The short answer
Toyota and Honda consistently rank as the cheapest mainstream brands to maintain long-term. CarEdge puts Toyota's 5-year maintenance cost at $1,814 — less than half the $3,538 figure for Dodge. Consumer Reports places Buick lowest of all brands at $5,260 over 10 years, followed by Lincoln ($5,620) and Toyota ($5,950), while domestic trucks and European luxury brands cluster at the expensive end.
Which car brands have the lowest 10-year maintenance costs?
Buick is lowest at $5,260 over 10 years, followed by Lincoln ($5,620), Toyota ($5,950), Hyundai ($6,110), and Tesla ($6,125) — all under $6,200, per Consumer Reports' 2025 Annual Auto Survey. Honda ranks 11th at $6,550 despite its reliability reputation, largely due to higher parts costs on some models. Dodge and Chrysler exceed $9,000.
| Brand | 10-year maintenance cost |
|---|---|
| Buick | $5,260 (lowest of all brands) |
| Lincoln | $5,620 |
| Toyota | $5,950 |
| Hyundai | $6,110 |
| Tesla | $6,125 |
| Honda | $6,550 (11th) |
| Dodge | $9,000+ (most expensive end) |
| Chrysler | $9,500+ |
See the full brand-by-brand breakdown in the Consumer Reports 2025 Annual Auto Survey. Brand averages hide model-level spread — pair them with the most reliable car brands rankings before you buy.
Which individual car models are cheapest to maintain?
The Toyota Prius (about $4,008 over 10 years), Toyota Corolla (about $4,008), and Toyota Yaris (about $4,027) are the three least expensive models to maintain, per CarEdge. Seven of the ten cheapest models are Toyotas. The Honda Fit ranks seventh at roughly $4,915 over 10 years.
| Model | Est. 10-year maintenance |
|---|---|
| Toyota Prius | ~$4,008 |
| Toyota Corolla | ~$4,008 |
| Toyota Yaris | ~$4,027 |
| Honda Fit | ~$4,915 (7th) |
Maintenance cost alone is a strong argument for choosing a Corolla or Civic over a domestic equivalent at a similar price point. The full model rankings are at CarEdge's maintenance database.
Why are Toyota and Honda cheaper to maintain than domestic brands?
Three structural reasons keep Toyota and Honda costs low: simpler, well-proven engine designs refined over decades; wider independent-repair-shop familiarity that keeps labor competitive; and lower parts costs driven by global production volume. Domestic trucks, by contrast, carry higher scheduled-service costs, more complex powertrains, and higher parts prices.
- Proven engine families. Toyota's inline-4 and V6 designs have been iterated for decades, so common repairs are well understood and inexpensive.
- Labor familiarity. Nearly every independent shop knows these cars, which keeps diagnostic and repair labor competitive.
- Parts volume. Global production scale drives down the cost of replacement parts versus lower-volume or specialty platforms.
This is the same engineering conservatism that puts these brands atop the reliability rankings and helps explain how long these cars last.
Does a cheaper car to buy always cost less to maintain?
No, not necessarily. The Chrysler Voyager costs roughly 2.5 times more to maintain over 5 years than a Toyota Corolla at a similar or lower purchase price. True cost of ownership — purchase price plus fuel, insurance, maintenance, and depreciation — is a more accurate comparison than sticker price alone.
A low sticker price can mask a high lifetime cost, especially on vehicles with expensive parts or fast depreciation. The annual cost of car ownership page breaks this down in full, and the used-car mileage guide covers how accumulated miles raise the maintenance bill.
How does EV maintenance compare to the cheapest gas cars?
EVs are competitive with the cheapest gas cars. They skip oil changes, have fewer drivetrain wear components, and use regenerative braking that extends brake life. Consumer Reports places Tesla at $6,125 for 10-year maintenance — 5th cheapest overall and on par with Toyota. The main unknowns are high-voltage battery replacement and faster tire wear.
- Lower routine cost. No oil changes, fewer fluids, and far less brake wear thanks to regenerative braking.
- Battery risk. High-voltage battery replacement is expensive but rarely needed within 10 years on most models.
- Tire wear. Instant-torque delivery and added weight wear tires faster than on a comparable gas car.
The EV vs. gas maintenance comparison covers the full breakdown, and the hybrid vs. gas cost page is the better read if you're weighing a Prius.
Frequently asked questions
Are used Toyotas and Hondas cheaper to maintain than newer domestic cars?
Generally yes — the lower parts and labor costs of used Toyota and Honda models typically hold even against newer domestic vehicles, because the maintenance advantage is structural (drivetrain design and parts availability), not just related to the car's age.
What is the most expensive car brand to maintain?
Domestic brands Dodge and Chrysler consistently rank highest for 10-year maintenance cost, per both Consumer Reports and CarEdge. Among European brands, BMW and Mercedes-Benz carry high parts and labor costs driven by complex engineering and specialty labor requirements.
Does brand reliability affect insurance costs?
Indirectly — vehicles with high theft rates or expensive replacement parts carry higher comprehensive premiums. Reliability itself (repair frequency) doesn't affect insurance, but repair cost per claim does affect some insurer pricing models.
Is a hybrid cheaper to maintain than a gas car?
For routine maintenance, yes — hybrids skip some oil changes from less engine run time, and regenerative braking significantly reduces brake pad wear. The Toyota Prius is consistently one of the cheapest models to maintain overall. The main risk is battery replacement, but most hybrid batteries last 150,000 to 200,000 miles with no replacement needed.
Sources
CarsLens is editorial guidance, not individualized advice. This page draws on the Consumer Reports 2025 Annual Auto Survey and CarEdge's maintenance cost database.