16. Hyundai Venue

Model Years: 2020-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $468/Year*
It’s suggested that not just Venue owners, but anyone who owns a Hyundai, should take their vehicle to be serviced every 10,000 miles, anytime something doesn’t sound right, or when the handling begins to feel a little too loose. If regular stops by the garage aren’t your thing, then you’ll be looking at spending more than the $468 that RepairPal estimates Venue owners invest into maintaining their subcompact crossover SUVs every year.

Hyundai Venue ©Harman01828 / Shutterstock
Still rather new on the market, only time will tell if the Hyundai Venue has what it takes to outrank the competition, but with complaints about its sardine can-esque interior and cargo area, it looks like the biggest cost owners will face will come from replacing their Venues.

17. Ram Pickup

Model Years: 1980-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $691/Year*
As a full-size pickup truck, it’s expected that those who purchase a Dodge Ram will be doing so in order to use it for carrying heavy loads or traversing rough terrain. Due to the hard work that these vehicles usually endure, their suspension and engines are put under a great deal of stress which, in turn, results in added costs to one’s annual car maintenance bill.

Ram Pickup ©Mike Mareen / Shutterstock
Ram trucks are about as reliable as they come, having ranked at, or near, the top of RepairPal’s list of reliable trucks for the past few years, and if given the TLC that they deserve, can last for 15 years, or more.

18. Toyota RAV4

Model Years: 1994-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $429/Year*
Year after year, the Toyota RAV4 has been one of the more reliable compact SUVs on the market, since it first hit the market back in 1994. More recently, in 2021, the RAV received a 4 out of 5 rating and 3rd place ranking from RepairPal.

Toyota RAV4 ©tomas devera photo / Shutterstock
Ownership costs of the RAV4 are quite desirable as well, adding up to only, approximately, $429 a year (according to RepairPal). It costs more than $200 less than the average cost to maintain a vehicle but will last longer than most. Many RAV4 owners have watched their SUVs odometer go well past the 200,000-mile mark.

19. Nissan Rogue

Model Years: 2008-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $467/Year*
With a repair and maintenance cost of only $467 a year, the Nissan Rogue is not just one of the lower maintenance SUVs on the market, but also has a lower chance than many others of needing major repairs in its first 10 years. If taken care of properly, the Rogue might be cheap to maintain, however, if not looked after, it’s not without its issues.

Nissan Rogue ©Miro Vrlik Photography / Shutterstock
Some of the problems that Nissan Rogue owners have, eventually, end up paying for down the line, have had to do with the vehicle’s Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system not working properly, and a rattling that many have reported hearing coming from the SUV’s sunroof.

20. BMW X3

Model Years: 2003-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $1,034*
BMWs are notorious for having expensive parts that need expensive maintenance. The BMW X3, however, is no ordinary BMW. As a result of leaking oil, it’s not uncommon for X3 owners to have their engines serviced frequently, which will inevitably lead to higher annual maintenance fees.

BMW X3 ©BoJack / Shutterstock
The X3 has, sadly, become known for having a whole slew of issues, ranging from spark plug replacements to the replacement of the car’s crankshaft harmonic balancer, that have hiked up how much one must pay (per year) to keep the thing running. This is one BMW whose reliability leaves much to be desired – according to repairpal.com, the X3’s Reliability Rating is only 2.5 out of 5, leaving second to last on the list of compact SUVs.

21. Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Model Years: 2014-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $987/Year*
The GLA-Class is the smallest of the SUVs that are manufactured by Mercedes-Benz, but that doesn’t mean that it costs any less to maintain. Mercedes-Benz’s GLA250 owners pay an average of, approximately, $987 per year to make sure that their subcompact luxury crossover SUV is running the way that it should (compared to the Mercedes-Benz average of $908).

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class ©VanderWolf Images / Shutterstock
Benz owners have reported issues with their GLA-Class’s engine stalling as well as the need to have repairs done to reseal the area between its fuel rail and fuel injector. The GLA-Class’s Reliability Rating isn’t great, coming in at only 3 out of 5 and ranking 27th of the 32 vehicles in its class, but, if maintained accordingly, should last for more than 15 years.

22. Hyundai Tucson

Model Years: 2005-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $426/Year*
As made evident by its placing two spots behind the 3rd ranked Toyota RAV4 on RepairPal’s list of reliable compact SUVs, the Hyundai Tuscan, with a predicted Reliability score of 88%, has, over the past decade and a half, built a reputation as one of the most reliable and low maintenance compact SUVs on the market.

Hyundai Tucson ©emirhankaramuk / Shutterstock
The $426 that it costs to maintain the Tucson does not include the major issues that might be encountered over the years, which, in the past, have included fires that resulted from leaking oil pans. When all is said and done, after buying a Hyundai Tucson, you shouldn’t need to go car shopping again for another 15 years or so.

23. Jeep Grand Cherokee

Model Years: 1993-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $666/Year*
Electrical issues have been the most common problem that Jeep Grand Cherokee owners have been faced with over the years, as well as the leading cause of why the annual repair and maintenance costs for the vehicle are almost $100 more than the average cost that other SUV owners are paying.

Jeep Grand Cherokee ©rebinworkshop / Shutterstock
Although the Jeep Grand Cherokee has been rated towards the lower end of the reliability ladder, owners of this midsize SUV seem to love its performance – ranking 9th out of the 150 cars that were in consideration. Its high ranking might have something to do with the 20-year lifespan that the Cherokee has been known to have.

24. Toyota Highlander

Model Years: 2001-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $489/Year*
More than 10% of Highlander owners hang onto their Toyotas for, at least, 15 years. That’s not to say that they don’t have problems that have arisen, like shifting delays and whistling noises coming from under their hoods, but, when servicing is required, at an average of $459 per year, it costs less than the industry average to get them done.

Toyota Highlander ©Best Auto Photo / Shutterstock
Prior to the RAV4 taking over the top spot in 2006, the Highlander was Toyota’s best-selling SUV. When compared to many of the other SUVs in its class, with a 16.08% probability of needing to take their vehicle in for major repairs in its first decade, owners of the Toyota Highlander are much less likely to spend an excess of cash on maintenance.

25. GMC Sierra

Model Years: 1998-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $714/Year*
In 1998, the GMC Sierra hit the market running and hasn’t looked back since. The full-size truck has now sold close to 12 million units in The States – making it one of the best-selling pickup trucks in America. The 3.5 out of 5 that RepairPal gave Sierra for its Reliability Rating, was good enough for 5th place out of the 17 full-size trucks that were judged.

GMC Sierra ©betto rodrigues / Shutterstock
$714 is a higher than average annual cost that one must pay in order to upkeep their Sierra. That, combined with the 30% chance of the Sierra needing to head to the shop for an overhaul in its first 10 years, makes it look a little less desirable to those shopping for a new full-size truck.

26. Honda CR-V

Model Years: 1995-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $407*
A Honda CR-V costs less after the first five years. For the first five years, according to Business Insider, you’ll pay $965 annually. After that, the cost lowers to $407. The $407 figure, from RepairPal, is below the average for compact cars ($521). It’s also below-average for all vehicle models ($627).

Honda CR-V @equatormotorsuk / Twitter.com
The Honda CR-V is one of Honda’s most popular cars. They have a life expectancy of an estimated 100,000-150,000 miles. The CR-V’s best model years, according to reviewers, are 2015 and 2016 (if you’re looking for newer versions). If you’re fine with an earlier CR-V, 2005 and 2006 are customers’ favorite model years.

27. Toyota Avalon

Model Years: 1994-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $463*
A Toyota Avalon is a reliable car, and the maintenance costs are below average, which is the case for a lot of Toyotas. The Avalon costs $463, which is over $100 below the average for full-size vehicles. The Avalon is reported to last an estimated 200,000 miles, and it made the top ten (out of 32) on RepairPal for reliability.

Toyota Avalon @BommaritoToyota / Twitter.com
Toyota has continued to produce the Avalon, even when it has discontinued other, similar models. Not only are Avalons still rolling off the lineup, but Toyota has also continued to invest in the model’s research and development, improving the flagship sedan.

28. Infiniti Q45

Model Years: 1989-2006
Avg. Repair Costs: $318*
According to YourMechanic.com, the repair costs for an Infiniti Q45 vary wildly, costing the owner anywhere from $80 to $4,362. The average cost of repairs is $318, which is below average for a car of the Infiniti’s class. The full-size luxury vehicle has been rated well among customers, scoring a 4.7/5 on Every Auto.

Infiniti Q45 @Rachit_Saxena00 / Twitter.com
The Infiniti brand is a major competitor of the Acura brand, which also boasts impressively-low repair costs. While you should shop around for the best deal, you can’t really go wrong with either brand. Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury brand, much in the same way that Acura is Honda’s.

29. Honda Odyssey

Model Years: 1995-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $547*
For a minivan, the Honda Odyssey has comparatively low repair costs. Minivans cost, on average, $647 a year to repair and maintain. They are among the more expensive of all vehicle models. The Odyssey’s average cost is $547 per year, a full $100 below average.

Honda Odyssey @TFLcar / Twitter.com
The Odyssey does have a flaw for its 1994-2004 model years, as well as its 2014, 2015, and 2018 model years. Honda Odysseys from these years are known to have had transmission problems. The average cost to replace a transmission on any car is between $1,800 and $3,400. So, it’s best to avoid Odysseys from those aforementioned years.

30. Nissan Pathfinder

Model Years: 1985-Present
Avg. Repair Costs: $263*
The average cost to repair a Nissan Pathfinder is $263. YourMechanic.com has reported costs ranging from $80 to $3,574, but the mid-$200s are the average. The Pathfinder is of average reliability, according to Consumer Reports. It earned three out of five stars from the publication for its 2020 reliability.

Nissan Pathfinder @BridgewaterVW / Twitter.com
In 2019, the car earned 72/100. The Nissan Pathfinder’s cost of repairs is certainly cheaper than one of its main competitors, the Buick Enclave, which has an average annual repair cost of $720. Not only is that above average for its class, but it’s also above average for all vehicle types in the U.S.