The Cheapest Cars to Own for 2014
According to KBB, Mazda and Lexus offer the lowest ownership costs among all 2014 vehicles.
KBB recently released the winners of its 2014 5-Year Cost to Own Awards, which looks at the cars that offer the best bang for your hard-earned buck, taking into account not just depreciation and fuel costs, but insurance fees, state fees, and maintenance and repair costs throughout a five-year ownership.
Mazda was named number one in the overall brand category, while Lexus took top honors for "Luxury Brand." Other category winners included models from Toyota, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Mitsubishi.
If you're considering any of these vehicles, be sure to use TrueCar to find local dealers who are most willing to negotiate steep discounts.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Overall Brand Winner | Mazda |
| Luxury Brand | Lexus |
| Subcompact Car | Chevrolet Spark |
| Compact Car | Toyota Corolla |
| Sport Compact Car | Hyundai Veloster Turbo |
| Mid-Size Car | Honda Accord |
| Full-Size Car | Chevrolet Impala |
| Entry-Level Luxury Car | Buick Verano |
| Luxury Car | Audi A5 |
| High-End Luxury Car | Lexus LS |
| Sports Car | Ford Mustang |
| High-Performance Car | Chevrolet Camaro SS/ZL1 |
| Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car | Toyota Prius c |
| Plug-In Vehicle | Chevrolet Spark EV |
| Compact SUV/Crossover | Jeep Patriot |
| Mid-Size SUV/Crossover | Mitsubishi Outlander |
| Full-Size SUV/Crossover | Ford Explorer |
| Luxury Compact SUV/Crossover | Buick Encore |
| Luxury Mid-Size SUV/Crossover | Lincoln MKX |
| Luxury Full-Size SUV/Crossover | Buick Enclave |
| Mid-Size Pickup Truck | Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab |
| Full-Size Pickup Truck | GMC Sierra 1500 Regular Cab |
| Minivan/Van | Dodge Grand Caravan Passenger |
| Hybrid SUV/Crossover | Lexus RX |
3 Steps Every Car Buyer Needs to Take to Save Maximum Money
The key to getting the best deal is to gather price or lease bids from as many local dealers as possible. Then shop that best price around until no one can beat it. Here are the steps:Step 1 Get Prices From My Trusted Network
Select the vehicle you're interested in to see if there are local dealers in my network who will provide you with their best upfront price. You will get direct access to an internet sales manager who you can further negotiate with online (no need to visit dealership).Step 2 Get Prices From TrueCar / CarsDirect
TrueCar, and CarsDirect are my top 2 online price quote recommendations. These services show you pre-negotiated prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually pretty decent. But remember, you can still negotiate further.Step 3 Complete my Checklist
Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
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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