The Least Expensive Cars to Repair
Ford wasn't kidding when they said Quality was Job 1.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford vehicles are the least expensive to repair after a collision. This not only saves you big time on repair bills, but also helps out with lower insurance payments and premium hikes.
Motor Trend says Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles all "cost less to repair after a collision compared to other automakers' vehicles in the same segments."
Apparently, it wasn't even close. "Nearly 80 percent of Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln vehicles matched or beat the industry average in vehicle repair."
Toyota was a distant second (together with its Lexus and Scion subsidiaries), placing about 40 percent of its vehicles below the average cost.
Ford's slogan is "Drive One." And if you drive one into a wall, you won't have to break the bank to fix it.
Here is a list of the least expensive vehicles to repair by vehicle segment:
| Vehicle Type | Winner |
| Micro Car | Smart Fortwo |
| Mini Car | Mini Clubman |
| Two-Door Small Car | Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible |
| Four-Door Small Car | Ford Focus |
| Small Station Wagon | Chevrolet HHR |
| Small Sports Car | Audi TT |
| Midsize Two-Door Car | Chrysler Sebring Convertible |
| Midsize Four-Door Car | Honda Accord |
| Midsize Station Wagon | Subaru Outback |
| Sports Car | Chevrolet Corvette |
| Midsize Luxury Car | Saab 9-3 |
| Large Car | Ford Taurus |
| Luxury Car | Audi A6 Wagon |
| Very Large Car | Mercury Grand Marquis |
| Large Wagon | Dodge Grand Caravan |
| Large Luxury Car | Lincoln Town Car |
| Small Pickup | GMC Canyon |
| Full-Size Pickup | Ford F-150 |
| Very Large Pickup | Ford F-250 |
| Small SUV | Mercury Mariner |
| Midsize SUV | Jeep Wrangler |
| Large SUV | Chevy Traverse |
| Midsize Luxury SUV | Volvo XC90 |
| Large Luxury SUV | Land Rover LR3 |
| Very Large Luxury SUV | Cadillac Escalade |
| Cargo Van | Ford Econoline |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, Edmunds Price Promise, and 1-800 Car Show are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.California Residents - Important:
There is a new online car buying service called Roadster, available only to California residents, which I highly recommend you try - especially if you hate the stress of haggling with a car salesman. They provide an expert concierge who negotiates the price of the car and delivers it to your home with zero hassle - you never have to interact with a dealership. Here is my in-depth review of Roadster and why I recommend it.- Gregg Fidan
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About: Gregg Fidan
Gregg Fidan + is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
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