Which Car Brand Has the Lowest Service Costs in the First 3 Months?
Vehicle service costs are unpredictable, but a new report from data analysis firm We Predict aims to add a little clarity. According to the company’s inaugural Deepview True Cost Report, cars from Honda average the lowest average service and warranty costs out of all non-luxury brands.
Related: Which Cars Have Free Maintenance for 2021?
The report looks at dealership service costs for owners of model-year 2021 vehicles during the first three months of ownership. The agency says it compiled and analyzed service records for more than 801,000 vehicles across 306 models.
Which Brands Are Cheapest to Service?
According to the report, the average service cost among non-premium brands after three months on the road is $42. For premium brands, it averages $84.
Honda topped the list with the lowest reported totals for service and warranty costs during the first three months on the road: just $21, according to We Predict. The Accord and Civic were the automaker’s cheapest non-premium vehicles to service. The Chrysler 300 also scored well out of large sedans. Other non-premium vehicles that scored well include the Ford Ecosport entry-level SUV, Nissan Murano mid-size SUV, Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV and Kia Sedona minivan, which Kia replaced for 2022 with the Carnival.
In the premium segment, Honda’s Acura luxury brand scored well with the lowest service and warranty cost average of $30. The Acura ILX led the premium compact car segment. Toyota’s Lexus luxury arm also did well, with an average service cost that tied Acura’s $30. Lexus models that performed well include the LC sports car as well as the GX and UX SUVs.
In the segment of large premium SUVs, the Infiniti QX80 took the top spot. Among cars, the Genesis G80 took the top spot among mid-size premium sedans.
- ${price_badge()}
- ${battery_badge()}${ev_report_link()}
- ${hot_car_badge()}
- ${award_badge()}
- ${cpo_badge()}
${price_badge_description}
The EV Battery Rating is based on this vehicle's current expected range relative to the vehicles expected range when new. ${battery_badge_text}
Certified cars are manufacturer warrantied and typically go through a rigorous multi-point inspection.
This car is likely to sell soon based on the price, features, and condition.
${award_blurb}
${award_two_blurb}
Shop the 2021 Honda Accord near you
Which Brands Are More Expensive to Service?
On the other end, GMC and Chevrolet — two GM brands — along with Ford round out the bottom of the list among non-premium brands, with average service costs of $132, $83 and $55, respectively.
For premium brands, Porsche, Cadillac and Land Rover fill the bottom slots with high average service costs of $167, $156 and $137, respectively.
Also on the hot seat are electric vehicles. The report found that service costs for EVs during the first three months average $123, which is more than twice the cost to service gas-only vehicles ($53) and nearly triple the cost to service hybrids ($46).
Part of the issue with EVs involves higher parts and labor costs. Parts for EVss average $65, according to We Predict, compared with $28 for gas-only vehicles and $24 for hybrids.
The report’s authors caution that more factors exist than just these numbers, however.
“As expected, parts for some of the luxury import brands are more expensive than parts for non-premium vehicles,” Renee Stephens, vice president of North American operations for We Predict, said in a statement. “But it’s not just parts that can drive costs up. Some vehicles are simply more challenging to repair. A $50 part that takes several hours to replace can result in a repair bill in the hundreds of dollars.”
More From Cars.com:
- Making Sense of New-Car Warranties
- More Coverage of Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Issues
- Find Your Next Car
Related Video: Finding a Mechanic You Can Trust
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
