Fuel Cost Comparison | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Prices | Today | Last Week | Difference |
| 2026 Ford F-150 | $2,468.24 | $2,127.79 | $340.45 |
| 2026 Toyota Camry | $1,090.62 | $878.87 | $211.75 |
Most drivers aren't going to go bankrupt because they have to spend an additional $6 or $12 here or there, but those costs can add up over the life of a car. Since gas prices fluctuate so much and so frequently, it's impossible to say if they will remain at their current levels, but assuming they stayed exactly as they are today, this is how much it would cost the hypothetical F-150 and Camry driver.
According to the US Federal Department of Transportation, the average driver in the US drives 13,476 miles per year. This would cost the F-150 driver $2,468.24 at today's fuel prices if they held the same for 365 consecutive days.
If the F-150 bought fuel a week ago for an entire year, it would cost $2,127.79, a savings of $340.45. In other words, the $.0.48 weekly increase in gas prices, if extrapolated over the course of a year, would cost a truck owner around $340. But what about a hybrid sedan owner?
We've already seen how the Camry can go about as far as the F-150 on a single tank using about half as much gas, so that is bound to pay dividends over the course of a year. At today's prices, it would cost $1,090.62 to run the Camry 13,476 miles, assuming no price increases or decreases.
If prices were at the level from one week ago, it would only cost $878.87 to fill the Camry, $211.75 less than this week. Not only does the Camry owner pay much less at the pump, but vehicles with higher fuel economy aren't hurt as much by fluctuations in gas prices.
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
