Updated October 18, 2026. Gas is still expensive in Canada. Statistics Canada says gas prices were 22.8% higher in August than a year before. The September inflation numbers come out on Monday, October 19. So how much does your car really cost to run? This page shows how to work it out. It uses official fuel ratings and today's pump prices.

What does L/100 km mean?

L/100 km is the number of litres of fuel a car uses to go 100 kilometres. A lower number is better. A car that uses 5 L/100 km needs less fuel than a car that uses 10.

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) rates every new car sold in Canada. It gives three numbers: city, highway and combined. The combined number is a mix of the two. It is the best one to use when you compare cars.

These ratings come from lab tests. Your real number can be higher, mostly in winter. NRCan says that a drop from 24°C to 7°C can raise fuel use by 12% to 28% on short city trips. That figure comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

What does gas cost right now?

NRCan tracks the price of regular gas each week. For the week ending October 13, the average price across Canada was 188.4 cents a litre. That includes taxes. Here are a few cities from the same week:

  • Calgary: 168.3 cents
  • Toronto: 184.6 cents
  • Halifax: 192.4 cents

Quebec has its own price report. The Régie de l'énergie says the average posted price for regular gas was 192.3 cents a litre in the week of October 12. That was 3.0 cents lower than the week before.

One more thing matters. Ottawa stopped charging the federal fuel excise tax on April 20. That saves you 10 cents on every litre of gas. The Government of Canada says the break lasts until January 31, 2027. From February 1 to March 31, 2027, the tax is 5 cents a litre. From April 1, 2027, it goes back to the full 10 cents. If nothing else changes, pump prices go up by that much.

How to work out your cost

The math is simple:

Cost per 100 km = L/100 km × price per litre

Here is an example. A car uses 6.7 L/100 km. Gas costs $1.884 a litre. So 6.7 × 1.884 = $12.62 for every 100 km.

For a year, we picked a round number of 20,000 km. That is 200 trips of 100 km. Multiply the cost per 100 km by 200. You can use your own distance instead.

This table uses NRCan's 2026 combined ratings. It uses the Canadian average price of 188.4 cents a litre. Your price may be higher or lower.

2026 vehicle Combined (L/100 km) Cost per 100 km Cost for 20,000 km
Toyota Corolla (gas) 6.7 $12.62 $2,525
Toyota Corolla Hybrid 4.7 $8.85 $1,771
Honda Civic Sedan Hybrid 4.9 $9.23 $1,846
Honda CR-V AWD 8.4 $15.83 $3,165
Honda CR-V Hybrid AWD 6.4 $12.06 $2,412
Hyundai Tucson AWD 8.8 $16.58 $3,316
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid 6.7 $12.62 $2,525
Ford F-150 (2.7 L) 11.2 $21.10 $4,220
Ford F-150 (5.0 L) 12.4 $23.36 $4,672

Hybrids save real money at the pump. The Corolla Hybrid saves about $754 a year over the gas Corolla. The CR-V Hybrid saves about $754 over the gas CR-V. The Tucson Hybrid saves about $791 over the gas Tucson.

In Quebec, add about 4 cents a litre. A car that uses 6.7 L/100 km then costs $12.88 per 100 km.

Photo: HJUdall, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is rated at 4.7 L/100 km.

Is a hybrid worth the extra price?

Hybrids often cost more to buy. The way to check is easy. Take the extra price and divide it by the yearly savings. The answer is the number of years it takes to get your money back. For example, if the hybrid costs $3,000 more and saves $750 a year, it takes four years.

Compare the exact trims, because a hybrid may come with more features. See our pages for the Toyota Corolla, the Honda Civic, the Honda CR-V, the Hyundai Tucson and the Ford F-150. They show NRCan ratings and checked prices for each trim.

Photo: HJUdall, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is rated at 6.7 L/100 km.

How to use less fuel

NRCan says these simple habits save fuel:

  • Slow down on the highway. At 120 km/h, a vehicle uses about 20% more fuel than at 100 km/h.
  • Check your tires every month. Tires that are 8 psi too low can raise fuel use by up to 4%.
  • Do not idle. Turn the engine off if you stop for more than 60 seconds, unless you are in traffic.
  • Take off roof racks. They can raise fuel use on the highway by as much as 20%.
  • Go easy with the air conditioner. It can raise fuel use by as much as 20%.

In winter, do not warm up the car for 10 minutes. NRCan says that burns 0.25 to 0.5 litres of fuel. Drive off gently instead. A block heater on a timer, set to start 2 hours before you leave, also helps.

What about electric cars?

Electric cars do not use gas, so L/100 km does not apply. NRCan rates them by how much electricity they use. See our EV guide for prices and charging. Thinking about a China-built EV? Read what is real about BYD in Canada. If you want a car that sips fuel, see our lists of the most fuel-efficient cars and hybrid cars. You can also read how fuel use changes between front-drive and all-wheel-drive in the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Thinking about waiting for a new model? The all-new Tucson is due in early 2027. See what Hyundai has said so far.

FAQ

How do I find the fuel use of my car? Use NRCan's fuel consumption ratings search tool. You can also open the model page on Vehonix. It shows the NRCan numbers for each trim.

Why is my real fuel use higher than the label? The label comes from lab tests. Cold weather, fast speeds, short trips and heavy loads all raise real fuel use.

How do I work out the cost of a trip? Multiply the distance in km by the L/100 km, then divide by 100. Then multiply by the price per litre.

Will gas go up when the federal tax comes back? The 10 cents a litre tax is off until January 31, 2027. It is 5 cents from February 1 to March 31, 2027. It returns to 10 cents on April 1, 2027. If nothing else changes, pump prices rise by that amount.

Are hybrids worth it? They use less fuel, which saves money every year. Divide the extra price by the yearly savings to see how long it takes to break even.

Sources

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