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The Street

Samanda Dorger

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

SUV Lexus Toyota Subaru Luxury Ford Nissan Acura Hyundai Honda

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 well
Insurance - the average in your state, including collision and liability
Repairs - based on a no-deductible extended warranty
Financing - since most people don't have the cash on hand to buy the car outright
State fees - items like sales tax, license and registration
Depreciation - 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.