Today’s pickup shopper is increasingly unwilling to pay for capability they don’t need, especially when it comes time to fill their tanks. The auto industry has responded: in 2022, shoppers are now presented with diesel and hybrid options in full-sized trucks as well as a new breed of compact pickup which sees new-for-2022 models like the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick joining a long-time favourite, the Honda Ridgeline, in the compact pickup segment.
Referencing the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) 2022 Fuel Consumption Guide (download it here), we can do an apples-to-apples comparison of how much money will go from your bank account into the fuel tank of each of these trucks on an annual basis.
The annual fuel costs come from each vehicle’s combined fuel consumption ratings (based on 55 per cent city driving and 45 percent highway driving), and assumes fuel prices of $1.00 for regular gas, and a driven distance of 20,000 kilometres per year. The result is a dollar figure baseline that shoppers can use to help accurately compare the fuel economy and annual fuel costs of each vehicle they’re considering.
Remember: your results may vary. Drivers who do mostly highway driving will tend to use less fuel, drivers who drive mostly in the city will tend to use more. Fuel prices are unstable and may vary over time and geographic area, too. Given present pricing hovering toward $1.50 across much of the country, it is safe to estimate a further 50% on top of each of these dollar figures.
2022 Ford Maverick vs Hyundai Santa Cruz Photo by Elliot Alder
First up is the Ford Maverick, which is the only compact truck on our list available with two engine options. The first of these is a hybrid 2-litre four-cylinder that comes in a single, front-wheel drive configuration that’s intended to make it the most fuel-efficient pickup on the road.
The Maverick Hybrid is rated for 5.6 L/100 km of fuel in the city, 7.1 L/100 km on the highway, and 6.3 L/100 km combined. Over 20,000 km, this translates to an approximate annual fuel cost of $1,260.
Drivers who opt for the Maverick’s two-litre four-cylinder turbo engine and AWD will nearly double that rating in city driving, reaching 10.7 L/100 km. On the highway it’s 8.1 L/100 km from the non-hybrid Maverick, or an additional litre of gas consumed for every 100 highway kilometres it drives. On combined consumption, it’s 9.6 L/100 km in the AWD Maverick, for an annual fuel cost of $1,920 — some $660 more than the Maverick Hybrid.
The larger Honda Ridgeline comes with standard power from a proven 3.5-litre V6 engine. It drinks 12.8 L/100 km in the city, 9.9 L/100 km on the highway, and 11.5 L/100 km combined. That’s a $2,300 annual fuel cost, or $380 per year more than the Ford Maverick.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz has the highest-performing engine of this group, a 2.5-litre turbo four-cylinder that uses 12.1 L/100 km in the city, 8.6 L/100 km on the highway, and 10.6 L/100 km combined. This puts it into the middle of the pack, with an annual fuel cost of $2,120, or $200 more than the Maverick but $90 less than the Ridgeline.
Honda Ridgeline Photo by Jeff Van De Walle
To recap the Annual Fuel Costs so far:
Ford Maverick: $1,920Ford Maverick Hybrid: $1,260Honda Ridgeline: $2,300
Hyundai Santa Cruz: $2,120
For comparison’s sake, The new 4×4 Nissan Frontier registers an annual fuel cost of $2,460, just $160 more than the less-powerful Ridgeline, but nearly double that of the Maverick Hybrid.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 High Country Duramax Photo by Matthew Guy
Do you need to buy a compact pickup for good fuel economy? Not necessarily — advanced (and sometimes pricey) technologies available in various full-sized models help turn in lower annual fuel costs too.
For instance, the full-sized Ford F-150 Hybrid uses just $120 per year more gas than a Maverick, and some 4×4 versions of the Chevrolet Silverado are available with a 3-litre Duramax diesel engine that offers lower annual fuel costs than Maverick, Santa Cruz, or Ridgeline.
The new full-sized Toyota Tundra 4×4 has a hybrid turbo V6 engine that delivers a $2,440 annual fuel cost, which is within $230 per year of the Ridgeline or Santa Cruz, in exchange for a big step in power output.
Ford F-150 PowerBoost and 2022 Toyota Tundra iForce Max Photo by Matthew Guy
It’s a good illustration of how far the tech has come in full-sized trucks. Switch your 2021 Tundra with 5.7 litre V8 for a 2022 with the new V6, for instance, and annual fuel costs drop by $1,530!
It’s always nice to have choices, and if you’re shopping for a fuel-saving pickup in 2022, you’ve got plenty to consider.
Keyword: Fuel Cost Comparison: Compact vs full-sized trucks