Gas prices are at record highs. How the cost of fuel for 5 cars has changed

Unless you’re driving an electric car, you’re paying more than you’ve ever had to before for gasoline in Canada.

For anyone who is behind the wheel of a gas-fuelled vehicle today, be it a large truck, medium-sized car or small hatchback, the price for gas is draining money out of their wallets.

Many across Canada are seeking relief, but analysts say further price hikes are on the way.

To get an understanding of how expensive gas is today, Global News calculated the average cost to fully fill up five common vehicles in Canada from empty with regular fuel over a three-year time span.

Here’s what we found:

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One of the most popular vehicles on the road in Canada, the 2022 Honda Civic LX sedan comes with a 46.9-litre tank, according to its website.

According to Statistics Canada, the average price for regular gasoline in the country was $1.01 per litre in June 2020. It increased to $1.337 in June 2021. On June 6, the average price for regular fuel in Canada was $2.046 per litre, according to CAA.

The price at the pumps varies across the country, but using the national averages in calculation with the tank size, Global News learned that fully filling up a 2022 Honda Civic LX sedan with regular fuel from empty would cost $95.95 today.

In June 2021, that would’ve cost $62.70, whereas the bill would’ve come to $47.36 in June 2020.

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Similar to the Honda Civic, Toyota’s Corolla is another common vehicle on Canada’s roads.

Using the same formula, Global News calculated it would cost $102.30 to fully fill up a 2022 Toyota Corolla L CVT sedan from empty with regular gas today with the prices at $2.046 per litre.

That model, which comes with a 50-litre tank, would’ve cost $66.85 at $1.337 a litre to completely fill up in June 2021, and $50.50 at $1.01 per litre in June 2020.

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Switching to sport utility vehicles, commonly known as SUVs, Volkswagen’s 2022 Tiguan 2.0T FWD model comes with a 58-litre tank.

With the national average for regular fuel at $1.01 a litre in June 2020, it would’ve cost $58.58 to fully fill up from empty.

The cost went up in June 2021 to $77.54 with the price at the pump being $1.337 per litre.

Today, it would cost $118.66 at $2.046 per litre.

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A common family vehicle, Honda’s Odyssey minivan is popular on Canadian roads.

The 2023 Odyssey EX comes with a 73.8-litre tank that would cost $150.99 to fully fill up from empty with regular fuel today, with prices at $2.046 per litre.

In June 2021, it would’ve cost $98.67 with the price at $1.337 a litre.

An Odyssey driver would’ve paid $74.53 in June 2020 with regular gas costing $1.01 a litre.

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Another popular vehicle, many Canadians have seen a Ford F-150 on the road.

Its 2022 XL model includes an 87-litre tank option that would come with a $178 price tag at the pumps to fully fill up from empty with regular fuel with prices at $2.046 a litre today.

At this time last year, it would’ve cost $116.31 with the prices at $1.337 per litre.

The year before, it would’ve cost $87.87 at $1.01 per litre in Canada.

If you think the price for fuel is high now, in the coming days it will cost even more, said Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy.

“We’re seeing gas price records repeatedly shattered across the country,” he told The Canadian Press recently.

“Prices are continuing to move up, reflecting summertime demand. The demand for fuel continues to be very robust.”

Fuel prices are expected to go up another three cents in the coming days, he said, with average gasoline prices forecasted to reach as high as $2.12 a litre across Canada by late Monday.

The summer driving season, which typically runs from Victoria Day long weekend to Labour Day long weekend, usually sees higher prices at the pumps with increased demand, said Roger McKnight, chief petroleum analyst at En-Pro International Inc.

But with little supply and a war overseas in Europe, McKnight doesn’t expect significant price drops any time during the summer driving season.

“I thought these high prices would discourage demand. It looks like it’s falling a little bit, but not significantly to affect prices at all,” he told Global News.

“It seems to me people have been locked up in their basements and living rooms for almost three years now … and they’re getting back on the road to go on holiday, back on the road to go to work and back on the road to get to the airport and get out of town.”

4:52 Are higher gas prices here to stay?

Gas prices have spiked over the last year due to limited supply that has worsened with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the punishing western economic response that has come with it.

And with the economy reopening from COVID-19 restrictions ahead of an expected busy travel season, strong demand has pushed prices even higher.

Not only is it affecting drivers, but high gas prices are also impacting all Canadians as the cost of fuel has influenced prices on most goods, like groceries, which get to the store on trucks.

While Global News’ calculations reflect the cost to fully fill up, there are ways drivers can save money, CAA said.

Drivers should focus on fuel economy, it said in a statement. They should drive conservatively and avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking, which can lower fuel economy by 15 to 30 per cent at highway speeds and 10 to 40 per cent in stop-and-go traffic.

Also, drivers should stay away from cold engine operation, meaning they should start the engine and then drive the car normally to warm it, rather than leaving it idle for a few minutes.

Obeying speed limits, removing unnecessary items from your vehicle and using cruise control to minimize speed changes also help reduce fuel consumption, CAA said.

— with files from The Canadian Press