September Fuel Price Rise: What It Costs to Run Your Car

Fuel just got more expensive — here’s what it actually costs you

September 2026’s fuel price hike is all over the news. If you drive a petrol car in the UAE — and most of us do — your monthly bill just went up. A Nissan Patrol owner filling up regularly could be paying over AED 200 more a month than someone in a hybrid Corolla Cross. Switching to a hybrid sounds smart, but finding one on the used market is genuinely difficult right now. Here’s what the numbers look like and what you can actually do about it.

The car price in UAE is only half the story

When people search for car price in UAE, they usually think about the sticker. But fuel is the cost you pay every week, and it just climbed again. After September’s adjustment, Super 98 sits noticeably higher than it did in August.

For context, according to CarSwitch listings data (July 2026), 96% of the cars on our platform are petrol. Hybrids account for about 2%. Electrics sit at roughly 2% as well. The used market is overwhelmingly petrol-powered, which means this price rise touches almost every car buyer.

What four popular models cost to fuel each month

We picked four models you’ll see all over Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. These monthly estimates assume around 1,500–2,000 km of driving — a normal mix of city and highway — using September 2026 pump prices.

The difference is stark. A Nissan Patrol can burn through three times the fuel of a compact crossover like the Kicks. That’s not news to Patrol owners, but at September prices it adds up to roughly AED 600 more per month compared to the Kicks.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid sits at the bottom of the table. It sips fuel. The problem? Good luck finding one used.

The hybrid gap: huge demand, almost no supply

Here’s where it gets frustrating. Across CarSwitch, nearly 25% of buyer searches mention hybrids. But hybrid listings make up barely 1% of what’s actually available. That’s a massive mismatch.

“Buyers keep asking for hybrids, but the used supply just isn’t there yet. Most hybrids sold new in the last few years haven’t come back onto the market.”

Kamel Abbou, Country Manager, UAE, at CarSwitch

This means that even if you want to switch to a hybrid to save on fuel, the choice on the used market is extremely limited. You’re either paying new-car prices or waiting for supply to catch up — and that could take another year or two.

So what can you actually do right now?

Option 1: Downsize within petrol

The fastest way to cut your fuel bill is a smaller engine. A four-cylinder crossover like the Kicks uses roughly a third of the fuel a V8 Patrol does. A used 2022 Kicks lists for around AED 58,000 on CarSwitch — about 36% less than the new price of AED 91,000. That’s a saving of around AED 33,000 on the car itself, plus hundreds a month on fuel.

Even stepping from a V8 SUV down to a V6 sedan makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Option 2: Factor fuel into the car price in UAE before you buy

Most people compare the sticker and forget everything else. But if a Patrol costs AED 600 more to fuel each month than a Kicks, that’s AED 7,200 a year. Over three years of ownership, fuel alone adds over AED 21,000 to the cost of the bigger car. Factor that in when you’re shopping.

Option 3: Keep an eye on hybrid supply

Supply is thin today, but it is growing. In early 2024, hybrids were essentially zero on CarSwitch. By late 2024, they appeared at around 1–3% of listings. It’s moving, just slowly. If you can wait, set an alert and watch.

Running costs matter more when fuel prices climb

A fuel price rise doesn’t change the car price in UAE on paper. But it changes the total cost of owning that car over the next two or three years. A Patrol is still a fantastic vehicle — but its fuel bill is now AED 950 or more a month. If that doesn’t fit your budget, a smaller petrol car is the realistic move right now, not a hybrid that barely exists on the used market.

If you’re looking at car installments, remember to add your estimated fuel spend on top. That monthly payment looks different when you include AED 450 for a Kicks versus AED 1,000 for a Patrol.

Find your next car with the full picture

Every car on CarSwitch is inspection-verified — so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting. Browse fuel-friendly models on the app or website, filter by the car price in UAE that works for your budget, and real people are here to help if you need a hand. Explore trusted Nissan Patrols or compact crossovers that go further on every tank.