If you’re looking for a new car, you’re probably thinking about the purchase price, but there are other costs that should be on your mind. Maintenance and running costs play a significant role in the overall expense of owning a vehicle, and some brands are much cheaper to maintain than others. CarEdge, an automotive ranking and shopping tool, recently released a list of the least and most expensive vehicles to maintain over five years. There are some familiar names on both lists, but some will surprise you.
Toyota is the least expensive mainstream brand, which won’t be shocking to anyone even remotely familiar with the industry. However, on the luxury side, CarEdge ranked Tesla as the least expensive brand to maintain. The automaker’s fully electric catalog gives it an advantage, as EVs don’t have many of the same common wear components that gas vehicles do. Mitsubishi is the second least expensive mainstream brand to maintain, while Lexus is the second least expensive luxury brand.
With whopping $4,278 five-year average maintenance costs, Ram is the most expensive brand to maintain. Jeep, Chrysler, and Dodge aren’t much better, and together, the Stellantis brands hold the top four spots on the most expensive to maintain list. Ford, Chevrolet, and Fiat are next, so the American auto brands have some quality work to do.
Porsche is the most expensive to maintain luxury brand, followed closely by Land Rover. BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz round out the top five. Cadillac and Lincoln, both American brands owned by General Motors and Ford, respectively, performed better than their mainstream brand counterparts. Cadillac was right in the middle of the luxury pack with an average cost of $3,536, while Lincoln was the fifth least expensive brand to maintain, with an average of $3,158.
