Which are the cheapest cars to own?
When it comes to the true cost of a car, there's a lot more than the price you negotiate and the interest on the loan. There's the insurance, taxes, fuel, service and repairs, as well as depreciation.
Kiplinger.com ran the numbers for the five-year cost of ownership and the base model of the Nissan Versa S, at around $12,000, came out on top.
"It's the very cheapest car to buy and definitely the cheapest to own," says Kiplinger's associate editor, Jessica Anderson. "But the horsepower is pretty lame."
In this class, Kiplinger says the Ford Focus S, with a sticker price of around $17,000, is a better choice.
"It's got a real peppy engine and as well has great fuel economy," Anderson says.
Family sedans are practical, not sexy and for many of us, that's just fine. The cheapest to own in this category is the Toyota Camry.
"It gets a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and it was redesigned this year," Anderson says.
She points out that the Camry hybrid also has very low ownership costs.
If you prefer European styling, the VW Passat also has great ownership costs.
"It has a peppy 2.5 liter engine and the diesel got our Best Car nod this year," Anderson says.
When it comes to luxury cars, Kiplinger says you can find some very nice vehicles that cost significantly less to keep on the road in the long run. The Audi A3 diesel TDI version has the lowest ownership cost in this segment.
"And despite paying a price premium for that diesel engine model, mostly due to the high fuel economy there, you'll get about 42 mpg on the highway," Anderson says.
If a German hatchback isn't quite your style, Kiplinger says check out the Acura TSX.
Both the Audi A3 and the Acura TSX are IIHs Top Safety Picks.
For a lot of people today, the family car is really a crossover and Kiplinger also analyzed the cost of owning one of them.
Kiplinger says the Dodge Journey has the lowest five-year costs for midsize and large crossovers.
"It has really great handling and it's a Top Safety Pick," Anderson says. "But leg room and cargo space are a little bit cramped."
Kiplinger's top pick in this category is the Honda Pilot LX.
"It costs about $30,000, has really high resale value and holds a lot of people and has a dozen cup holders. You can't really go wrong with it," Anderson says.
More Info:
Kiplinger: 10 Cheapest Cars to Own
Kiplinger.com ran the numbers for the five-year cost of ownership and the base model of the Nissan Versa S, at around $12,000, came out on top.
"It's the very cheapest car to buy and definitely the cheapest to own," says Kiplinger's associate editor, Jessica Anderson. "But the horsepower is pretty lame."
In this class, Kiplinger says the Ford Focus S, with a sticker price of around $17,000, is a better choice.
"It's got a real peppy engine and as well has great fuel economy," Anderson says.
Family sedans are practical, not sexy and for many of us, that's just fine. The cheapest to own in this category is the Toyota Camry.
"It gets a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and it was redesigned this year," Anderson says.
She points out that the Camry hybrid also has very low ownership costs.
If you prefer European styling, the VW Passat also has great ownership costs.
"It has a peppy 2.5 liter engine and the diesel got our Best Car nod this year," Anderson says.
When it comes to luxury cars, Kiplinger says you can find some very nice vehicles that cost significantly less to keep on the road in the long run. The Audi A3 diesel TDI version has the lowest ownership cost in this segment.
"And despite paying a price premium for that diesel engine model, mostly due to the high fuel economy there, you'll get about 42 mpg on the highway," Anderson says.
If a German hatchback isn't quite your style, Kiplinger says check out the Acura TSX.
Both the Audi A3 and the Acura TSX are IIHs Top Safety Picks.
For a lot of people today, the family car is really a crossover and Kiplinger also analyzed the cost of owning one of them.
Kiplinger says the Dodge Journey has the lowest five-year costs for midsize and large crossovers.
"It has really great handling and it's a Top Safety Pick," Anderson says. "But leg room and cargo space are a little bit cramped."
Kiplinger's top pick in this category is the Honda Pilot LX.
"It costs about $30,000, has really high resale value and holds a lot of people and has a dozen cup holders. You can't really go wrong with it," Anderson says.
More Info:
Kiplinger: 10 Cheapest Cars to Own
