Tesla’s maintenance and repair costs for its electric vehicle offerings are currently the most affordable in the automotive industry compared to any brand, according to Consumer Reports’ data analysis.
Tesla’s 10-year maintenance and repair costs are the cheapest in the industry
Consumer Reports polled members of its 2023 Annual Auto Surveys about their out-of-pocket total costs for maintenance and repairs over the past year. It found that costs significantly increase as cars age, highlighting how these expenses rise over time.
The study uncovered that Tesla’s 10-year maintenance and repair costs are currently the cheapest in the auto industry. As per the data, Tesla’s average maintenance and repair cost was only $4,035 over a decade.
“When comparing cumulative costs by brand for years one through five and six through 10, we found that Tesla had the lowest maintenance costs. At the opposite end of the rankings, several German automakers are clustered as the most expensive brands, namely Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.”
Consumer Reports
In comparison, rivals Land Rover and Porsche’s 10-year maintenance and repair costs averaged a whopping $19,250 and $14,090, respectively. It is also worth noting that four out of five of the cheapest brands to maintain were US-based companies: Tesla, Buick, Lincoln, and Ford.
“The difference to maintain a car on average between some brands can be thousands over a 10-year time frame. Also, expensive luxury vehicles are often quite expensive to maintain as well over time.”
Steven Elek, Program Leader for Auto Data Analytics at Consumer Reports
Top 10 brands with lowest costs of repair and maintenance
Presented below are the top 10 brands with the lowest costs of repair and maintenance over a 10-year period:
| Brand | 1- to 5-Year Cost | 6- to 10-Year Cost | Total 10-Year Cost |
| Tesla | $580 | $3,455 | $4,035 |
| Buick | $900 | $4,000 | $4,900 |
| Toyota | $1,125 | $3,775 | $4,900 |
| Lincoln | $940 | $4,100 | $5,040 |
| Ford | $1,100 | $4,300 | $5,400 |
| Chevrolet | $1,200 | $4,350 | $5,550 |
| Hyundai | $1,140 | $4,500 | $5,640 |
| Nissan | $1,300 | $4,400 | $5,700 |
| Mazda | $1,400 | $4,400 | $5,800 |
| Honda | $1,435 | $4,400 | $5,835 |
The study also noted that luxury gas vehicles from niche brands tended to be at the higher end of the repair and maintenance price range. Meanwhile, Tesla had lower costs across the board.
“If you are considering a luxury model, it may be wise to purchase one from a domestic brand that may have lower maintenance and repair costs. For example, over 10 years, Mercedes-Benz models are more than double the cost to maintain and repair as those from Lincoln.”
Steven Elek, Program Leader for Auto Data Analytics at Consumer Reports
Top 10 brands with highest costs of repair and maintenance
Here are the top 10 brands with the most expensive costs of repair and maintenance over 10 years (descending order):
| Brand | Minimum Cost | Average Cost | Maximum Cost |
| GMC | $1,400 | $5,800 | $7,200 |
| Subaru | $1,700 | $5,500 | $7,200 |
| Mini | $1,525 | $6,100 | $7,625 |
| Acura | $1,800 | $6,000 | $7,800 |
| Infiniti | $2,150 | $6,350 | $8,500 |
| Volvo | $1,785 | $7,500 | $9,285 |
| BMW | $1,700 | $7,800 | $9,500 |
| Audi | $1,900 | $7,990 | $9,890 |
| Mercedes-Benz | $2,850 | $7,675 | $10,525 |
| Porsche | $4,000 | $10,090 | $14,090 |
| Land Rover | $4,250 | $15,000 | $19,250 |
Consumer Reports’ study backs the long-standing claims of electric automakers about the lower repair and maintenance costs of electric vehicles due to their fewer moving components than ICE-powered vehicles. It is undoubtedly a significant boost for Tesla, potentially attracting more customers to choose its electric vehicles over any other non-Tesla models.
