On the Hunt for a New Car? Here Are the Cheapest Cars to Maintain

Buying a new car is expensive, especially when you factor in the recent spike in car prices, inflation, and the supply chain shortages. You also have to consider car insurance, gas, a car loan, sales tax, and title fees.

And while we may dream of owning a Lamborghini or a Mercedes G Wagon, these vehicles aren't realistic and most of us would rather stick to a reliable car that’s easier on the budget and wallet.

So, we turned to CarEdge to find out which cars are the cheapest to maintain.

One of Honda’s most successful models, the Civic has been redesigned as a sedan, hatchback, and coupe. Its base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine puts out 158 horsepower and runs through a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Known for longevity, reliability, and low cost, it has a 10-year maintenance and repair cost of just $5,245, which beats the industry average by $1,851. There's a 15.57 percent chance it will require a major repair during this time. which is 5.93 percent better than similar vehicles.

While the Toyota Supra shares its platform and parts with the BMW Z4, it’s a great everyday vehicle due to its affordability and reliability. Powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, it can go from 0–60 mph in 4.5 seconds.

A Supra costs about $4,950 for maintenance and repairs its first 10 years, which beats the industry average for popular coupe models by $2,473. There’s a 12.57 percent chance a Supra will require a major repair during that time, which is 8.93 percent better than similar models.

Known for its affordability, fuel efficiency and low cost of maintenance, the Mitsubishi Mirage has a base price of $16,125. With a 10-year maintenance cost of $4,939, it beats the industry average for popular hatchback models by $1,825. Featuring a straightforward powertrain, its 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine puts out 78 horsepower.

The Mirage is basic but a great choice for someone who wants something small and cheap. Plus, there’s only a 15.09 percent chance it’ll require a major repair during the first 10 years.

As one of the least expensive cars both at the dealership and the repair shop, the Honda Fit has a starting price of $17,185 and a 10-year maintenance cost of only $4,915, beating the average upkeep costs of similar hatchbacks by $1,849.

Featuring a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that puts out 128 horsepower, this powerful compact vehicle comes with low repair costs and there’s only a 14.68 percent chance it will require a major repair the first 10 years, which is 6.82 percent better than similar vehicles.

The Toyota Avalon is a popular full-sized sedan designed to fill the gap between the Camry and the Lexus. The Avalon has gone through many redesigns and updates with improvements in styling, performance, and technology.

With a powerful V6 engine, it's praised for its fuel efficiency, comfort, and lower cost of maintenance and repairs, which is about $4,407 for the first 10 years.

Beating the industry average by about $2,689, there’s an 11.89 percent chance it'll need a major repair during that time, beating similar cars by 9.61 percent.

The Toyota Camry is a popular sedan known for reliability and high resale value. It's perfect for those who want to spend less on gas and maintenance. Redesigned in 2018, the newer front-wheel drive models come with a 2.5 liter four-cylinder or 3.5-liter V-6 engine, and there's a hybrid version.

A Camry will cost about $4,203 for maintenance and repairs during the first ten years of service which beats the industry average by about $2,893. There’s an 11.89 percent chance it’ll require a major repair.

A plug-in version of the original Prius, the longer, wider, and sportier Prime is a safe, reliable, and affordable car with an impressive fuel economy and more cargo space than the original. On average, a Toyota Prius Prime will cost around $4,098 for maintenance and repairs during its first 10 years.

Beating the industry average for other hatchback models by about $2,666, there’s an 11.22 percent chance it’ll require a major repair during that time, which is 10.28 percent better than other similar vehicles.

Introduced in 1966, the Toyota Corolla has a reputation for dependability and quality which helped it become one of the world’s best-selling cars. Primarily a four-door sedan, it’s also offered in a hatchback and wagon. With a simple 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and Toyota’s quality control, this car maintains its value over time.

An economy-priced car known for low maintenance costs, the Corolla comes with a 10-year maintenance cost of just $6,000, which beats the industry average for popular sedans by $3,009. There’s an 11.89 percent chance a Corolla will require major repairs during the first 10 years, which is 9.61 percent better than similar vehicles.

Introduced in 1999, the Toyota Yaris subcompact car was designed as a replacement for the Toyota Starlet. Known for fuel efficiency, affordability, and compactness, it has a low cost of ownership.

The Yaris costs about $4,027 for maintenance and repairs during its first 10 years of service, which averages to about $402 a year. With an 11.89 percent chance of requiring at least one major repair during its first 10 years, it's 9.61 percent better than similar vehicles and beats the industry average by $3,069.

Introduced in 2000, the Prius is one of the pioneers in the hybrid car market and one of the cleanest vehicles due to its low emissions and impressive fuel efficiency. The Prius’s hybrid powertrain also contributes to its lower cost of ownership.

While hybrids aren’t cheap to maintain due to battery price, a Prius will only cost about $4,008 for maintenance and repairs the first 10 years of service because the Prius batteries can last much longer than most hybrids.

Beating the industry average for popular hatchback models by $2,756, there’s also an 11.22 percent chance that a Prius will require a major repair during that time, which is 10.28 percent better than similar vehicles in this segment.