The Least Expensive Cars to Own
New car shoppers tend to focus too much on the price of a vehicle, and fail to realize that ownership costs are actually more important.
Just because a vehicle has a low price doesn't mean it will cost you less than a higher-priced vehicle. Factors such as depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair end up costing buyers way more than the actual price of a vehicle.
Over a five-year period, if you can keep your ownership costs below $30,000, you're in the top 5% when it comes to saving money.
Kelley Blue Book just released a list of the most fuel-efficient vehicles that will cost you around $30,000 or less over a five-year period. Note that these are all base models with no additional options included.
| Vehicle | Fuel Economy | Pricing | Cost to Own | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make | Model | Trim | City | Comb | Hwy | MSRP | Average Paid | 5-Year Cost |
| Nissan | Versa | Sedan 4D | 30 | 33 | 38 | $11,770 | $11,093 | $25,818 |
| Hyundai | Accent | GLS Sedan 4D | 30 | 33 | 40 | $13,320 | $12,657 | $27,743 |
| Kia | Soul | Sport Wagon 4D | 29 | 32 | 36 | $14,650 | $14,111 | $28,131 |
| Toyota | Yaris | Hatchback 2D | 30 | 33 | 38 | $14,875 | $14,009 | $28,167 |
| Mazda | MAZDA2 | Sport Hatchback 4D | 29 | 32 | 35 | $15,325 | $15,153 | $28,457 |
| Ford | Fiesta | Sedan 4D | 29 | 33 | 40 | $13,995 | $13,488 | $28,639 |
| Honda | Fit | Hatchback 4D | 28 | 31 | 35 | $15,945 | $15,441 | $29,370 |
| Hyundai | Elantra | GLS Sedan 4D | 29 | 33 | 40 | $16,120 | $15,519 | $29,498 |
| Kia | Rio | Hatchback 4D | 30 | 33 | 40 | $14,150 | $13,513 | $29,862 |
| Scion | xD | Hatchback 4D | 27 | 29 | 33 | $16,075 | $15,689 | $29,913 |
| Honda | Civic | DX Coupe 2D | 28 | 32 | 39 | $16,375 | $15,386 | $29,928 |
| Honda | Insight | Hatchback 4D | 41 | 42 | 44 | $19,120 | $18,382 | $30,647 |
| Mazda | MAZDA3 | SV Sedan 4D | 27 | 31 | 39 | $15,995 | $14,789 | $30,784 |
| Toyota | Corolla | Sedan 4D | 27 | 30 | 34 | $16,890 | $15,877 | $30,807 |
| Volkswagen | Jetta | Sedan 4D | 24 | 27 | 32 | $16,135 | $15,167 | $30,868 |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar, Edmunds, 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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