When you’re shopping for a new or used car, it’s important to consider the long-term costs and choose a reliable vehicle that won’t cost you an arm and a leg down the road because of expensive repairs.
But when it comes to reliability, we know that some cars and trucks perform better than others.
Read more: 4 tips for better car maintenance on the cheap
New report: Cars with the fewest and cheapest repairs
In its 2016 Vehicle Health Index report, CarMD ranked both manufacturers and vehicles on the frequency of check engine light problems and the average cost of repairs.
Here are some of the highlights from the study:
- Four of the 10 vehicles with the fewest check engine light issues are Toyotas.
- The 2012 Honda CR-V had the lowest average repair cost and fewest repair issues, making it the most reliable.
- Hyundai is the make with the lowest average check engine repair cost.
- Toyota had the lowest repair frequency.
Repair frequency
According to CarMD, at least 10% of vehicles in the United States have a check engine light on at any given time. But which car owners make fewer trips to the auto repair shop?
As we mentioned, Toyota had the lowest repair frequency, followed by Honda, Nissan, Audi and Volkswagen.
Of course, even within one specific car brand, some vehicles are going to be more reliable than others. These 10 SUVs, cars and trucks had the lowest repair frequency:
Lowest repair cost
Even the most reliable vehicles will require repairs from time to time. CarMD found that Hyundai owners had the lowest average check engine light related repair cost at $318.50.
The Korean automaker was followed by Mazda, Kia, Chevrolet and Chrysler.
Among the 8,500 different types of model year 1996 to 2016 vehicles on the road, the 2012 Honda CR-V wins bragging rights. The SUV had the lowest average repair cost at $100.53.
Didn’t see your vehicle on the list? You can plug in your car’s year, make and model on CarMD’s website to learn about the top check engine light culprits for your vehicle!
