Owning a new Ford SUV encompasses several major cost categories—fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation—that together shape the total cost of ownership. According to AAA’s 2024 Your Driving Costs study, the average American vehicle driven 15,000 miles annually costs $12,297 per year, with fuel and depreciation being the largest drivers of expense.
Over a multi-year period, fuel alone can amount to thousands of dollars, as modern crossovers like the EcoBoost-powered Escape achieve roughly 30 MPG combined, but still require about 500 gallons per year at prevailing gas prices around $3.50 per gallon. Routine maintenance and unscheduled repairs—estimated by AAA at almost $0.10 per mile—add significant expense over time and vary by model size and drivetrain complexity.
Insurance premiums, often overlooked, average over $1,200 annually and depend on factors such as vehicle class, safety features, and driver profile. Depreciation is the single largest cost component, as Edmunds data shows new cars lose an average of 23.5% of their MSRP in the first year and up to 50–60% over five years.
Ford’s 2025 SUV lineup—including the Escape, Bronco Sport, Bronco, Edge, Explorer, and Expedition—reflects the brand’s full crossover and SUV range. This article draws on EPA fuel-economy ratings, Edmunds’ True Cost to Own® benchmarks, and AAA cost projections to ensure a comprehensive analysis.
This article will take you through the detailed five- and ten-year cost comparisons, formatted in a clear table for each model. Let’s dive into the breakdown and discover which Ford SUV offers the most value over time.
Fuel Costs
When you want to know how much you’ll spend on gas each year, you simply divide the miles you drive by the vehicle’s MPG (miles per gallon), then multiply by the price per gallon. In formula form:
Annual Fuel Cost = (Annual Miles ÷ MPG) × Gas Price.
If you plan to drive about 15,000 miles a year and assume a gasoline price near $3.50 per gallon, as AAA’s April 2025 data indicates is a typical national average, this gives a solid baseline for comparing models.
Smaller, more efficient SUVs naturally require fewer gallons each year. For instance, the 2025 Ford Escape earns 30 MPG combined, so at 15,000 miles you’d burn roughly 500 gallons annually (15,000 ÷ 30 ≈ 500). Contrast that with the full-size 2025 Ford Expedition at about 19 MPG, which tops 790 gallons a year (15,000 ÷ 19 ≈ 789).
To see what that means in your wallet, multiply those gallons by the $3.50 per-gallon rate. Over five years, an Escape’s fuel bill is around $8,750 (500 gal×$3.50×5 yrs), whereas the Expedition’s jumps to about $13,800 (789 gal×$3.50×5 yrs). Extend it to a decade, and you’re looking at roughly $17,500 for the Escape versus $27,600 for the Expedition. Mid-size models like the Bronco Sport (averaging ~27 MPG from its 25 city/30 hwy ratings) end up around $10 – $10.5 K over five years, with the larger Bronco (about 21 MPG) closer to $12,500 in fuel costs for the same period.
Electric SUVs aren’t included here, since their “fuel” calculations work very differently. But for any gasoline Ford SUV, this simple miles-per-year ÷ MPG approach, tied to prevailing gas prices, gives you a clear picture of how model size and efficiency translate into real dollars at the pump.
- Fuel economy examples: 2025 Escape ~30 MPG; Bronco Sport ~26 MPG; Bronco ~21 MPG; Edge ~23 MPG; Explorer ~23 MPG; Expedition ~19 MPG.
- Fuel cost (5y / 10y): Escape ≈$8,750 / $17,500; Bronco Sport ≈$10,100 / $20,200; Bronco ≈$12,500 / $25,000; Edge ≈$11,400 / $22,800; Explorer ≈$11,400 / $22,800; Expedition ≈$13,800 / $27,600.
Maintenance & Repair Costs
Regular preventive care like oil changes, tire rotations, and brake inspections keeps your Ford running smoothly and safely. These scheduled services are straightforward and predictable: you know roughly when you’ll need fresh oil or new tires based on your mileage and the manufacturer’s recommendations. But beyond those routine visits, unexpected repairs can crop up—worn brake pads, a faulty sensor, or any number of small fixes. Taken together, all of these jobs add up over time.
On average, keeping a small SUV like the Ford Escape in good working order costs around $0.10 to $0.15 per mile. Over five years, that works out to about $4,700 in routine maintenance alone for the Escape, and about $6,700 for a larger model like the Explorer. In addition to those scheduled services, you can expect another $2,200 to $2,500 in unplanned repair bills during that same period. Subcompact models such as the Bronco Sport tend to run around $4,800 for maintenance over five years, while the off-road–ready Bronco averages about $5,300.
If you look at the midsize Edge, Explorer, and full-size Expedition, five-year maintenance bills usually land between $6,000 and $7,000. Adding in repairs, the total service costs climb even higher. And if you stretch your ownership horizon to ten years, you can roughly double those figures—so an Escape might see about $9,400 in maintenance and the Explorer about $13,400 over a decade. Breaking down your service costs this way helps you plan and budget for the true expense of owning your Ford SUV.
- Escape example: 5-year maintenance ≈$4,671; repairs ≈$2,232 (FWD model).
- Explorer example: 5-year maintenance ≈$6,769; repairs ≈$2,505.
- Other models fall between: Bronco Sport ~$4.8k (maintenance); Bronco ~$5.3k; Edge ~$7.2k. Ten-year costs roughly double the 5-year amounts (e.g., Escape ~$9.4k, Explorer ~$13.4k).
Insurance Premiums
Insurance provides financial protection by covering repair bills after an accident, but the premiums you pay add up significantly over time. These insurance rates can vary widely depending on your vehicle’s size, built-in safety features, and its classification (for example, compact crossover versus full-size SUV).
According to Edmunds, a five-year insurance plan for the 2025 Ford Escape ST-Line Select averages about $4,108 in total premiums across those years. The larger 2025 Ford Explorer Platinum model carries even higher costs, with five-year insurance premiums totaling roughly $4,359 as part of its True Cost to Own® breakdown.
Similarly, the Bronco Sport’s trims show about $3,813 in insurance expenses over five years, reflecting its mix of size and safety options. In contrast, the full-size Expedition tends to command higher premiums still, often exceeding $4,700 for a five-year term due to its greater replacement value and repair costs. When averaged out, these figures come to approximately $1,200–1,500 per year, making insurance one of the top recurring expenses of Ford SUV ownership.
Over a ten-year ownership period, you can expect those insurance costs to roughly double, meaning an Escape owner might pay close to $8,216 and an Explorer owner about $8,718 in total premiums by year ten. These totals align with AAA’s reported national average full-coverage premium of about $3,014 per year, which sums to over $30,000 across ten years if rates stay constant.
Premiums are driven by factors such as repair difficulty, theft rates, and vehicle safety ratings, since insurers adjust their pricing based on the likelihood and cost of claims for each model. Broader market trends—like rising parts costs or proposed tariffs—have also contributed to a forecasted 5–8% rise in insurance premiums nationwide by the end of 2025, further increasing long-term ownership expenses. To manage these costs, drivers are encouraged to compare quotes annually, explore multi-policy discounts, and maintain a clean driving record to qualify for lower rates.
- Insurance (5y / 10y) estimates: Escape ≈$6.5k / $13.0k; Bronco Sport ≈$7.0k / $14.0k; Bronco ≈$7.3k / $14.6k; Edge ≈$7.5k / $15.0k; Explorer ≈$7.0k / $14.0k; Expedition ≈$7.2k / $14.4k.
Depreciation (Value Loss)
Depreciation is the loss in value your vehicle experiences simply by being driven off the lot and used over time. New cars typically lose about 20% of their value in the first year alone, with Edmunds reporting an average loss of 23.5% of MSRP after that first year. Over five years, most vehicles retain only around 40% of their original value, meaning you absorb roughly 60% of the purchase price as depreciation costs in that period.
Looking at Ford’s 2025 SUV lineup, the compact Escape can depreciate by nearly $19,600 over five years, according to Edmunds’ appraisal data for a popular AWD trim. The three-row Explorer fares worse, losing about $32,300 of its value in the same timeframe.
Rugged off-roaders like the Bronco often see depreciation around 48%, equating to roughly $16,600 over five years, per Car Edge reports. At the top end, the full-size Expedition can shed over $35,900 of its original MSRP in its first five years on the road. If you extend that horizon to ten years, total depreciation roughly doubles, as vehicles continue to lose value, albeit at a somewhat slower annual rate, well into their second decade of service.
- 5-year depreciation examples: Escape ≈$9.0k; Edge ≈$10.8k; Explorer ≈$14.2k; Bronco ≈$18.3k; Expedition ≈$27.8k.
- 10-year (approx): Escape ~$18k; Edge ~$21.6k; Explorer ~$28.4k; Bronco ~$36.6k; Expedition ~$55.6k.
Total Cost Comparison Table
To put it all in perspective, the following table breaks down each model’s estimated costs in fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation over both five- and ten-year ownership periods. Use this comprehensive comparison to see which Ford SUV aligns best with your budget and long-term ownership goals.
| Model | Fuel (5y) | Fuel (10y) | Maint. (5y) | Maint. (10y) | Repairs (5y) | Repairs (10y) | Ins. (5y) | Ins. (10y) | Dep’n (5y) | Dep’n (10y) |
| Ford Escape | $8,750 | $17,500 | $4,700 | $9,400 | $2,230 | $4,460 | $6,450 | $12,900 | $8,981 | $17,962 |
| Ford Bronco Sport | $10,100 | $20,200 | $4,800 | $9,600 | $2,400 | $4,800 | $7,000 | $14,000 | ≈$9,000 | ≈$18,000 |
| Ford Bronco | $12,500 | $25,000 | $5,300 | $10,600 | $2,505 | $5,010 | $7,300 | $14,600 | $18,299 | $36,598 |
| Ford Edge | $11,413 | $22,826 | $7,200 | $14,400 | $2,066 | $4,132 | $7,500 | $15,000 | $10,754 | $21,508 |
| Ford Explorer | $11,413 | $22,826 | $6,700 | $13,400 | $2,505 | $5,010 | $7,066 | $14,132 | $14,222 | $28,444 |
| Ford Expedition | $13,816 | $27,632 | $6,600 | $13,200 | $2,505 | $5,010 | $7,205 | $14,410 | $27,773 | $55,546 |
Each Ford SUV has a different cost profiles. Subcompacts (Escape, Bronco Sport) spend less on fuel and maintenance but still lose significant value. The full-size Expedition has the highest fuel and depreciation costs. Insurance and repairs are fairly similar across SUVs, roughly $0.5–1k/year. This breakdown allows prospective buyers to compare total ownership costs for each 2025 Ford SUV model.
Conclusion
Overall, the long-term cost of owning a 2025 Ford SUV is driven most heavily by depreciation, accounting for roughly 50–60% of your initial outlay over five years. Subcompact models like the Escape and Bronco Sport deliver lower fuel and maintenance bills, averaging under $11,000 in fuel costs and about $5,000 in scheduled service over five years.
Mid-size SUVs such as the Edge and Explorer strike a balance, with moderate depreciation and fuel efficiency near 23 MPG, resulting in total five-year ownership costs of $56–69 k on Edmunds’ True Cost to Own® estimates. In contrast, full-size Expedition ownership can exceed $75,000 in combined expenses over five years, thanks to higher fuel use and steeper value loss.
Insurance premiums contribute approximately $1,200–1,500 annually across the lineup, while repairs and unscheduled maintenance add another $400–500 per year on average. Extending ownership to ten years roughly doubles these figures, underscoring the value of choosing a model with strong residuals and proven reliability.
By comparing these cost components side by side, you can select the Ford SUV that best aligns with your budget and driving habits for the long haul.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why does depreciation account for the largest share of long-term ownership costs?
Depreciation—the gradual loss in a vehicle’s resale value—typically exceeds expenses like fuel, maintenance, and insurance combined, especially during the first five years of ownership when new cars can lose 50–60% of their original MSRP. Factors such as model lifecycle, mileage, market demand, and the introduction of newer designs accelerate this initial drop in value, making depreciation the single greatest expense in the total cost of ownership.
2. What strategies can help reduce the total cost of owning a 2025 Ford SUV?
Choosing a model with strong residual values, such as the Escape or Bronco Sport, can minimize depreciation losses over time, since these models tend to hold onto their value better than full-size SUVs like the Expedition.
Regular maintenance according to the manufacturer’s schedule, comparison-shopping for insurance, and driving in a fuel-efficient manner (maintaining steady speeds and avoiding rapid acceleration) can also cut annual costs by up to 15% on fuel and repair bills combined.
3. Which 2025 Ford SUV has the lowest estimated five-year ownership cost?
Based on Edmunds’ True Cost to Own® data and AAA fuel-cost estimates, the 2025 Ford Escape yields the lowest five-year ownership expense, totaling approximately $44,600, including depreciation, fuel, maintenance, repairs, and insurance.
Its combination of high fuel economy (≈30 MPG) and relatively modest depreciation makes it the most budget-friendly option in Ford’s 2025 SUV lineup.
