7 Cheapest Cars to Own: Did Your Favorite Make the List?

We all know that the price you pay at the dealership isn't the final indicator of how much a vehicle will cost. You have to take into account a whole host of factors, including depreciation, insurance, maintenance, repairs, financing, state fees, and fuel to understand how much your car will truly cost to operate. With this in mind, we have compiled a list of seven cars with the lowest cost of ownership over a five-year period, based on data from our partners at IntelliChoice.

Honda Fit

5-Year Ownership Cost: $24,991-$29,189

IntelliChoice Value Rating: Excellent

See All 27 Photos27

The Honda Fit is a marvel in interior packaging, with reconfigurable seats that allow you to store a bike, small couch, or even a surfboard inside. Along with its 40-mpg highway fuel economy rating, its low cost of ownership also makes it a very practical car.

Chevrolet Spark

5-Year Ownership Cost: $26,143-$30,108

IntelliChoice Value Rating: Average

See All 27 Photos27

This tiny car comes with a tiny starting price of $14,095. It also benefits from a low cost of ownership—and whimsical color options, including Passion Fruit, Raspberry, Caribbean Blue Metallic, and Orange Burst Metallic.

Kia Rio

5-Year Ownership Cost: $27,560-$28,057 (sedan), $28,418 (hatchback)

IntelliChoice Value Rating: Above Average (sedan), Average (hatchback)

See All 27 Photos27

When the Rio hatch competed in our 2018 Car of the Year competition, we were surprised how refined it had become. It offers a solid, quiet ride and a high-quality interior. This subcompact also impresses in sedan form.

Toyota Yaris sedan

5-Year Ownership Cost: $25,359-$27,470

IntelliChoice Value Rating: Excellent

See All 27 Photos27

The Yaris sedan is essentially a rebadged Mazda2. It slots below the larger Corolla as a subcompact car, packing a 1.5-liter four-cylinder making just 106 hp. But at least it achieves a favorable fuel economy rating of 32/40/35 mpg city/highway/combined.

Subaru Impreza

5-Year Ownership Cost: $28,187-$31,635 (sedan), $31,867-$31,867 (wagon)

IntelliChoice Value Rating: Above Average (sedan), Excellent (wagon)

See All 27 Photos27

Available as a sedan or wagon, the Subaru Impreza benefits from excellent visibility, a well-mannered CVT, and a ride that minimizes road imperfections.

Hyundai Accent

5-Year Ownership Cost: $28,350-$31,146

IntelliChoice Value Rating: Average

See All 27 Photos27

Hyundai dropped the Accent hatchback, but the sedan is still kicking. Driving dynamics have improved with the recent redesign, and this subcompact boasts a generous amount of standard features on each trim level.

Kia Soul

5-Year Ownership Cost: $27,203-$31,913

IntelliChoice Value Rating: Above Average-Excellent

See All 27 Photos27

The Soul has a lot to offer, including a powerful turbocharged engine, quick steering, and a spacious interior. Our data references the outgoing 2019 model, but we expect the redesigned 2020 version will remain a great deal.