Saving & Spending Home & Auto

10 Best Fuel-Efficient Cars to Buy If You Hate To Spend Money on Maintenance

The best vehicles might save you money on gas and maintenance.

By Jenny Cohen

Edited by Chris Kissell

Updated Dec. 17, 2024

Shopping for a car with a low price tag is one smart money move for car buyers who want to keep more money in their wallets.

But if you're trying to lower your car costs, you need to consider other factors beyond the sticker price. Ongoing costs such as gas and repairs and maintenance can also make your car more expensive.

Here are some car options experts have praised as saving you money in these key areas.

Editor's note: Unless noted, all fuel economy numbers are for 2024 models and come from the U.S. Department of Energy. All maintenance estimates are from CarEdge.

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Volkswagen Golf

The Volkswagen Golf gives you a combined 25 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

The Golf will cost you an estimated $5,410 in maintenance and repairs over the first 10 years. It also has a 15.91% chance of needing a major repair during that time, 5.59% better than similar vehicles in this segment.

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Nissan Versa

The Nissan Versa offers a combined 35 city miles per gallon in the city and on the highway, making it a fuel-efficient option.

The Versa also averages $5,331 in repair and maintenance costs over its first 10 years of life. During that time, it has a 16.43% chance of needing a major repair, 5.07% better than other vehicles in its segment.

Mitsubishi Mirage

Check out the Mitsubishi Mirage, which can get you a combined 39 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

The Mirage also scores well in terms of maintenance and repair, coming in at an average of $4,939 for the first 10 years. That is $1,825 lower than the average for hatchbacks.

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Honda Civic

The Honda Civic offers a combined 48 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

In addition to saving you money at the gas pump, the Civic will also cost you $5,245 in maintenance and repair for the first 10 years of ownership, which is $1,851 less than the average for the segment.

Nissan Sentra

The Nissan Sentra can save you money at the pump, with its combined rating of 34 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

Expect to spend $5,441 to cover maintenance and repair costs for a Sentra in the first 10 years of ownership, which is $1,655 below the average for sedans.

Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 is a fun sedan that offers good gas mileage as well. It gets an average of 31 miles per gallon combined in the city and on the highway.

You can expect to spend $5,409 in maintenance and repair costs during the first 10 years of your Mazda 3 ownership, which is $1,687 below the average for vehicles in the segment.

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Subaru Impreza

If you’re looking for an affordable car, the Subaru Impreza may check the right boxes. The vehicle’s base price is $22,995, and it offers a combined 30 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

Maintenance and repair costs are also impressive, with Impreza owners paying $5,900 during the first 10 years of ownership, $1,196 below the segment average.

Chevrolet Malibu

According to Edmunds, the Chevrolet Malibu gets a combined 31 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

You can also expect to pay $6,460 in maintenance and repair costs over the first 10 years of the vehicle’s lifespan, which is $636 below the average for sedans.

Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a great example of a car that offers great fuel mileage and low maintenance costs all in one vehicle.

The Prius gets a combined 57 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

It’s also cheap to maintain, with an estimated $4,008 in repair and maintenance costs during the first 10 years of the vehicle. That is $2,756 below the industry average for vehicles in its class.

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Honda Accord

The Honda Accord is another sedan that can boost your bank account by saving you money at the gas pump. It offers a combined 32 miles per gallon in the city and on the highway.

You can also save money on vehicle maintenance. The Accord costs $5,412 in maintenance and repairs over 10 years, which is $1,684 less than other models in the segment.

Bottom line

If you want to get ahead financially, it’s important to factor in all the potential costs of owning a car.

When you account for all costs — from the sticker price to gas and maintenance bills — the cars on this list offer good, affordable choices for people who want to save a buck.

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