5 Car Brands Consumer Reports Says Cost The Least To Maintain Over 10 Years

More cost goes into owning a car than simply signing a bunch of papers and driving it from the dealership parking lot to your garage. The MSRP is merely the price you pay to gain ownership of the keys. The longer you drive (and the more frequently), the more cumulative costs you incur. 

Gas and all things maintenance to keep all the moving parts running smoothly may seem relatively inexpensive, but they add up over time. For instance, the average American driver spends roughly $2,000 on gas each year. And in terms of other cash-guzzling components of car maintenance, cars cost owners an average of $900. These repairs tend to become pricier as cars age, and the price tag of maintaining your vehicle varies depending on age and brand.

Whether you're an existing or prospective car owner, it's essential to know which brands can eke out the most bang for your buck. To keep customers updated on current market trends, Consumer Reports ran a survey to obtain informed estimates of how much drivers paid out of pocket on maintenance and repairs in the past year. Note that accident-related expenses and routine insurance payments were omitted from the survey.

As one would expect, luxury brands like Audi, BMW, and Land Rover place near the bottom of Consumer Reports' rankings; they require a substantial investment to keep in tip-top condition. We'll take a look at the flip side of the coin and discover the most budget-friendly options.

One of the major selling points of EVs in general is their comparatively low running costs — owners don't have to worry about oil changes or gas pumps. That's a significant chunk of the puzzle in terms of running expenses, and Tesla in particular attributes these savings to fewer moving parts and a regenerative braking system.

A handful of contributing factors also keep Tesla's maintenance figures pocket-friendly. Features such as real-time battery monitoring via the Tesla mobile app and over-the-air software updates provide drivers with considerable coverage against expensive repairs. That's not to say Teslas are immune — owners of older models may need to splurge on a new battery pack as their EV ages. However, comparing estimated metrics to the competition, Tesla has the edge over a packed field.

According to Consumer Reports, a Tesla costs an estimated cumulative sum of just $730 to maintain in the first five years of ownership. From years six to 10, this number climbs to $4,320. That brings the total maintenance expenditure in a decade to $5,050. If you're looking for concrete figures of some Tesla models, here's a look into how much it costs to maintain a Tesla Model 3.

Lincolns have had something of a mixed perception in the automobile industry in recent years. In terms of reliability, the manufacturer's models have consistently ranked around the middle of the luxury brand genre. However, in the broader market, Lincoln has fared poorly compared to competitors.

Recently, this perception has started to take a more favorable complexion. Despite attaining an unremarkable rank at number 23 out of 30 automakers in Consumer Reports' 2023 reliability study — and costing $227 more to maintain than the average car — Lincoln was named the most-improved brand. That goes to show the extent of the manufacturer's previously embattled reputation.

According to Consumer Reports' latest findings, Lincoln ranks second in terms of maintenance cost savings. A Lincoln costs drivers an average of $850 in the first five years of ownership, with that number climbing to a cumulative of $5,200 after 10 years — long after warranties expire and wear-and-tear starts to kick in. Taking a closer look at the numbers, the six-to-10-year cost of owning a Lincoln is slightly more expensive than a Buick or a Toyota. However, the low repair spend in the first five years compared to these traditionally reliable brands gives Lincoln a significant edge.

It's also worth noting that Lincoln is the only luxury automobile manufacturer in the top ten, way ahead of brands such as BMW (which comes in at $9,800 over 10 years) and Mercedes-Benz (roughly $13,100).

Buicks have a longstanding reputation for reliability — in fact, it's currently the most reliable American car brand on the market. That has reflected in the automaker's consistent high rankings in the genre of maintenance cost savings over the last decade. However, despite keeping its spot in and around the big names in terms of repair savings, the average cost of maintaining a Buick is steadily increasing.

As of 2023, Consumer Reports had the brand's average decade-long maintenance cost pegged at $3,355. This mark grew to $4,900 in 2024, but despite this considerable spike, Buick's ranking actually improved to second on the list behind only Tesla. The latest Consumer Reports list places Buick in third with a $5,300 tag.

The main culprit behind the increase is the cost beyond the first five years of ownership; the six-to-10-year cost has climbed from $2,705 in 2023 to $4,300 this year. The exact reason for this consistent inflation is unclear, but given Buick's classification as a semi-luxury brand, it's logical to assume that the occasional repair bills after warranty expiration can be rather pricey.

Building on this hypothesis, data from models such as Envision are just beginning to pop up. Although the model is by no means a newcomer to the industry — it made its debut in 2016 — maintenance estimates for previous years couldn't be holistic since most vehicles were still under warranty coverage. However, with the new list, there's now roughly nine years of data to build a more accurate estimate with.

It's no secret that Toyota has a seat at the table of the most reliable car brands. Like Buick, the bulk of Toyota's reputation lies in the ability of its models to remain in top condition years after their initial purchase. If you've ever wondered why Toyotas are so reliable, it's for a multitude of reasons, from the famed Toyota Production System to exhaustive testing. This deliberate engineering and simple design reaps multiple maintenance benefits for owners; lower repair costs and widespread availability of both genuine and after-market spare parts.

For these reasons, Toyota's consistent low-spend rankings don't raise any eyebrows in surprise. Consumer Reports' latest survey pegs the average decade-long maintenance spending on a Toyota at $5,300 — tying the manufacturer for joint-third with Buick. However, a closer look at the numbers reveals that Toyotas are the cheapest car brand to maintain in the six-to-10-year ownership timeframe.

While the other top three brands (Tesla, Lincoln, and Buick) hover around the $4,300 mark in this period, the average Toyota's estimated $4,200 maintenance figure reflects some minor savings in the long run, but that prove more tangible over time, considering Toyota models filled out the top five on a 2020 study of vehicles most likely to last more than 250,000 miles of driving.

Hyundai's entry into the American market in 1986 was aimed primarily at providing entry-level vehicles, and as such, starting prices were low and affordable in order to target first-time car owners. The car maker's economic model has since evolved with the times — a new Hyundai costs nearly 50% more than what it used to just 10 years ago — and the reliability standard hasn't been left behind either.

Hyundai struggled in the quality department early on; it recalled nearly a million Excel units in 1991. 1998 signaled a paradigm shift for the manufacturer with its revamped warranty, and it hasn't looked back since. From languishing near the bottom of the reliability rankings at the end of the 20th century, the South Korean manufacturer has turned around to consistently feature among the cheapest options in terms of reliability.

That status persisted once again, with Hyundai rounding out the top five brands in terms of maintenance costs averaged over a decade according to Consumer Reports' latest ranking, posting an estimated repair bill of $5,680.