A trend that shows no signs of abating and which now represents a considerable share of the Italian market. SUVs have dominated car sales for years, but the increase in the size of cars is not “painless” and often (although not always) impacts families’ wallets and the environment. From consumption to extra expenses, such as increased tax, maintenance and insurance: this is how much “maxi” mobility really costs, dealing with the high fuel costs of recent months.
Thus SUVs have become a leading product on the market
SUV is the acronym for “sport utility vehicle”. This expression generally refers to cars with raised bodywork, greater ground clearance and a high driving position. Traditional SUVs derive from the world of off-road vehicles, but the turning point came between the 1990s and the early 2000s, when car manufacturers began to offer more comfortable and easier to drive models.
The market was driven above all by crossovers: cars that combine the structure and handling of a sedan or small car with the raised stance and appearance of an SUV. More suitable for the city than traditional off-road vehicles, they are not necessarily equipped with all-wheel drive or designed for off-road.
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According to the latest Unrae data, the association that represents foreign car manufacturers and monitors the entire Italian market, in the first eight months of 2026 SUVs and crossovers represented 63.6% of new registrations. However, the category includes very different vehicles, divided into segments A, B, C, D and E/F.
A-SUVs are city models, approximately up to four meters long, with dimensions close to those of a city car. Followed by B-SUVs and C-SUVs, small and medium, which generally reach around 4.6 metres. D-SUVs are medium-large models, while the E/F segments include the largest and most expensive cars, often more than 4.8 meters long.
The boom is driven above all by small and medium-sized models, which represent over 52% of new registrations in Italy and which many motorists now choose as family cars, instead of sedans, station wagons and minivans.
Small and medium SUVs: costs, consumption and emissions
To understand what costs an SUV entails, it is best to start with the smallest and cheapest models. The two that dominate the A segment are full hybrid and electric respectively, with starting prices between 18 thousand and 20 thousand euros. In the first case, declared consumption is around 3.7 liters per 100 kilometers and emissions stop at 85 grams of CO₂ per kilometre: values significantly lower than those of many exclusively petrol models. Traveling 10 thousand kilometers would cost around 740 euros, assuming a petrol price of two euros per litre.
In the case of electric, exhaust emissions are zero. With a domestic tariff of 0.35 euros per kWh, traveling 10 thousand kilometers would cost around 434 euros. Spending increases when using public charging stations, especially fast-charging ones. SUVs, therefore, are not necessarily synonymous with high consumption and greater pollution. However, the picture changes as size and power increase.
Moving on to small and compact SUVs, currently the most requested on the market, between 17 thousand and 30 thousand euros are spent on the five best-selling models. Hybrid versions are generally more expensive, even if the increases are often limited, but they allow you to save on consumption. The declared values fluctuate between 4.4 and 5 liters per 100 kilometres, compared to 5.5-6.5 liters for exclusively petrol models. A difference which, with current pump prices, allows you to save up to almost 400 euros every 10 thousand kilometres. Even on the environmental front, the hybrid is more convenient, although the distance is not striking: the declared emissions are between 100 and 117 grams of CO₂ per kilometre, compared to 124-145 grams of the petrol models.
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Costs increase moving to band C, that of medium SUVs. For the most popular models you spend between 30 thousand and 45 thousand euros. Consumption also increases: the petrol versions claim between 6.3 and 8.6 liters per 100 kilometres. Traveling 10 thousand kilometers can therefore cost up to 1,720 euros. Hybrids, on the other hand, consume between 5.5 and 6.3 liters per 100 kilometres: the same journey would cost between 1,100 and 1,260 euros, while the declared emissions fluctuate between 133 and 137 grams of CO₂ per kilometre.
An alternative is represented by plug-in hybrid SUVs. The best-selling model costs around 30 thousand euros and has drastically lower declared consumption and emissions.
How much the larger models cost (and pollute).
Prices rise considerably for medium-large models, which often reach five meters in length. In this case, between 40 thousand and 60 thousand euros are spent. The best-selling brands are mainly hybrids, but declared consumption still varies between 6 and 7.5 liters of petrol per 100 kilometres. Traveling 10,000 kilometers therefore costs between 1,200 and 1,500 euros, approximately 400-500 euros more than for class B SUVs. The environmental impact is also greater: emissions range from 140 to 183 grams of CO₂ per kilometer and can exceed double those of small class A SUVs. Electric and plug-in hybrid models are also becoming established in the segment, capable of reducing consumption and emissions, but not necessarily the purchase price.
The environmental impact grows further for larger and more luxurious traditional SUVs. In the versions considered, the declared emissions range between 212 and 244 grams of CO₂ per kilometre. Prices are between 89 thousand and 105 thousand euros, while the cost of fuel varies from 1,700 to 2,140 euros per 10 thousand kilometres. There are also plug-in hybrid versions, which declare much lower emissions but maintain high prices, and hybrid diesel engines, generally more efficient than the corresponding petrol versions. However, the economic advantage also depends on the price of diesel which has been constantly increasing for months.
Car insurance, tax and maintenance: how much you spend
Evaluating the convenience of an SUV by considering only fuel would be misleading. Car insurance, road tax and maintenance must be added to the costs for petrol, diesel or recharging. Costs that do not automatically depend on the bodywork, but above all on power, commercial value, fuel supply, price of spare parts and profile of the motorist. In general, however, maintaining a large and powerful SUV can cost significantly more than a sedan or much more than a small car.
One of the unavoidable expenses is car insurance. As we have reconstructed in this study, the average premium is around 423 euros per year, but can be much higher in some provinces. The price is affected by, among other factors, the age and residence of the insured, class of merit, power and characteristics of the vehicle. There is therefore no automatic penalty for SUVs.
For electric SUVs, compulsory third party insurance alone can cost less, with a saving that in some cases reaches around 80 euros a year, but this is not a rule valid for everyone. The comparison changes especially when theft, fire, atmospheric events, comprehensive insurance and battery coverage are added. Sensors, cameras, LED headlights and complex bumpers can make even a minor collision expensive and increase the price of additional warranties.
Pay attention to the power: when the super tax is triggered
Even the tax does not depend on the size of the bodywork, but mainly on the power expressed in kilowatts, the environmental class and the region of residence. A small B-SUV can therefore pay the same as a small car with similar power, while for models in the D and E/F segments the expense can become much more substantial. For a 100-130 kW internal combustion vehicle, approximately 300 euros per year can be exceeded. However, with the new suspension from car tax for 2027 promoted by the government, some cars in the A and B segments could be exempt from this expense. To achieve this, however, it is important to carefully read the technical characteristics of your car reported in the registration document: the non-payment applies to cars with a power not exceeding 80 kW, approximately 109 HP of power.
Above 185 kW, the super tax is also added, initially equal to 20 euros for each kilowatt exceeding the threshold, with reductions linked to the age of the vehicle.
Fully electric SUVs are generally exempt from road tax for the first five years after registration. The subsequent rules change from one Region to another: in some territories the exemption continues, in others you pay a reduced fee or the ordinary amount. Even for hybrid and plug-in hybrid models the discounts are not uniform. Before purchasing, it is therefore necessary to check the regional regulations, without assuming that any “electrified” SUV does not pay the tax.
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Finally, maintenance can also be more expensive than that of a small car or a sedan. The greater weight puts more work on the brakes, tires and suspension, while large wheels, all-wheel drive and more complex components can increase the price of repairs. The tyres, above all, have an impact: wider ones and with larger diameter rims can cost significantly more, both at purchase and at the time of replacement. Discs, pads, shock absorbers and body parts also tend to have higher prices.
The difference is generally limited for small B-SUVs, often built on the same platforms as small cars, but increases with size, weight, power and mechanical complexity. For this reason, before purchasing, it is advisable to check not only the price of coupons, but also that of tires and main spare parts. All aspects to consider before facing an expense which, in many cases, is not irrelevant.
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