Independent car cost calculators · Australia

Know what a car really costs — before you sign.

DriveTruth is a set of honest, provider-neutral calculators for Australian drivers. No dealer, no lender, no lease seller — just the real numbers: novated lease vs a loan, EV vs petrol, stamp duty in every state, and the true cost of owning a car.

No sign-up or phone wallRuns in your browserRates dated & sourced

Novated Lease CalculatorYour true net saving vs a car loan — residual, FBT, GST and EV exemption included.Open →EV vs Petrol CalculatorReal running cost of electric vs petrol/diesel: charging, fuel, servicing, km.Open →Stamp Duty & Rego CalculatorVehicle stamp duty + registration for all 8 states, EV concessions, cheapest state.Open →Drive-Away Price CalculatorThe real on-road price: vehicle + GST + LCT + stamp duty + rego/CTP + delivery.Open →Running Costs (TCO) CalculatorTrue 5-year cost of ownership: depreciation, fuel/charging, insurance, rego, servicing, finance.Open →Luxury Car Tax (LCT) CalculatorIs your car over the LCT threshold, and how much tax applies?Open →Car Loan Repayment CalculatorRepayments with optional balloon, total interest and total cost.Open →Fuel Cost CalculatorTrip and annual fuel cost, plus L/100km ↔ km/L ↔ MPG conversion.Open →NVES Fleet Penalty CalculatorFor suppliers: fleet-average CO₂ vs the NVES target, credits and penalty exposure.Open →

GuidesAll guides →

Finance · 5 minHow much car can you actually afford?A dealer's "you're approved" isn't the same as affordable. Here's an honest, Australian way to work out a car budget that covers rego, fuel and depreciation too.Read →Finance · 5 minNovated lease vs car loan: which really costs less?Novated lease or car loan — which actually costs less in Australia? An independent, no-spin breakdown of tax savings, residuals, fees and the traps, plus how to compare them fairly.Read →Buying · 6 minDrive-away price explained: what's really in the on-road costDrive-away price is the true out-the-door cost of a car. Here's every line item it hides — stamp duty, rego, CTP, LCT and dealer fees — and how to check it.Read →Tax · 6 minCar Stamp Duty & Rego by State: What You'll Actually PayStamp duty and rego are set by your state, not the dealer, and can swing a car's price by thousands. Here's how they work and where the traps are.Read →

Why “independent” matters

Most car calculators online are run by someone who profits from your decision — a dealer, a lender, or a novated-lease provider. They tend to headline the number that makes the sale look best (an inflated “tax saving”, a monthly payment that hides the balloon, a duty figure without the concessions). DriveTruth has nothing to sell you, so every tool shows the full picture — including the parts that make a deal look worse.

Everything here is an estimate based on the assumptions you enter and published rates as at their stated dates. It is not personal financial, tax or legal advice — always confirm with the ATO, your state revenue office and a licensed adviser before committing.