When you’re shopping for a new car, you may spend a lot of your time negotiating the best purchase price at the dealership.
Although getting a low sticker price can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars, Kelley Blue Book reports that you can save even more money over time by choosing the right vehicle in the first place.
KBB has just released its seventh annual 5-Year Cost to Own Awards, which recognizes new vehicles with the lowest projected costs for the initial five-year ownership period.
The following factors were taken into consideration:
- Depreciation
- Expected fuel costs
- Finance and insurance fees
- Maintenance and repair costs
- State fees
RELATED: Hyundai takes money-back guarantee national
KBB: Hyundai, Acura brands have excellent long-term value
Hyundai is this year’s top brand for lowest total ownership costs, according to KBB.
The automaker’s lineup performed well in most categories, with the Sonata winning the mid-size car category and the Elantra and Accent placing second for the compact car and subcompact car categories, respectively.
When it comes to luxury brands, Acura took the top spot with two standout vehicles in its lineup, the ILX and MDX.
Here are the 2018 model-year category winners in KBB’s 5-Year Cost to Own Awards:
Subcompact car
- Chevrolet Spark
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $29,171
Runners-up: Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent
Electric vehicle
- Nissan LEAF
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $38,258
Runners-up: Chevrolet Bolt EV, BMW i3
Compact car
- Toyota Corolla iM
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $30,856
Runners-up: Hyundai Elantra, Kia Soul
Subcompact SUV/crossover
- Honda HR-V
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $32,874
Runners-up: Mazda CX-3, Toyota C-HR
Sporty compact car
- Honda Civic Si
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $33,484
Runners-up: Ford Focus ST, MINI Hardtop S/JCW
Compact SUV/crossover
- Subaru Crosstrek
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $34,724
Runners-up: Jeep Wrangler, Kia Sportage
Mid-size car
- Hyundai Sonata
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $36,800
Runners-up: Kia Optima, Toyota Camry
Mid-size SUV/crossover
- Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $36,244
Runners-up: Mitsubishi Outlander, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Full-size car
- Chevrolet Impala
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $46,057
Runners-up: Toyota Avalon, Dodge Charger
Full-size SUV/crossover
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $62,167
Runners-up: Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Suburban
Entry-level luxury car
- Acura ILX
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $38,293
Runners-up: Buick Regal Sportback, Mercedes-Benz CLA
Luxury compact SUV/crossover
- Buick Encore
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $38,607
Runners-up: INFINITI QX30, Lexus NX
Luxury car
- Lexus GS
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $60,012
Runners-up: Cadillac XTS, Audi A6
Luxury mid-size SUV/crossover
- Infiniti QX60
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $51,517
Runners-up: Acura MDX, Lexus RX
High-end luxury car
- Porsche Panamera
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $100,412
Runners-up: Lexus LC, Audi A8
Luxury full-size SUV/crossover
- Infiniti QX80
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $78,170
Runners-up: Lincoln Navigator, Toyota Land Cruiser
Sports car
- Chevrolet Camaro
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $43,629
Runners-up: Dodge Challenger, Audi S3
Mid-size pickup truck
- Toyota Tacoma
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $37,083
Runners-up: Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon
High-performance car
- Dodge Challenger SRT
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $53,656
Runners-up: Dodge Charger SRT, Ford Mustang Shelby GT350
Hybrid/alternative energy car
- Toyota Prius c
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $33,454
Runners-up: Kia Niro, Toyota Prius
Full-size pickup truck
- Ford F-150
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $48,362
Runners-up: Chevrolet Silverado HD, Toyota Tundra
Minivan
- Honda Odyssey
- 5-Year Cost to Own: $45,279
Runners-up: Toyota Sienna, Kia Sedona
To read more about the 5-Year Cost to Own Awards, visit KBB.com.
Whether you’re shopping for a new or used car, Clark recommends that you consider a short-term subscription to Consumer Reports to check out its ratings and reviews.