Independent Ontario consumer resource · built on the official Fault Determination Rules · updated August 2026
ONFaultChecker.ca

Ontario · Free tool · Updated August 2026

Compare two vehicles on what they really cost in Ontario

Two cars, same driver, same area. See which one actually costs less to own.

Pick two vehicles

Same driver, same area, same coverage — so the only thing changing is the car.

Vehicle A
Vehicle B

Your situation

Applied identically to both vehicles.

Head to head

Five-year view.

Where the money goes

Annual running cost, broken out.

Value over the next ten years

Projected resale value. Steeper means faster losses.

Side by side

Green is the cheaper of the two.

How this comparison works

Both vehicles are run against the same driver profile, the same postal area and the same coverage, so the only variable is the car itself. Insurance comes from Ontario rating factors including each model’s theft and repair record. Fuel uses published consumption figures at your annual distance. Depreciation uses Canadian residual-value patterns adjusted for how well each brand holds value.

What actually separates two similar cars

Step 2 of 5 · Compare two

Next step

You know which is cheaper to own. Now decide how to pay.

Step 3Lease or finance →← Check a listing

Key takeaways

These figures are modelled from Ontario rating factors and calibrated to published averages — not quotes. See exactly how they are calculated.

Common questions

Which vehicles hold their value best in Ontario?

Trucks and body-on-frame SUVs have historically held value best in Canada, followed by Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Lexus across most segments. Luxury European brands depreciate fastest of the conventional vehicles, and electric vehicles have depreciated faster still as battery technology and pricing have moved quickly. Over five years the difference between the best and worst can easily exceed $15,000 on similarly priced vehicles.

Is depreciation really the biggest cost of owning a car?

For most vehicles in their first five years, yes. A car that loses roughly 45 to 50 percent of its value over five years is shedding more money than the owner spends on insurance, fuel and maintenance combined over the same period. It rarely feels that way because depreciation never arrives as a bill — you only encounter it on the day you sell or trade in. It is also the cost most affected by which vehicle you choose, which is why comparing it before you buy matters.

Do electric vehicles depreciate faster?

Historically yes. Rapid improvement in range and battery technology, combined with falling new-vehicle prices and changing incentives, has meant used electric vehicles have lost value faster than comparable petrol models. The fuel savings are real and substantial, but they can be partly offset by depreciation and by higher insurance costs. Comparing total five-year cost rather than fuel savings alone gives the fairer picture.

Does the vehicle I choose change my insurance much?

Yes, though territory usually matters more. Within a given price bracket, the biggest differences come from theft frequency and repair cost. Two vehicles costing the same can differ by several hundred dollars a year because one is a common theft target and the other is not. That is why a RAV4 or CR-V often quotes higher than a similarly priced Mazda or Subaru.