Purchasing a car that is fairly priced in 2025 is simply half the battle. The other half is making sure you remain in your budget once you drive the car off of the lot. This is why maintenance costs are just as important as the purchase price. If you purchase a half-priced car but it ends up needing breakdown repairs frequently or requires a number of expensive parts, you may have ended up spnding more on that car than you would on a car with a higher sticker price.
Fortunately, many manufacturers offer affordable cars that are low maintenance and typically cheap to service and that last long. In this article, we will share which affordable cars in 2025 offer the lowest ongoing maintnance costs. These vehicles will be perfect for first time buyers, students, budget families, and people looking for simple ownership.
Let’s find out which cars have the best reliability, repair costs, and overall affordability.
What Makes a Car Cheap to Maintain?
Before diving into the list, it’s helpful to understand the key traits that keep maintenance costs low:
- Simple engineering: Fewer complicated parts mean fewer things to break.
- Common parts availability: Widely available parts cost less to replace.
- Strong reliability ratings: Fewer repairs and breakdowns over time.
- Long warranty coverage: Automaker covers more costs for longer.
- Low-cost routine services: Oil changes, filters, and brakes are inexpensive.
With that in mind, here are the top affordable cars with the lowest maintenance costs in 2025.
1. 2025 Toyota Corolla
Starting Price: Around $21,000 (new)
Why It’s Low-Maintenance:
For years, the Toyota Corolla has maintained great popularity for its outstanding reliability and ultra-low cost of ownership. Thus, it is no surprise that the 2025 model is no different. So, whether you are taking home a new Corolla or a certified pre-owned one, at least you know you are getting a vehicle that will last a long time with little hassle.
You should have little hassle with easy routine maintenance, such as oil changes and filter replacements, and it’s rare for a Corolla to have a major mechanical reakdown with less than 200,000 driven miles. Considering the large Toyota dealership footprint, it will also be easy to find major parts and service at a fair price.
In addition to the above factors, the Corolla also gets good fuel mileage, has a lot of everyday features for safety, and is a good all-around value.
2. 2025 Honda Civic
Starting Price: Around $23,000 (new)
Why It’s Low-Maintenance:
The Honda Civic has long had its reputation as one of the most dependable compact cars on the road. In 2025, the Honda Civic performs just as well in the blend of fun-to-drive performance and long-term ownership costs. Its initial cost might be slightly higher than some compacts, but owners reap the savings over time with lower repair frequency and better reliability ratings.
Honda engines are built to an exceptional engineering standard to last hundreds of thousands of miles with some basic maintenance, and Honda’s parts are widely avilable that keeps repair costs down, outside the dealership. Everything from brake pads to oil filters to spark plugs are cheap and easy to replace.
As the Civic continues to be a top choice for a car that feels current and sophisticated, while still being economical.
3. 2025 Hyundai Elantra
Starting Price: Around $21,500 (new)
Why It’s Low-Maintenance:
The Hyundai Elantra is noteworthy in 2025 not only because of its streamlined design and impressive technology, but also for its low cost of ownership. Over the last decade, Hyundai has made significant strides in quality and now the Elantra competes directly with the best in the compact class.
Hyundai’s industry-leading 10 year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty certainly helps on the affordability end of the spectrum; one of the biggest concerns for drivers–unexpected auto repairs–won’t be an issue anytime soon. Even when one does need to pay out-of-pocket for routine maintenance or some of the common repairs people experience out of warranty, their costs are generally not prohibitive.
Elantras also hold value well, making them a good investment for consumers with budget constraints.
4. 2025 Kia Forte
Starting Price: Around $20,000 (new)
Why It’s Low-Maintenance:
If you’re in the market for a sedan that sports a sporty look and easy maintenance relief, the Forte checks all the boxes. It shares a lot every component with the Hyundai Elantra and benefits from their warranty and them improving reliability.
The engines in the Forte are easy, simple, and efficient; all contributing factors to lowered expenses overall and less mechanical issues. Many service stations have consistently had feedback from customers stating that Kia vehicles are easy to work on over their competitors, which reduces labor fees. Routine changes of oil, brake work, and tire rotations are all reasonably priced, especially if you let a local wrench turn at a local mechanic.
The Forte in 2025 also has standard driver-assistance technology and connectivity with smartphones which all contributes to a terrific overall value.
5. 2025 Nissan Versa
Starting Price: Around $15,000 (new)
Why It’s Low-Maintenance:
The Nissan Versa is among the cheapest new cars you can buy in 2025, and it’s at or near the top of the list for its low-cost of ownership. Due to its basic design and minimal engineering, the Nissan Versa is easy to work on and is one of the cheapest vehicles to perform routine maintenance, including oil, brakes, and tires.
The 2025 Nissan Versa improved its build quality from older versions and came with as standard operating driver-assistance technologies and vehicle integration smart systems for user’s smart devices. It is not supposed to be powerful or fancy, but it gave you some assurance that it would be reliable, and attempt to keep operating expenses down to a minimum.
If you are searching for simple, reliable, low-upkeep, minimal-cost, limited transportation, the Nissan Versa is a good choice.
Bonus Pick: 2020–2023 Toyota Yaris (Used)
Price Range (Used): $10,000–$14,000
Why It’s Low-Maintenance:
Even though it’s no longer sold in the U.S., you’d be hard pressed to find a more reliable used subcompact than the Toyota Yaris. Its straightforward 1.5L engine offers excellent fuel economy and has a reputation for running as long as you just leave it alone.
Routine maintenance costs on the Yaris are cheap, and parts are easy to find thanks to Toyota’s worldwide accessibility. If you could find a well-maintained used one, it could provide you with years of dependable stress-free driving for very little cost.
How to Keep Maintenance Costs Even Lower
No matter which car you choose, here are a few smart ways to reduce your maintenance costs even more:
- Follow the maintenance schedule in your owner’s manual. Skipping oil changes or fluid flushes can lead to bigger problems later.
- Use trusted local mechanics instead of dealership service departments for out-of-warranty repairs.
- Shop around for parts online or at auto parts stores instead of buying through the dealer.
- Keep your tires inflated properly to reduce wear and improve fuel economy.
- Handle small issues early before they turn into expensive problems.
These simple habits can save you hundreds (or even thousands) over the life of your car.
Final Thoughts
When you shop for a car in 2025, you won’t only want to look at the sticker price. A vehicle that may be a little more expensive to purchase but will have less miles per gallon will cost you less by the time you finish paying for it. Some of the best values in this regard are the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, and Nissan Versa. Also, these cars are both affordable in purchase price and reliable.
These models have had plenty of time logged, they are rated among the top by owners, and they are easy to maintain. Overall, these cars are reasonable investments for someone who is concerned about enjoying their car and saving money. Whatever your method is for determining the lowest total cost of ownership, start with these cars to enjoy the journey and not from the repair shop.
