When you’re buying a car, you may only be thinking about how much it costs to take your new car home. But do you ever consider how much it’s going to cost you to maintain your new purchase? It’s definitely something you should consider when you’re shopping around. So what makes a new car cheap to maintain? First, if it has a low frequency of repairs that need to be done. Second, if it is covered under a warranty. Third, if it comes equipped with a maintenance program that includes a variety of free services such as air cabin filter replacement, tire rotation, and a loaner car. These three things factor in significantly to lower maintenance costs for you. Here’s our list of the 5 cheapest car makes and models to maintain over the first 5 years of ownership.

Hyundai

Having a multitude of industry-leading warranties covering their cars definitely helps us put Hyundai at the top of our cheapest car makes to maintain list. Hyundai offers a variety of sedans, hybrids, crossovers, and SUVs all worthy of praise, especially when it comes to value and maintenance costs.
  • Sedans
Accent, Azera, Elantra, Equus, Sonata, Genesis
  • Hybrid & Plug-In
Sonata Hybrid, Sonata Plug-In Hybrid
  • Coupe
Veloster
  • Hatchback
Elantra GT
  • Crossovers & SUVs
Santa Fe, Santa Fe Sport, Tucson

Toyota

There’s a reason it’s one of the most sold cars in the world! A tried-and-true brand, Toyota always delivers when it comes to reliability and low maintenance costs. Toyota’s subcompact, compact, midsize sedan, and large car models all claim top spots in the Least Expensive Ownership Costs Overall category from Consumer Reports.
  • Subcompact
Prius C Two
  • Compact
Prius Four
  • Midsize Sedan
Camry Hybrid XLE
  • Large
Avalon Hybrid Limited Notice that all the cars on Toyota’s list are hybrids. There’s a reason for that! Hybrids typically have much lower maintenance costs than standard gasoline-powered cars since the engine is only used part of the time when driving.

Acura

When it comes to maintaining a luxury brand, Acura comes in cheapest. Kelly Blue Book gave them top honors in their 2016 5-Year Cost to Own Awards. Acura owners love the features and fuel efficiency offered and the resale values are excellent. If you’re in the market for a luxury sedan, hybrid, crossover, or SUV, and want lows costs of maintenance Acura is a good option.

Buick

Another great choice for a luxury brand is the Buick Verano (sedan) or Buick Enclave (large SUV). Both offer great value over the first five years of ownership and both offer premium options like leather trim, etc. If you’re looking for a quiet, smooth ride without compromising on maintenance costs, these two vehicles are a great choice.

Lexus

Our last pick for a car with low maintenance costs is Lexus. They offer the upscale CT 200h Premium and the ES300h hybrid sedans. Both models boast very high fuel efficiency in sporty packaging. Lexus also has great warranties on their vehicles. Now that you have our list of the 5 cheapest car makes to maintain and this full list of Best and Worst New Cars from Consumer Reports, you’ll be able to make an educated, forward-thinking decision on which vehicle you’ll purchase next. Happy shopping!