The cost of buying a car goes far beyond just the price tag. More and more people are realizing that it’s easy to buy a car but difficult to maintain one. In addition to the sticker price, the long-term maintenance and repair costs can often be a significant expense. So, which car models have the lowest maintenance and upkeep costs to alleviate the burden on car owners?
When consumers are shopping for a car, they often only focus on the price, loan interest rates, and fuel consumption, while frequently overlooking the maintenance and repair costs that come with owning a vehicle. A study by the U.S. online car-buying platform CarEdge.com found that these costs are actually a crucial part of the overall cost of owning a car and as a vehicle ages, the disparity in repair costs among different models becomes more pronounced, with maintenance costs rising significantly.
For instance, brands like Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and BMW offer 1 to 3 years of free maintenance for new vehicles. During this period, owners only need to perform basic maintenance such as oil changes and tire rotations. However, after the free maintenance period ends, owners of various car models could potentially face maintenance and upkeep costs amounting to tens of thousands of dollars over the next few years.
CarEdge has compiled a list of the top 10 cars with the lowest maintenance and upkeep costs based on the cumulative total costs within the first 10 years of owning a new car. The study indicates that some car brands and models have lower maintenance costs mainly due to their superior manufacturing processes and lower costs for required parts.
1) Toyota Mirai: 10-year maintenance cost $3,179
2) Nissan Leaf: 10-year maintenance cost $3,216
3) Toyota bZ4X: 10-year maintenance cost $3,479
4) FIAT 500e: 10-year maintenance cost $3,517
5) Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV: 10-year maintenance cost $3,893
6) Toyota Corolla Hatchback: 10-year maintenance cost $4,198
7) Toyota Prius: 10-year maintenance cost $4,359
8) Toyota Prius Prime: 10-year maintenance cost $4,427
9) Toyota Corolla: 10-year maintenance cost $4,434
10) Toyota GR Corolla: 10-year maintenance cost $4,566
In the 2025 annual auto survey conducted by the U.S. non-profit consumer organization “Consumer Reports” (CR), the average ownership costs of various car brands were analyzed. Here are the top 10 car brands with the cheapest maintenance and upkeep costs, calculated as the 10-year average cost of owning a new car from each brand.
1) Buick: 10-year average maintenance cost $5,260
2) Lincoln: $5,620
3) Toyota: $5,950
4) Hyundai: $6,110
5) Tesla: $6,125
6) Nissan: $6,270
7) Chevrolet: $6,275
8) Ford: $6,350
9) Mazda and Mitsubishi: $6,420
10) Honda: $6,550
Steven Elek, the head of automotive data analysis at “Consumer Reports,” stated, “For consumers who prefer luxury cars, an important message is that the maintenance and repair costs of two American brands (Buick and Lincoln) are lower than any other brand. This is quite normal as the prices of parts from American manufacturers are typically lower, reflecting this advantage on these high-end brands.”
“Consumer Reports” research found that the most expensive cumulative 10-year maintenance and upkeep costs are generally associated with European luxury car brands. Here are the average expenditures for these luxury car brands. In comparison, the total cost over 10 years for Buick and Lincoln is only about a quarter of that of Land Rover.
1) Land Rover: 10-year average maintenance cost $19,460
2) Porsche: $17,900
3) Mercedes-Benz: $12,630
4) Audi: $11,350
5) BMW: $11,000