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Ranking the Least Expensive Cars to Own

Purchasing a vehicle is a big investment. If you are not mindful about it, the ongoing costs can be significant. There are many things that cause vehicles to be costly to own and operate. The big expenses are depreciation, insurance, maintenance and repairs, financing costs, and fuel. We have brought all of those costs together, for over 250 models. You can see which makes and models are inexpensive to own and operate, and which ones are not. The underlying data is available for all 5 cost areas. So dig in, and see what you discover about your vehicle or one that you are considering.

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Brands with the Cheapest 5 Year Ownership Costs

The Least Expensive Brands to Own

Rank Brand 5 Year Cost to Own
1 Mitsubishi $27,175
2 Subaru $28,513
3 FIAT $28,643
4 Mazda $29,155
5 KIA $30,066
6 Hyundai $30,638
7 Honda $31,187
8 Volkswagen $31,509
9 Toyota $33,719
10 MINI $33,838
11 Jeep $36,954
12 Buick $38,228
13 Ford $38,326
14 Chevrolet $39,142
15 Nissan $39,193
16 Chrysler $39,554
17 Acura $41,907
18 Dodge $42,323
19 GMC $45,012
20 RAM $47,266
21 Volvo $50,891
22 Lexus $50,930
23 Cadillac $53,319
24 INFINITI $56,129
25 Tesla $57,369
26 Lincoln $61,531
27 Audi $61,664
28 Jaguar $70,372
29 BMW $70,537
30 Mercedes-Benz $74,514
31 Land Rover $81,568
32 Porsche $89,318

Cars with the Cheapest 5 Year Ownership Costs

The Least Expensive Cars to Own

Rank Model 5 Year Cost to Own
1 KIA Rio $21,115
2 Mitsubishi Mirage $22,442
3 Chevrolet Spark $22,452
4 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 $22,534
5 Subaru Impreza $23,441
6 KIA Optima $23,845
7 Toyota Corolla $23,921
8 Hyundai Accent $23,938
9 Nissan Versa $24,082
10 Honda Civic $24,230
11 Volkswagen Jetta $24,298
12 Hyundai Elantra $24,436
13 KIA Forte $24,495
14 Nissan Sentra $24,524
15 KIA Soul $24,963
16 Hyundai Venue $25,598
17 Mazda 3 $25,939
18 Nissan Kicks $25,964
19 Toyota C-HR $26,296
20 Hyundai Kona $27,967
21 Nissan Rogue Sport $28,137
22 Buick Encore $28,410
23 FIAT 500L $28,643
24 Chevrolet Malibu $28,680
25 Ford Ecosport $29,205
26 Nissan Altima $30,847