How much more should you charge to detail an SUV, a pickup or a van than a sedan? Instead of guessing, we compared the prices detailing shops publish for each vehicle size and measured each shop's markup over its own sedan price.
The size markup, service by service
| Service | Small SUV / crossover | Large SUV / truck / van |
|---|---|---|
| Full detail | +12%(130) | +25%(164) |
| Interior detail | +14%(114) | +27%(141) |
| Exterior detail | +16%(78) | +30%(101) |
| Maintenance wash | +20%(50) | +40%(69) |
Median markup over the same shop's sedan price, among shops that print both prices (number of shops in brackets). The markup grows with vehicle size and is largest for maintenance washes, where the base price is lowest.
Median starting prices by vehicle size
| Service | Sedan / coupe | Small SUV | Large SUV / truck / van |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full detail | $250(182) | $285(131) | $310(167) |
| Interior detail | $175(164) | $210(115) | $235(145) |
| Exterior detail | $150(119) | $189(79) | $200(103) |
| Maintenance wash | $92.50(76) | $110(52) | $125(71) |
These medians come from different groups of shops for each size, so use the markups above when building your own tiers.
4 in 10 shops list one price for every vehicle
About 4 in 10 detailers publish no separate price for bigger vehicles. If you charge the same for a compact car and a three-row SUV, the large vehicles that take the longest are where you lose margin.
A simple way to build size tiers
- Start from your sedan price. That is the price you already know covers your time.
- Add the market markup. For a full detail, about 12% for a small SUV and 25% for a large SUV, truck or van. A $200 sedan full detail becomes about $225 for a small SUV and $250 for a large one.
- Round to clean numbers and publish all three. Customers compare websites; a size-based price list sets expectations before they book.
Turn these numbers into a price list for your website or Instagram: car detailing price list template ($9).
Common questions
How much more should I charge to detail an SUV?
Shops that print both prices charge a median 12% more for a small SUV and 25% more for a large SUV, truck or van for a full detail (October 2026).
How much more for a truck or van?
The same as a large SUV in most price lists: a median 25% more for a full detail, 27% for an interior detail and 30% for an exterior detail.
Should I charge by vehicle size at all?
About 6 in 10 shops do. Size-based prices match price to the time each vehicle takes.
How the data was collected
Every price comes from a detailing business's own website or booking page. Each shop counts once per figure. Markups compare each shop's own large-vehicle price with its own sedan price. Memberships, promotions, fleet pricing and add-ons sold inside packages are left out. Pages were checked October 17, 2026. Researched with AI tools and published by a human owner.
Get the free 2-page snapshot
The 2026 Auto Detailing Price Snapshot: the national median for every service and vehicle size, what shops add for bigger vehicles, ceramic coating prices and three quick takeaways. Free on Gumroad.
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