The Cars, Trucks and SUVs That Cost the Least to Own Over Five Years

A car is always going to keep putting demands on your wallet. Gas, insurance, maintenance, fees, depreciation, etc. These cars are a little less demanding.

There are some things you buy that don’t really cost anything once you’ve paid for them. A sofa, for example, just keeps on being there for your use without asking for a lot of money—other than the occasional bit of change lost to its cushions—until it falls apart 20 years later.

Cars are not one of those things. Even if you pay upfront for a car, it’s going to keep putting demands on your wallet. Gas, insurance, maintenance, fees and so on.

Car prices are up. Gas is up. Interest rates on loans are up. You get the picture. The average car buyer in the U.S. is paying between $657 and $712 a month for a new vehicle, reports Car and Driver, and the average overall new car price was $46,085 in February 2022, according to Cox Automotive, making us nostalgic for the 2019 average of about $36,718.

But unlike sofas, which reach the end of their days sitting on the street with a “Free” sign, cars have some value when it’s time to get a new one. The more it’s worth the better—whether you’re selling it, trading it in, or giving it to your kid.

A car’s depreciation is a big part of its cost. Kelly Blue Book’s 5-Year Cost to Own adds up the total amount of vehicle-related costs you’ll likely have to cover during the first five years of owning a car. These include:

Fuel – the cost to fill up, based on 15,000 miles per year Maintenance – what it costs to keep the car running wellInsurance – the average in your state, including collision and liabilityRepairs – based on a no-deductible extended warrantyFinancing – since most people don’t have the cash on hand to buy the car outrightState fees – items like sales tax, license and registrationDepreciation – the difference between what you paid and what it’s worth

Here are Kelley Blue Book’s awards for the cars with the best value over five years; these vehicles’ five-year costs are all below the average for their segment, including SUVs, cars, trucks, EVs, hybrids and minivans.

SUVs

2022 Hyundai Venue – starts at: $19,000

Type: Subcompact SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $30,555Compared to segment average: -$6,982

Note that the 5-Year Cost to Own doesn’t include the purchase price; including that, the Hyundai Venue, purchased at its lowest price, would cost $49,555 over five years.

Hyundai

SUVs

2022 Subaru Foresterstarts at: $25,895

Type: Compact SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $39,473Compared to segment average: -$1,957

Subaru

SUVs

2022 Subaru Outback starts at: $27,645

Type: 2-row midsize SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $43,973Compared to segment average: -$6,730

Subaru

SUVs

2022 Subaru Ascent starts at: $32,795

Type: 3-row midsize SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $48,383Compared to segment average: -$4,121

Subaru

SUVs

2022 Nissan Armada starts at: $49,500

Type: Full-size SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $69,416Compared to segment average: -$6,822

Nissan

SUVs

2022 Ford Bronco starts at: $30,800

Type: Off-road SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $47,961Compared to segment average: -$3,059

Ford

SUVs

2022 Lexus UX starts at: $33,450

Type: Subcompact luxury SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $46,424Compared to segment average: -$3,224

Lexus

SUVs

2022 Lexus NX starts at: $38,350

Type: Compact luxury SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $51,227Compared to segment average: -$6,219

Lexus

SUVs

2022 Lexus RX starts at: $45,920

Type: 2-row midsize luxury SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $62,099Compared to segment average: -$12,156

Lexus

SUVs

2022 Acura MDX starts at: $48,000

Type: 3-row midsize luxury SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $60,530Compared to segment average: -$7,193

Acura

SUVs

2022 Lexus LX starts at: $86,900

Type: Full-size luxury SUV5-Year Cost to Own: $88,956Compared to segment average: -$12,698

Lexus

Cars

2022 Toyota Corolla starts at: $20,425

Type: Compact car5-Year Cost to Own: $31,464Compared to segment average: -$2,323

Toyota

Cars

2022 Honda Accord starts at: $26,520

Type: Midsize car5-Year Cost to Own: $38,713Compared to segment average: -$893

Honda

Cars

2022 Toyota Avalon starts at: $36,825

Type: Full-size car5-Year Cost to Own: $51,123Compared to segment average: -$3,570

Toyota

Cars

2022 Subaru BRZ starts at: $27,995

Type: Sports car5-Year Cost to Own: $40,397Compared to segment average: -$21,739

Subaru

Cars

2022 Acura ILX starts at: $27,300

Type: Entry-level luxury car5-Year Cost to Own: $41,192Compared to segment average: -$14,684

Acura

Cars

2022 Volvo S90 starts at: $52,850

Type: luxury car5-Year Cost to Own: $67,365Compared to segment average: -$16,145

Volvo

Hybrid

2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid starts at: $24,050

Type: Hybrid car5-Year Cost to Own: $31,231Compared to segment average: -$10,303

Toyota

Electric Vehicles

2022 Nissan Leaf starts at: $27,400

Type: Electric vehicle5-Year Cost to Own: $34,134Compared to segment average: -$13,258

Nissan

Electric Vehicles

2022 Tesla Model 3 starts at: $46,990

Type: Electric luxury vehicle5-Year Cost to Own: $48,233Compared to segment average: -$16,411

>> Also see: Here’s a List of All of the Electric Vehicles Available in the U.S.

Tesla

Minivan

2022 Toyota Sienna starts at: $35,285

Type: Minivan5-Year Cost to Own: $44,376Compared to segment average: -$5,354

Toyota

Trucks

2022 Ford Ranger starts at: $25,930

Type: Midsize pickup truck5-Year Cost to Own: $40,267Compared to segment average: -$3,321

Ford

Trucks

2022 Toyota Tundra starts at: $35,950

Type: Full-size pickup truck5-Year Cost to Own: $47,679Compared to segment average: -$4,669

>> Also read: These Cars Are Stolen the Most in the U.S.

Toyota

Brands

Best brand: Toyota 

Toyota’s emphasis on quality pays dividends in the form of reliability. This in turn adds value, leading to low cost to own numbers, KBB says.

Toyota

Brands

Best luxury brand: Lexus

Lexus has a stellar reputation for building high-quality reliable, well-equipped luxury vehicles at prices well below the competition, KBB says.

Learn more about the cost to own a vehicle and research cars by class at KBB.com

Lexus

Related Posts

Union Capital Financial Group Ltd, registered in the British Virgin Islands, does not provide investment services inside the United States. The company only provides consulting, advisory and educational services.